Riders’ Rest Ruakākā | The Lodge | Great Views

This stylish & unique place sets the stage for a memorable trip. Whether you are travelling for business, celebrating a birthday or anniversary, or on an adventure, if you are seeking somewhere to relax with a magnificent sea view, you are sure to enjoy your stay. Architecturally designed, The Lodge at Riders' Rest offers you a large bedroom pod with ensuite (enjoy the view from the shower); & a separate pod with lounge, kitchen & dining. The 2 pods are connected with large deck & breezeway. The space This stylish & unique place sets the stage for a memorable trip. Whether you are travelling for business, celebrating a birthday or anniversary, or on an adventure, if you are seeking somewhere to relax with a magnificent sea view, you are sure to enjoy your stay. Architecturally designed, The Lodge at Riders' Rest offers you a large bedroom pod with ensuite (enjoy the view from the shower); & a separate pod with lounge, kitchen & dining. The 2 pods are connected with large deck & breezeway. The Lodge is located at Riders' Rest here in Ruakākā, Northland which is well situated for you to go exploring all over Northland. The Lodge has an expansive deck with an outdoor spa located at one end which allows you to take in the view while relaxing. Directions and Parking - Port Marsden Highway. If you google search Riders’ Rest Ruakākā it should give you clear instructions of where we are located. We have two driveways, come in through the first one and you can park in front of The Lodge (to the right of the front steps). Guest access Your host will send you information about The Lodge prior to your visit so you should be familiar with everything by the time you check in. Dedicated parking space is set aside for you right in front of The Lodge. Other things to note The Lodge provides: Full cooking facilities of a stove and microwave (and feel free to use staples that are in the pantry or fridge). We just ask that you wipe down the stove following using it and all the cleaning products are in the cupboard below the sink. Bath Towels: We have provided a heated towel rail. This helps to conserve water, by not washing towels after each use (as we are on tank water supply), so if you hang your towels on the heated towel rail, they will not only be warm and dry but be great for our environment. If you require more towels during your stay than we have left out, please let us know and I will arrange for more to be provided. Beaches: There are a number of places to enter the amazing Ruakākā beach - Mair Road which is by the refinery; Ruakākā Surf Beach (where there is a lovely cafe called The Bach) - to mention just two but you can also go to the beach through the entry by the race course. Whilst it is winter, a walk along the beaches is a must during your stay. If you need to borrow a boogie board, let me know as we do have a couple available, along with beach towels and a sun umbrella. We do ask that you use the hoses provided to wash off any sand before showering inside and before using the spa. There is a hose on either side of The Lodge (if you can just make sure that they are turned off at the tap). Cafes and Restaurants: We are quite spoiled for nice cafes and restaurants. Just to name a few: The Bach - by the surf club (5 minutes) Urban Remedy - One Tree Point Marsden Cove - previously known as Land and Sea Ainga at the Ruakākā Tavern - 5 minutes Two Birds Cafe - 5 minutes - they also provide lovely meals at night. Spice Route Indian Restaurant - 4 minutes and they will also deliver for a small charge Ginger Garlic Indian Restaurant - 5 minutes The Porthouse Bar and Eatery - 2 minutes drive away … and there are a large number of cafes in Waipu (which is only 12 minutes drive south) and FEOH and Logan Maclean are both great coffee is a must and you couldn’t miss a night at McLeods Pizza Barn, especially if you enjoy a craft beer and try their McLeods craft beer. Check-in and Checkout: Depending on previous bookings, check with us when you are able to check in, but the normal time is 2:00pm. When you checkout, which is 11.00am (but if you want to check out later in the day, that is fine also) can you please leave the keys back on the kitchen bench and you can leave The Lodge unlocked. If you require a late check out, please check with us to see whether this will be possible. If you have time, we would appreciate you leaving any wet towels hanging on the heated towel rack. Cleaning Products: As we pride ourselves on looking after our environment, we have a septic system which cannot have any products other than what is supplied (Eco Products), otherwise the worms that operate in the system will be affected and hence the system will fail. We have provided all cleaning products - including shampoos/conditioners, body washes and cleaning products. Cutlery, crockery and pots: You will find everything you will need in the kitchen cupboards (the top drawers have drawers within the drawers, so the cutlery can be found in the top top drawer closest to the stove) and cooking utensils are in the top top drawer closest to the fridge. Dishwasher: When you leave, feel free to leave your dishes in the dishwasher. Gas: The stove has gas hobbs, can you please make sure that each of the elements are turned off as soon as you finish using them and before you leave, can you check again. This is a safety measure for everyone. Gas Bottles: In the unlikely event of the gas running out, contact us straight away and we can advise you how to switch between the bottles if we are not home (which are on the right hand side of the bedroom module). It is a simple process and will not require you to