Stargazing + Hot Tub - Explore Tekapo & Mt Cook!

For nature lovers & romantics, our boutique country retreat is a perfect escape near Mt Cook & Tekapo. The stylish cottage is set on a secluded 10-acre property with incredible mountain views and big skies. Just 17km from the town of Twizel, it offers both privacy and modern comforts. Spend your day exploring Tekapo or Mt Cook, then relax in a private wood-fired hot tub under the stars of the dark sky reserve. A peaceful spot to recharge, just 50 mins to Mt Cook/Tekapo, or 2.5 hrs to Queenstown. The space *Overview* > Te Manahuna Retreat Boutique Ecosanctuary Accommodation near Twizel, Aoraki Mt Cook, Lake Tekapo, and Lake Ohau. > Beautiful natural location but with all the modern conveniences including excellent cellphone coverage & fast Wi-Fi. > 17km from the town of Twizel, which has supermarkets, petrol station, restaurants, cafes, shops, & pharmacy. > The ideal base to explore the incredible Mackenzie Region and stargaze in New Zealand’s best dark sky reserve! > 1 or 2 bedroom self-contained cottage on private 10-acre ecosanctuary (ideal for 2, but can sleep 4). > Private wood-fired hot tub. > Full kitchen + BBQ. > Laundry with washing machine & dryer. > Breathtaking views (must be seen to be truly appreciated!). > 50-minutes to Aoraki Mt Cook and Lake Tekapo. > 2.5 hours from Queenstown or 4 hours from Christchurch International Airports. It's a great drive from either direction, with excellent roads but allow more time as New Zealand roads can be narrow and/or winding at times. If you’d like to know more, please read everything below! >> Tell me more about the space: The 50sqm cottage is designed to be low-impact. It’s simple and unobtrusive on the outside but beautiful, modern and cosy inside! It's built for our unique alpine environment, to withstand the stunning yet extreme seasons of hot summers, snowy winters, and windy springs. It's very warm with a logburner, recycled wool insulation, and double glazing. We chose the elegant décor to reflect our beloved Mackenzie Region colours, with golden wood and brushed copper, crisp white walls, marble greys, and golden highlights. There's one bedroom with a queen bed, and the other room has a smaller double sofa bed so you can enjoy the space as a lounge for reading or watching a movie. We can also arrange the lounge as a bedroom, if needed for extra guests or children (portacot available). >> Do the hosts live onsite? Yes! Jason is originally from America (Illinois/Wisconsin) and Amy is from New Zealand’s West Coast. We have 3 children and two small, friendly dogs, and our family home is 60 metres away from the cottage. You’re given total privacy to enjoy your stay however we’re here in case you need anything at all! >> What about the location? We're located in the amazing Te Manahuna Mackenzie Region, 2.5 hour's drive from Queenstown or 4 hour's drive from Christchurch. It's 17km to Twizel, which has everything you'll need (supermarkets, restaurants, petrol station, pharmacy, shops). The cottage is nestled on an ancient glacial moraine, 530m above sea level bordering conservation land and the Ben Ōhau mountain range. It’s a striking landscape carved by ancient glaciers and features golden grasslands, bright blue glacial lakes, and rugged mountains. >> So what can I do in this amazing place? Aoraki Mt Cook National Park is a must do! It’s a 50-minute drive from our place and is a pure alpine wilderness of snowy mountains, glaciers, and epic hiking trails. The Hooker Valley is a fairly easy hike for most people, about 3 to 4 hours return, with spectacular views. Lake Tekapo is 45-minutes from us with its famous bright blue lake, as well as hiking trails and great activities. We also recommend exploring Lake Ōhau (5-minute drive) and Lake Pukaki (15-minute drive) – you can walk or cycle the Alps 2 Ocean Cycle Trail along both lakes and take in the incredible scenery. In summer, swimming in our pure alpine lakes is a must-do! >> Tell me about the hot tub. It’s probably the best part about staying here! The private outdoor wood-fired hot tub is for our cottage guests only and seats two. It’s filled with pure water from an alpine spring behind the property and heated with sustainably-harvested wood. We’ve situated the tub so it’s totally private, so you can relax with a dreamy bathing experience under the stars. >> Can I stargaze at your place? On a clear, moonless night the stargazing is out of this world! We’re located in the Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve, which has some of the purest and darkest night skies in the world. There’s almost no light pollution and we’ve minimised our night lighting so you can enjoy an immersive stargazing experience. >> I love to cook – what does the kitchen have? It has everything you need! There's an oven, fridge, microwave, freezer, toaster, jug plus all crockery, utensils, pots, pans + baking tins. We supply coffee (plunger + instant), black tea, herbal tea, sugar, salt, pepper, spices, herbs, cooking oil, hot sauce, soy sauce, and vinegar. There's a BBQ and BBQ utensils on the cottage deck. We also supply tea towels, dishcloths, natural Ecostore dishwashing liquid and cleaning spray. >> What can I do for fun if the weather isn’t good? There’s a large smart TV in the lounge/second bedroom and a smaller smart TV in the living area with Netflix, Disney+, and Neon. You must play one of our favourite albums on the record player – we feel that there’s an inherent warmth in vinyl recordings that make the music feel more tangible and alive! You could also read our favourite books on the Mackenzie Region, browse the library in the garage TV lounge, or play one of the many board games. >> Are children welcome? This is a great place for kids to enjoy nature, however, younger children must be supervised at all times due to seasonal ponds and streams on the property. We have three children ourselves, so can recommend “tried and tested” family-friendly activities in the region! *Please note that the lower/Southern end of the property (300m from cottage) is not accessible, due to a building site with multiple hazards. This is for authorised personnel only.