Entire home

Terracotta Gardens - Heart of Russell, key to the Bay of Islands.

Photo gallery for Terracotta Gardens - Heart of Russell, key to the Bay of Islands.

North Facade from garden
Lower Deck towards spa
Upper Dining, Lounge, Deck
Master Bedroom
Master Bedroom Ensuite

Reviews

9.4 out of 10
Exceptional
4 bedrooms2+ bathroomsSleeps 8200 sq m

Popular amenities

  • Parking available
  • Pet-friendly
  • Dryer
  • Washer
  • Kitchen

Explore the area

Map
Russell, Russell
  • Russell Beach
    ‪7 min walk‬
  • Flagstaff Hill
    ‪4 min drive‬
  • Paihia Wharf
    ‪26 min drive‬
  • Kerikeri (KKE-Bay of Islands)
    ‪52 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

4 bedrooms (sleeps 8)

Bedroom 1 upper level

1 Queen Bed

Bedroom 2 upper level

1 Queen Bed

Bedroom 3 upper level

2 Single Beds

Master bedroom lower level

1 King Bed

2 bathrooms, 2 half bathrooms

Lower Level en suite

Toilet · Shower only

Lower Level hot tub

Jetted bathtub

Upper Level separate toilet

Toilet

Upper Level wash and shower

Shower only

Spaces

Deck or patio
Kitchen
Kitchenette
Garden
Dining area

About this property

Terracotta Gardens - Heart of Russell, key to the Bay of Islands.

Terracotta Gardens is a beautiful holiday house and extensive garden in "Romantic Russell", centre of the lovely Bay of Islands, New Zealand. The house has two levels connected by an elevator, each with their own private, very large outdoor deck and spacious lounge and living area.

There are three upper double bedrooms (two queen, one twin single) and one lower king bedroom with private ensuite and spa deck. Fully-equipped kitchen/dining, lounges, bedrooms and bathrooms. There is a large bbq on the upper deck. The lower level has a separate kitchenette with microwave oven, mini-fridge and small stove-top. Broadband internet access via Wifi is available.

Terracotta Gardens is on the hillside above the township with a view west across the Bay towards Waitangi and north across a bushclad valley where morepork and kiwi call at night and weka and tui during the day. A path descends the slope through beautiful gardens to Long Beach road where it is a five-minute walk either into the main township, ferry whart and foreshore or over the saddle to the excellent swimming beach and spectacular view of the Bay and outer islands at Long Beach.

Road access to the house is from Oneroa Road opposite the Pomare Road intersection. A stroll down Pomare Road brings you to Matauwhi Bay and the yacht club while Oneroa Road extends along the ridgeline and gives alternative walks to Long Beach, the township and to Matauwhi Bay.
Special conditions:
Smoking allowed outside only. Pets by arrangement when booking.

Extras: Cleaning (included); Linen (included);

Property manager

Alan Wilkinson

Languages

English

Add dates for prices

Amenities

Hot tub
Kitchen
Washer
Dryer
Pet-friendly
Outdoor space

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House Rules

Check in after 2:00 PM
Check out before 10:00 AM
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Children

Children allowed: ages 0–17
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Events

No events allowed
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Pets

Pets allowed
Ask for house=trained dogs with own sleeping mat
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Smoking

Smoking is not permitted

Important information

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Host has not indicated whether there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property; consider bringing a portable detector with you on the trip
Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher and a first aid kit

We should mention

A car is recommended for transport to and from this property

About the area

Russell

Located in Russell, this holiday home is in a rural area and by the sea. Pompallier Mission and Pompalier House are local landmarks, and some of the area's activities can be experienced at Bay of Islands Marina and Paihia Wharf. Makana Chocolate Boutique and Action World are also worth visiting. Kayaking and scuba diving offer great chances to get out on the surrounding water, or you can seek out an adventure with cycling and hiking/biking trails nearby.
Map
Russell, Russell

