We stayed as a family in the cottage. A lovely and very welcoming home, with lots of thought in the design and detail for guests. As a family of four we had lots of space, but perhaps it lacks a little soul in comparison to several other places we have stayed in New Zealand . Anthea was very helpful and... More

My wife and I wanted the best of both worlds. We wanted to stay in luxury boutique accommodation as a mini-break after the wedding. We have a bigger planned honeymoon later in the year. We also wanted to go on some outdoor adventures together. We were really happy staying in and really happy exploring the location. We went mountain biking,... More

The property and lodging at the cottage was outstanding and Anthea made our visit productive and enjoyable. She furnished dinner recommendations, a first class fishing guide in Andrew and provided the ladies with lots of insight into the local community.

We arrived at River Birches late on Friday evening. All lit up, the grounds and the lodge looked amazing. Come morning, we were awoken to the sound of cicadas and beautifully manicured grounds. Anthea had prepared a delicious breakfast, her homemade muesli, the local honey and a fruit salad of kiwiberries, pawpaw and blueberries being highlights. An action packed day... More

We spent 2 days over Christmas at River Birches. Nestled in a quiet area surrounded by beautiful gardens. Our host Anthea was delightful and her cooking suited our dietry requests perfectly. Anthea was also very good at suggesting local tramps that were off the beaten track so we spent Christmas day tramping with very few others there. We stayed in... More

Two of my friends and I stayed at the River Birches Cottage for two nights in November 2011. We were in the region for the Tongariro Alpine Crossing day walk and the River Birches location was perfect for this activity. When we arrived, we were planning to go out for dinner but seeing the well equipped and beautiful kitchen we... More

Six fishing enthusiasts stayed in the cottage and found it to be perfect for us. It was quality accommodation, with excellent and friendly service and local advice. Our four nights finished far too soon.

We spent two nights here in October 2011 while waiting for the weather to improve to allow us to do the Tongariro Crossing walk (which luckily it did on the last day!). There are three suites, which looked relatively similar (apart from one having a hot tub), and we stayed in the Major's Room. There is a large main house... More

Late in August I stayed at River Birches Cottage (That was to my pleasure and also my first mistake.) I should have gone with my lovely wife instead of my fishing mate. Telling her where we stayed was the second mistake ...because she checked it out. My wife loves it when we stay at luxury accomodation in the Taupo region.... More