* >> My dog goes everywhere with me – can I bring them to your place? You’re most welcome to bring your dog and they’re allowed inside although we have a couple of rules to keep everyone happy and safe. It’s an additional fee of $60 per stay to cover our extra cleaning costs, they must be either on leash or under your control at all times, and you must pick up any messes they leave. Our 10-acre property is fully fenced and there are dog-friendly walks near by. We have two small Border Terrier x Jack Russells called Maisie and Frankie who love to play with new friends! >> What’s this I hear about a retro garage lounge? You've never seen a garage like this! Some guests have called it the ultimate “man cave” but everyone is welcome to hang out. Check out the retro video/gaming lounge with wall-to-wall VHS & DVD, plus old-school gaming consoles (NES, N64, Xbox). There's musical instruments, turntable and vinyl, over 2,000 CDs, bar, dartboard, chairs and couches to take in the epic views, board games, and more! The retro garage lounge is a communal space to be shared and enjoyed with other guests and your hosts. >> How do you heat the cottage? Heating is with an awesome New Zealand-made Yunca log burner. We provide locally-sourced, sustainably-harvested wood, as well as kindling, firestarters, newspaper, and lighter. There are also wall panel heaters in the bedroom, and lounge/bedroom. More kindling and firewood is in the coatroom on the cottage deck. Please ensure you fully latch the coatroom door and secure with chain, as we sometimes have strong winds. >> Can I do my washing? There’s a washing machine, dryer and natural Ecostore laundry liquid available free of charge in the cottage. On sunny days we encourage you to to use the environmentally-friendly option of hanging your clothes on the clothesline outside (pegs are in buckets on the laundry line). There’s a drying rack in the garage for heavy stuff like boots and ski or hiking gear. >> Can I drink water straight out of the tap? We recommend using a glass but dive in! The water is from an alpine spring behind our property. It’s been tested and exceeds drinking water standards – we think it’s the best-tasting water in the world. >> What is an ecosanctuary? Our 10-acres is a protected environment where native and endemic flora and fauna can thrive, free from predators and pollution. We also hope to share our conservation knowledge with others, and leave a legacy for our family and community. It’s lifetime commitment! We have a predator control programme in place, and the property is fully fenced with rabbit-proof fencing. We cultivate and plant shrubs, plants, and trees and there are many birds, insects and other creatures living here. >> What exactly are you doing to be sustainable? As much as we can! We’re proud to walk the walk, and caring for our environment and people is at the heart of our business. We won the Sustainability and Environmental Award in the 2022 South Canterbury NZ Business Excellence Awards, and we were finalists in the 2021 awards! We’re also part of New Zealand’s Tourism Sustainability Commitment, and are dedicated to a sustainable tourism industry that makes a positive and enduring contribution to our community and country. The cottage was built with natural, untreated timber, insulated with natural New Zealand sheep wool insulation, and painted with eco-friendly paint. The floors and joinery are hand-crafted from New Zealand-grown Oregon pine and finished with non-toxic, environmentally safe oils. We supply natural, New Zealand-made Ecostore cleaning and body products, which are purchased in bulk to reduce waste. We don't have single-use items like individually-packaged tea, coffee, soap, shampoo etc. Instead, we provide tea, coffee, and sugar in ceramic jars, and cleaning and body products are supplied in re-usable containers. All food scraps are composted, and we recycle glass, plastic, cans, and paper. We’re also committed to protecting our beautiful dark skies, and minimise our night lighting in accordance with the International Dark-Sky Association’s principles for responsible outdoor lighting: “Light what you need, when you need it, as bright as you need it.” >> Big question: What’s your mission in this life? Te Manahuna is the Māori name for the Mackenzie Region. It means "Place of Enlightenment". We’ve found living here and being so connected to nature a very uplifting and enlightening experience. This is the guest experience we’re striving for: that our guests will get a chance to connect with the natural elements of the world, in one of the most beautiful places on Earth. We hope that you leave feeling rejuvenated, and inspired to lead a more sustainable and environmentally friendly lifestyle, as small changes add up to something big! We don’t need a small number of people doing things perfectly, we need lots and lots of people doing things imperfectly. This will really drive change and will make a difference to our precious planet and the people who will inherit it from us. Guest access Cottage, garage hangout, lawns with trampoline, badminton set, and swingset. Please note there is no access to the lower/Southern end of the land as there's a building under construction and the site has multiple hazards. This is for authorised personnel only. Thank you. Other things to note There is a driveway gate with rabbit-proof fencing. Please stop in front of the gate, open it (push uphill), drive through, then close the gate behind you. Thanks! Please note there is no access to the lower/Southern end of the property as there's a building under construction and the site has multiple hazards. This is for authorised personnel only.