do any heavy lifting. Heat Pump and Air Conditioning Unit: There is an air-conditioning and heat pump unit in each of our rooms - it has a ‘quiet’ function so you will be able to sleep without it disturbing you. (Can you please turn it off when you leave and when you are not using it). Internet and Television: Free internet access is available and the Wi-Fi name is Riders Rest and the Password is RidersRestNZ. The television is a smart TV - select HOME and select the apps you wish to watch and use. You may need to log into some apps, but NetFlix should be accessible. Key: The Lodge key fits both of the Lodges’ rooms, the bedroom/bathroom and the kitchen/lounge/dining room. You will find the key on the kitchen bench. It is very safe here in Ruakākā, but we still advise you to lock The Lodge when you leave. Lights: There are motion activated lights between the rooms so if you leave it in the “auto” (middle position), they will come on and off without staying on all night. There is also a motion light in the kitchen unit for the steps by the Spa. Can you please check that the light outside the kitchen is turned off at night. At this time of the year, if you leave the lights on it may attract some insects, so we advise you to close the windows and doors before it gets dark. Local Places to Visit: If you have heard of the work of Hundertwasser - we have a Hundertwasser Centre in the Town Basin in Whangarei (30 minutes north) and it is well worth spending time there. The Waipu Caves Farm Park is an amazing place to visit and they are only 15 minutes away. There is a lovely Museum which tells the history of the Scottish immigrants to Waipu in the Waipu township (which is only 12 minutes away). There are lots of coastal walks - just google them. Otuihau Whangarei Falls is another must to see during your stay. It is 35 minutes away (in Whangarei). While in Whangarei there is also a wonderful place called The Quarry Gardens which has a delightful cafe also and you can spend time walking around their gardens. If you are interested in golf, there is an amazing golf course - Waipu Golf Course not far from us and it also has a lovely cafe. Not far from the golf club is a horse trekking business which takes riders on the beach, so lots to do. Further north (north of Whangarei) there are so many beaches to visit right up the coastline to the Bay of Islands. The Helena Bay Cafe is a must to visit. There are brochures available in The Lodge but I would also suggest you call into the Information Centre on the way into Whangarei (on the left) where you will find lots of information about places to visit, walks to do etc. Northland really caters for everyone and almost every interest. If you are more interested in walking tracks, we are once again spoiled for choice. You can find lots on this site Outdoor furniture: There are 2 lounges on the deck where you can relax and take in the view (we ask that these remain in the place they are located); however there are two bean bags and other chairs that can be moved around. Recycling and Rubbish: There are two bins in the cupboard below the sink. There are bin liners on the bench and you can leave any rubbish in the bins by the carport when they are full. There is one for the bottles and one for the household waste. Shower: The shower rose and mixer can fool the best of us! It has a ‘rain shower’ and ‘normal shower’. To alternate between the two functions, there is a round knob to turn. To turn the shower on, move the mixer away from you and towards the wall. (if you are unsure - don’t hesitate to ask us) Spa: The spa is for your exclusive use during your stay. There are ‘spa towels’ to use (rather than the white ones) when having a spa - they can be found in your wardrobe. Can you please reclip the cover back in place following its use. (If you use the spa, can you add a teaspoon of the product which is left out by the spa. This only needs to be used after each time you use the spa, if you don’t use it for a day, then you don’t need to apply any product to it.) - if you are unsure, just flick me a text message The Riders’ Rest Cat: We have a cat named Lucky who may wander past from time to time. She is very friendly but if you do not like cats, feel free to shoo her away. We will have someone feeding her while we are away. The Riders’ Rest Dog: We have a small Jack Russell dog (named Bonnie) who enjoys greeting you but she will happily return back to our cabin once she has said hello. Do not hesitate to send her home if she pops over to say hello during your stay. Visitors Book: Before you leave, we would love you to sign our visitors book. Washing Machine: You will find a washing machine in the pantry in the kitchen. To work it, make sure the dial is back at 0 and then set it on 45 (which is to the left), add the washing powder in the left hand drawer and softener to the right hand drawer and start. There is a drying rack in the wardrobe in the bedroom. There is also an excellent local laundromat if you need to dry your clothes quickly and there is a clothes line on the side of the carport if you need to use it. Water: Our water is very safe to drink straight from the tap. As we do rely on our natural rain sources for water to fill our tanks, we ask that at this time of the year (as we have had very little rain over the summer period) that you are mindful of not leaving the water on unnecessarily. When you leave, don’t worry about putting the dishes through the dishwasher, you can just leave any dishes in the dishwasher and we will deal with them. We hope that you enjoy your stay at The Lodge and do not hesitate to contact me during your stay if you have any questions or concerns.