Reviews

I would give River Birches 100 stars if I could. We stayed here for two nights on our honeymoon and it might have been our favorite part of the 2 week trip. Jason and Rebeca are the most wonderful hosts, they went above and beyond and were incredibly accommodating, even loaning us winter clothes for our hike over the Tongariro Alpine Crossing. Jason and Rebeca treat you like family rather than hotel guests, and we were so sad to leave! Anthony was also wonderful and we really enjoyed getting to talk to him both evenings, and he had just about the best service we have ever experienced. River Birches offers an absolutely beautiful, perfectly quiet and fantastic romantic getaway. If you work too much and need to relax on your vacation (and want to be incredibly spoiled), then I would highly recommend planning your trip around staying at this place. In addition to the beautiful and romantic location, the food is out of this world. The chef was unbelievably talented and we had the most fabulous stay here. We cannot recommend this place enough, you will not regret choosing the River Birches Lodge!

Robby R

Our family stayed at the River Birches Lodge for a little less than a week and enjoyed every moment of it. The lodge itself is well kept, inviting, and very cozy! Jason and Rebeca are very hands on and accomodating; they want you to have the most amazing stay and experience the most of the area as possible. They helped us organise our trip for the Tongariro Alpine Crossing with the Tongariro Guided Walks and we could not have had a better experience! Jason was in touch with TGW to make sure we would have the most impeccable weather and they chose well. It was the highlight of our trip! One the other days, Jason and Rebeca suggested various other activities such as a day trip to Napier, vineyards, and Taupo. The photos don't deliver its justice to the property and the area. With long days in our agenda, River Birches was a great spot to call home for a few days and rest up. Thank you for an amazing stay!!

Stephanie Ortiz

My husband and I stayed at River Birches for the last three nights of our New Zealand trekking vacation. Jason and Rebecca were fantastic! Jason provided first-rate advice on hiking the Tongariro Crossing, including weather, gear, and transportation. After conquering that day of other-worldy views, he provided tips and transportation assistance for other local hikes - the Tongariro River walk is right outside their door! Breakfasts and dinners at the lodge offered delicious food (kudos to Chef Anthony) and an opportunity to meet other guests from around the world. However, our favorite conversations were with Jason and Rebecca themselves - they are such wonderful and interesting people!

Michele T

We arrived at Turangi with a plan to do Tongariro Alpine crossing and were lucky enough to stay at the River birches. I must say that accommodation is amazing, but the most important and valuable thing about this place is homy atmosphere and tremendously giving hosts. They do really care not only about your comfort at the lodge, but your experience of visiting NZ in general. They eagerly share with you a lot of insights about country, things to do and see around. Jason and Rebeca helped us a lot to prepare for Tongariro crossing and on the way back we had a strong feeling that we're coming home. I hope that we'll have an opportunity of staying at River Birches during our next visit to NZ.

Angelina

We stayed at the cottage, which was beautifully designed and very homey. Jason was very attentive and was really helpful with planning for the Tongariro crossing/fly fishing. Dinner was also great. We will definitely want to go back next time we visit New Zealand!

Christina Y

We stayed at the cottage, very beautiful and cosy. Place is nice and clean, kitchen is very well equipped. We had dinner on site and everything was perfect. Kids loved the place, everyone there was amazing. New World is less than 5min driving.

rei88

This is an absolutely beautifully built lodge set in a wonderful English style and very well maintained garden. The whole structure is architect designed with lovely design touches, tasteful decor and artifacts. The rooms are beautiful and beautifully equipped. Jason and Rebecca provide a very warm welcome and a sumptuous breakfast. The evening dinner menu is also extremely good - but dont forget to book it the night before. This is ideally placed for doing the Tongariro Alpine Crossing.

Chris_Hitch_hiker

Words will not do River Birches and Rebecca and Jason justice. I could find nothing to fault. It is just perfect. John went fishing and I, thanks to a recommendation by Jason, tackled the Tongariro Crossing. This will go down as one of my greatest achievements. The guides they booked for both the fishing and the crossing were simply amazing. Anthony, front of house, chef, gardener, barman made sure we were spoilt. The food is superb, wine and beer fab. Anthony makes the best gin and tonic in any hemisphere.

Yvonne

We stayed in the cottage as two couples to do the Tongariro crossing. Our hosts were very helpful in coordinating our plans and arrival. They provided anything we needed. It was also a fabulous place to come back to after finishing the hike to lounge in the backyard and bbq a nice meal. They had a very well stocked kitchen. Highly recommend this stay!

David Friedkin

Just steps away from the Tongariro river, rolling pastures, and serene nature paths, our stay at River Birches couldn't have been better. The lodge itself is beautifully designed with nature in mind, while also offering comfortable, elegant, and stylish amenities that were thoughtfully put together by the lodge's fabulous owners Jason and Rebeca. Everything has a personal touch at the lodge and the food is amazing! They only use local products, and it's all (especially the dairy) to die for. They helped us arrange a hike on the Tongariro crossing (a must-do on the north island) and offered many other outing ideas to help us enjoy all that the Turangi area has to offer. Jason and Rebeca even set up the back porch so we could watch the stars one night! We were also able to see Lake Taupo on several occasions and even found the perfect spot to see the sun set over it one evening. There were many activities we did not have time to do (fishing, mountain biking, etc) that we are looking forward to doing next time. The countless opportunities to enjoy nature here make it a wonderful place to visit year-round.

Ana O

We recently stayed at River Birches and I cannot say enough positive things. Rebecca and Jason are attentive and wonderful hosts and Anthony is an amazing chef! Such a special place, wonderful surroundings, grounds, rooms and food. We even travelled with our 11 year old daughter and they made sure she enjoyed herself and had food made she ate. Incredible! Don't miss it!!

Julie S

Jason & Rebecca and their staff made us very welcome and were very attentive. The room with en-suite was very comfortable and the food was as good as you would find in any fine dining experience. Anthony on front-of-House was exceptionally good. Lovely gardens. All in all, a really lovely place for night or two.

Tony A

We stayed here for 2 nights, our room was beautiful and stylish with a private garden . The owners Jason and Rebecca were attentive and charming hosts. The breakfasts were wonderful and everything, from the locally sourced blueberries to the freshly roasted coffee beans were of the highest quality. We had dinner in one evening and the meal, cooked by the chef Anthony was delicious. I will never forget the hospitality we received here nor could I rate it more highly!

LindaT

We spent 4 nights at this stunning lodge, and found the hosts and the food wonderful. The lodge is beautifully decorated and the garden stunningly well cared for. The bed in our room was sumptuous, and we could not have chosen anywhere better. Using the lodge as a base we explored the surrounding area quite happily for 4 days. We tackled half of the Tongariro crossing, did white water rafting, visited the Trout Museum (which is much more interesting than it sounds!) We went on the Sky Haka to the ski area where there are breathtaking views and we played mini golf in the town, twice, because the course is so good! All in all, we had a great stay, and throughout all, Jason and Rebecca were charming hosts. Anthony was also a great chef and host during our fantastic evening meals. All in all, a wonderful place to stay and enjoy Turangi.

joandian1