What's nearby

  • Russell Christ Church - 7 min walk - 0.6 km
  • Russell Beach - 7 min walk - 0.7 km
  • Flagstaff Hill - 4 min drive - 2.1 km
  • Paihia Beach - 25 min drive - 14.8 km
  • Paihia Wharf - 26 min drive - 15.3 km

Getting around

  • Kerikeri (KKE-Bay of Islands) - 52 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Cbk Craft Beer and Kitchen - ‬26 min drive
  • ‪Marina Cafe Opua - ‬20 min drive
  • ‪Hone's Garden - ‬9 min walk
  • ‪Paihia Wharf - ‬26 min drive
  • ‪Charlotte’s Kitchen - ‬26 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is Terracotta Gardens - Heart of Russell, key to the Bay of Islands. pet-friendly?

Yes, pets are allowed at this property.

What time is check-in at Terracotta Gardens - Heart of Russell, key to the Bay of Islands.?

Check-in begins at 2:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Terracotta Gardens - Heart of Russell, key to the Bay of Islands.?

Checkout is at 10:00 AM.

Where is Terracotta Gardens - Heart of Russell, key to the Bay of Islands. located?

Situated by the sea, this holiday home is within a 10-minute walk of Russell Christ Church and Bay of Islands. Russell Beach and Pompalier House are also within 10 minutes.

Reviews

9.4

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
Learn moreOpens in a new window
Rating 10 - Excellent. 117 out of 155 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 28 out of 155 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 6 out of 155 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 2 out of 155 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 2 out of 155 reviews

9.2/10

Cleanliness

9.8/10

Check-in

9.8/10

Communication

9.8/10

Location

9.6/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Jeanine J.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Family friendly holiday home
Usually stay each year with only the 3 of us but this year had friends staying too. Very spacious place with self contained accommodation down stairs also.Russell is our favourite place in NZ and accommodation close to beautiful Long Beach
Stayed 4 nights in Feb 2025

10/10 Excellent

John K.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Handy location ,spacious
We had a great stay at Alan's property and it had everything we needed.Would stay again in future
Stayed 11 nights in Feb 2025

10/10 Excellent

Roger B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Fabulous stay in Russell
The place was great and very spacious. Ideal for an adult family group like we had. It is quite a steep access to Russell township but handy to everything.We were staying the week to attend Waitangi activities and it was very handy to the ferry.We thoroughly enjoyed our stay.
Stayed 6 nights in Feb 2025

10/10 Excellent

Kat C.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Paradise - even with the teenagers!
Fabulous property true holiday bach with space for the whole family to relax and enjoy - even when it rained!! Great communication and great location half way between town and long beach. Our 2nd year there and going again next year - highly recommend!
Stayed 7 nights in Jan 2025

8/10 Good

Chris K.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
A lovely place to relax and enjoy life.
There is heaps of space to hang out with the family, upstairs and down below via the lift. The hot tub was delightful too. Wish we could have stayed longer.
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2024

2/10 Terrible

Jo C.

Liked: Check-in
Disliked: Communication, listing accuracy
Not what we expected
The downstairs rooms were very damp and smelt musty. The shower wall was bulging due to the wet bank behind the shower. Mould on the ceiling in the downstairs lounge. We requested a dehumidifier but was told there isnt one. We had a 3 month old baby and found it very stressful to have a newborn in such a damp house. Im sure over summer its dry. The access drive was very steep. There was an overgrown path with a broken handrail to the front door. This path had no lighting.
Stayed 4 nights in Nov 2024

6/10 Okay

Sally D.

Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2024

10/10 Excellent

Kat C.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Stayed 7 nights in Jan 2024

10/10 Excellent

Mike D.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Baches
Perfect stay. Highly recommended
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2024

10/10 Excellent

Julie H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Great location
Loved our stay - such a handy location to access the village. Enjoyed the spa and privacy of the decks.
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2024

2/10 Terrible

Roby D.

