Entire home
Anzac Wkd 25 April Avail. Beautifully redecorated &streamside seating area WOW
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Reviews
9.4 out of 10
Exceptional
2 bedrooms1 bathroomSleeps 8
Popular amenities
Rooms & beds
2 bedrooms (sleeps 8)
Lounge
1 Queen Bed and 2 Single Bunk Beds
Master Bedroom
1 Queen Bed
1 bathroom
main
Toilet · Shower only
Spaces
Deck or patio
Porch or lanai
Kitchen
Balcony
Garden
Dining area
About this property
Anzac Wkd 25 April Avail. Beautifully redecorated &streamside seating area WOW
Cleaning fee is fully Refunded when the outgoing guests leave the property the same as they enjoyed on their arrival.....Clean, tidy and in order.
New Special Rate for ONE person stays of $145 night ...
La vie en rose cottage has undergone a complete interior renovation with new carpet throughout & vinyl planking in the service areas which not only looks great but makes for easy cleaning.
The new modern shower,vanity,laundry and separate toilet are wonderful, while the newly installed custom designed kitchen with its electric inbuilt oven and induction hot top along with all new cookware, greatly enhance the cottage & your cooking and dining pleasure.
The cottage has been newly themed in an interesting and restful French cottage style with all mod cons, Other attractive features include new curtaining, a generous amount of superb quality French themed framed pictures throughout, an old antique French hunting lodge chandelier, a cream coloured family piano, a cosy logfire which is complemented by retro double glazing that ensures the comfort & warmth of all who stay there throughout the year.
The master bedroom [the la vie en rose suite] is a queen and there's a sliding door accessing the large back decking and new verandah & new sun sail over the outdoor dining area.
The second bedroom has an identical queen bed & a comfortable single bunk set.
The spacious lounge and dining area with comfortable furniture and log fire has a new wall swivel- mounted wide screen TV.
This area is tiwce as light now [dec 2025]with more views after the installation of two new double glazed windows.
Various board and card games, books, toys are available for both adults and children. Two tire swings across my footbridge are very popular.
A hall wardrobe contains golf putting equipment for the 9 hole lawn course, a French bowls set & cricket gear & skipping ropes that can be enjoyed across the cottage's own footbridge in the peaceful grassed Waeckerle Green Reserve, from which guests can wander an easy six minute stroll to the centre of Akaroa and back.
Originally designed and built by the present owner in 1985, the two bedroom cottage has undergone numerous additions such as the the extensive wrap around decking from the front sliding door, right round the back, overlooking the bubbling Grehan Stream and Reserve to the back door. A new verandah designed & built by the owner ensures that guests can enjoy a large portion of the decking with its gas bbq, under cover, still with its views and sound of the stream and birdsong, well into the late afternoon and evenings in most weathers. A new picnic seating area has been created on the opposite sunny side of the stream now[ August 2025] so awesome,
The mostly native established landscaped garden areas and stream sides encourage numerous visiting native birds & their songs are heard all throughout the day.
From the decking look out over the surrounding bush clad hills & a changing sky accompanied by the steady rhythmic murmuring of the stream and enjoy a favourite book, fine wine or chilled tasty beer, a French Bubbly a special coffee or tea along with some wonderful company. Breathe in the fresh air, the peace and tranquility.
With the new speed limit back to 100mph,the drive to Akaroa takes only one hour 20 minutes enough to take in the ever changing scenery around along the way.
On the way, wine taste at Rossendale near Tai Tapu, detour out to Birdlings Flat beach for a bracing shingle beach stroll towards the impressive towering cliffs and try your luck at finding gemstones & agates where the waves have wet the stones or take a fishing rod and try your luck casting off the beach.
After driving parallel with Lake Wairewa [Forsyth], you reach Little River where there's coffee & tasty snacks, icecreams and an interesting always changing Art gallery & bookshop.
After taking panoramic pics when you reach just past the Hilltop, next stop is Barrys Bay, the first of four bays before you reach Akaroa with its Cheese factory, a sound excuse to sample and purchase some fine cheeses & to buy small portions, in the off cuts bin for a lovely cheeseboard to enjoy on the extensive decking at La vie en rose cottage with wine ofcourse.
