Excellent location,sea views

Steve was a wonderful host and made our stay excellent. He went out of his way to help us. His place is perfect: serene, beautiful grounds, views of the sea, a cosy NZ bach-style cabin with plenty of charm and comfort. We are going back in the future to have one of his signature pizza nights.

Perfect place for a relaxed weekend with friends. Warm and welcoming host. Steve facilitated an awesome pizza dinner for us, providing and prepping doughs and cooking them in the wood fired oven. Highly recommended for folks who want a friendly and relaxed break in rural surroundings over a slick hotel setting. Thanks Steve!

We very much enjoyed our stay. The pizza sharing was particularly nice, great idea to bring people together and feel at home.

Very cute wee cottage

Friendly owner

Lovely quiet place with awesomely friendly owner!

Had a lovely stay, beautiful surroundings and cottage had everything we needed.

The cottage was bright and the environment was nice and quiet. Near the beach.

Lovely place!

Beautiful cottages, easy walk to local beaches, cafe’s and bars, and just as easy drive to northern Abel Tasman. We stayed a few nights and had the pleasure of attending a pizza night and met some other people in the cottages. Everyone was lovely and we learned so much about the area! Lots of birds can be seen with the beautiful sunset right from your window. Don’t forget to say hi to Penny!

Dog friendly accomodation was the main reason we stayed and it was great for the dog the child and us. Quiet and comfortable accommodation.

Great having the hall.The table tennis and the piano were awesome for the children and adults to play in on a wet weekend.

The host was very personable and accommodating. The location was nice. The Tuis commanding their territory and the cheeky fantails playing with the frisky horse in the paddock.

Steve is a great host, right from our first introduction he went above and beyond. He told us about the yoga that was being held the next morning and talked about the pizza oven in the summer months. Our young daughters loved the alpacas, bird song and tree swings. We came in winter and the unit itself was quite damp and we were surprised to find ants through our food. The beautiful surroundings, friendly host and relaxed atmosphere I think would make this a fantastic place to visit in the summer months.

"Perfect location for exploring takaka! steve was incredibly friendly and helpful. The room itself was spotless and very comfortable. I would highly recommend this place to anyone looking for a clean, comfortable, and centrally-located place to stay."

Great location. Rustic property offering something different. Close to beach, walks and the whole of Golden Bay to explore. Steve is a great host.

A taste of the 1960s and all the more charming for that.

Comfortable beds, lovely table and chairs and out look. Good kitchen . Clean and homely. Great for our dog too. Owner helpful and friendly.

The host was so welcoming and even made up a small cottage for us to stay in, as they were fully booked for our first night. It's a great place to stay if you're wanting to explore the Tasman/Golden Bay region. Pizza night was cool too - just bring your topping and have it cooked in the pizza oven outside. Fantastic! We had all we needed and the ambience of all the Tui outside was awesome. Great place - highly recommend!

Steve was very welcoming and inclusive in his hosting. Great community feel. Relaxing, hearing bird calls at night. Handy to village and the fabulous Pohara beach. Ngā mihi nui

What a find! This place was described as “shabby chic” but it was certainly anything but shabby. The cabins are fully equipped to suit all your needs during your stay - very comfy beds, a great shower, basic kitchen, a tv, dining area, and balcony. The views over to the beach are breathtaking. In the middle of the stunning gardens, there is a woodfired pizza oven and Steve, the owner, put on a pizza night for us with homemade pizza dough. Peni, the resident guard dog, is not very good at her job - she is so friendly and welcomes everyone. In fact, I would say she is the opposite of a guard dog - she put on her best puppy dog eyes when it was time to go, which made leaving very hard! I could write heaps more about this place but it is probably best that you book in and discover it for yourself. I will definitely be back here again very soon.

During my month in NZ, visiting my adult daughter, the few days we spent at the Sandcastle were my favourite days. We were warmly welcomed by the owner, Steve, who gave us lots of pointers for how to get the most from our stay, recommending local places of interest, where to eat, etc. We were promised rustic charm and we got it by the bucket load! Our cottage (No.6) was just perfect … cosy and well-equipped and clean … the beds were super comfortable and I honestly had the best sleep I’ve had in weeks! Also, the shower was amazing … after weeks of dribbly, lukewarm showers, I was so grateful for a decent shower! Steve invited us to a pizza night which was so much fun. Steve fired up the traditional wood-fired pizza oven and he even provided the pizza dough … we brought our own toppings to the party and we had a truly fabulous evening, eating pizza, enjoying a drink and talking to Steve who is so friendly and easy to chat to. If waking up to birdsong, sitting on the deck with a mug of hot coffee as the sun wakes up the valley is your kind of thing or participating in the on-site morning yoga classes or enjoying a glass of wine as you watch the sun set, then you will be very happy here! It’s only a short walk to a beautiful beach where we saw a magnificent sunset and only a few minutes further to a number of places to eat and drink plus a convenience store. This review would not be complete without mentioning Peni who is the resident dog at the Sandcastle. Peni made a big impression on us and we were so sad to say goodbye to her! Don’t stay for just one night is my best advice … stay for at least two or three … there is so much to see and do locally and the Sandcastle is the perfect base from where to enjoy some new adventures!

Steve was great ,slept well .nice stay

This would be a great base for families, being close to the beach and to cycling activities. A spacious cottage with a basic kitchen for self catering. The bed was comfortable. The host Steve was friendly and accommodating.

Awesome spot. Lovely peaceful location surrounded by nature. Chalet was excellent , everything we needed. Perfect spot for my dog and Steve is very laid back and friendly. Will definitely come again

A welcoming and relaxing place to stay. Always enjoy visiting here.

Very relaxing and in a lovely Spot. Steve the Host was very welcoming. We had a pizza night which was great.