Disliked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Regretable
Linen was dirty. No view as per photo. Very steep incline to garage. Hot tub slippery to get in. Compost bin full of old rubbish. Kitchen bins dirty. Pathwzys on side property overgrown and slippery. Property needs a good clean overall. Lift stopped working. No stairs to downstairs.
Stayed 7 nights in Feb 2024

8/10 Good

Nick G.

Liked: Check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Quirky but comfortable
We enjoyed our stay in this quirky house. It worked well for our family group. Great location.
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2024

10/10 Excellent

Jeanine J.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Tremendous family friendly property
Staying in Russell is our piece of paradise in NZ. We have been coming to Russell for the past 37 years. Accommodation is ideal as very close to the lovely Long Beach. House has plenty of room and very family friendly and relaxing and we can take our Cocker Spaniel.
Stayed 11 nights in Feb 2024

10/10 Excellent

leigh w., Aotearoa

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Good location
Fit for our purposes, teens had their own space and parents could retreat. So close to everything. Like living in a secret garden.
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2024

10/10 Excellent

Andrea P.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Russell
8 of us were in Russell for a wedding . Property was well suited. No internal stairs but was a lift instead. Dogs were welcome. Hot tub was lovely. Overall property was a bit dated but very comfortable. Host was easy to contact and very obliging. Highly recommend
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2023

10/10 Excellent

Wayne D., Auckland, New Zealand

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Perfect getaway - highly recommend
Communication with the owner was superb, so so friendly and accommodating, the location was perfect, house was great… and the hot tub! What a bonus :-) loved our stay and will definitely book again
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2023

10/10 Excellent

Marcel V., Devonport, Auckland, New Zealand

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Great place in Russell
Had a very confortable stay, and worked perfectly for us.
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2023

10/10 Excellent

Wendy F.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Lovely House, plenty of space
Nice roomy house, good location, walkway to Russell wharf or Long Beach from the bottom of the garden. We had a lovely short break!
Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2023

10/10 Excellent

Ash P.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Fantastic family holiday
This property is perfect for an amazing family holiday. Great location. Has everything you need.
Stayed 4 nights in Apr 2023

8/10 Good

Barbara G.

Liked: Check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
See below
The upstairs accommodation was good but the downstairs required a good spring clean especially the shower..
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2023

8/10 Good

Wendy S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Loved our stay, perfect for a family getaway.
House is walking distance to the beach and town. Clean and tidy, everything we needed.
Stayed 7 nights in Mar 2023

8/10 Good

Bev D.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Large family home
Large family home with a lift and large decks.
Stayed 4 nights in Mar 2023

10/10 Excellent

Albert R.

Liked: Communication, location
Awesome
Was pretty much all you can ask for
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2023

10/10 Excellent

Murray W.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Russell Stay
Terracotta Cottage is a great place for a Russell stay, walking distance to the town centre and beach. Good amenities and tidy presentation, 2nd stay here and just as good as the first
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2023

8/10 Good

Abi L.

Liked: Check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Lovely bach, lovely location!
Lovely bach within a short walk to the local beach. The separate floors made two families holidaying together super easy and the kids loved the toys, the decks and especially the lift!
Stayed 4 nights in Jan 2023

About the host

Hosted by Alan Wilkinson

Host profile image
We are semi retired with several interests in Russell - an art gallery, a landscaping business, this holiday home and land and horses out the back road. I am also still a director of a computer business in Auckland that was my professional career after training as a scientist.

Why they chose this property

We bought this property next to our home when it got too much for our elderly neighbour. We extended and completely renovated the house with an architect friend to make it a beautiful and practical holiday house. We landscaped the two gardens together to give each property privacy while able to enjoy the benefits of the whole space.

What makes this property unique

The house is ideal for extended families with its two self-sufficient levels connected by a lift. You can have peace and privacy in your own space or join together with plenty of space to share meals, relaxation or fun. There is a huge upper deck with both sun and shade and great views for entertaining, kids to play on or dogs to enjoy. Children love the lift and everyone enjoys the hot tub spa on a rainy day, after a tiring trip or just to relax before bedtime.

Languages:

English