La vie en rose is located at 28 Woodills Road a quiet generous sized tar sealed road in the first valley as you enter Akaroa township, welcoming you to NZ's only historic 1840 French/German town.
I'm sure you'll love staying at la vie en rose cottage... 'tres romantique'.
Only 8 minutes easy stroll away, the centre of Akaroa has an interesting variety of cafes, restaurants, fish an chip shops and there's a good foursquare supermarket, a bakery and a butcher. Recently the Grande Hotel [2 minutes walk down the road!]has had a major makeover and has a large attractive outdoor area and live music every weekend . There's more than one good sandy swimming beach.
Check out the free entry fascinating museum, a new library & movie theatre, complete with its own cafe, the iconic Akaroa wharf, the original lighthouse built 1885 & a there's a good safe public slipway.
Take a harbour cruise, swim with dolphins, try a game of tennis, lawn bowls, mini golf, Barrys Bay 18 hole course[a mere 12 minutes drive ]or explore many walking tracks and cycling opportunities.
Drive to the many sealed roads that access other bays such as Wainui, Little Akaloa, Le Bons or Okains Bay.
Walk in the beautiful Hinewai Reserve from the road entry to Long Bay.
BYO linen[just sheets, pillowslips & towels & tea towels].
There are Hire sets avail at $35 per bed.
Special conditions:
All weekends are a two night min stay
All long weekends are a three night min stay
Easter and Over xmas or new year are usually four night stay s
wow...A Refundable Cleaning Fee. All guest bookings are charged Cleaning Fee of $200. However, Being Refundable,...when guests leave the cottage clean, tidy and ordered as they enjoyed on their arrival, the Cleaning Fee is Refunded in Full to the Guests account no more than 14 working days after their departure.
Guests are encouraged to take pics of all interior rooms on arrival before they move their gear in AND to take an identical set just before they vacate.
These ensure a guarantee of the full Cleaning fee to the guests account.
Check out another of my holiday homes, Moananui Lodge on the waterfront of Purau Bay {Lyttelton Harbour]. It's also just newly redecorated.
You know that you deserve a great break away, so don't delay ......
Book one of these superb venues today!
Our prices include all fees. No hidden fees.
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- Kitchen
- Washing machine
- Pet-friendly
- Air-conditioning
10.0 out of 10, Exceptional, (111 reviews)
House Rules
Check in after 2:00 PM
Check out before 12:00 PM
Children
Children allowed: ages 0–17
Events
No events allowed
Pets
Pets allowed: dogs less than 10 kg per pet (limit one pet total)
Smoking
Smoking is not permitted
Important information
You need to know
This property is managed by a private host (a party not acting within their trade, business or profession). EU consumer law, including the right of withdrawal, will not apply to your booking. The cancellation policy set by the private host will cover your booking.
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
About the area
Akaroa
Located in Akaroa, this holiday home is on a river. Akaroa Lighthouse and Britomart Monument are local landmarks, and the area's natural beauty can be seen at Montgomery Park Scenic Reserve and Duvauchelle Showgrounds. Make sure you get close to the area's animals with activities such as game walks and birdwatching.

Akaroa, Akaroa
What's nearby
- St Patrick's Catholic Church - 3 min walk - 0.3 km
- Akaroa Museum - 8 min walk - 0.7 km
- Linton The Giant House - 16 min walk - 1.4 km
- Akaroa Wharf - 18 min walk - 1.5 km
- Akaroa Lighthouse - 3 min drive - 2.2 km
Getting around
Restaurants
- Akaroa Corner Cafe - 6 min walk
- Bully Hayes Restaurant & Bar - 15 min walk
- Crater Cafe Akaroa - 9 min walk
- Grand Hotel - 3 min walk
- The Common - 8 min walk
Frequently asked questions
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 window8.8/10
Cleanliness
9.2/10
Check-in
9.4/10
Communication
9.8/10
Location
9.4/10
Listing accuracy
Reviews
30 Dec 2025
Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Stayed 4 nights in Dec 2025
10/10 Excellent
Brian M.
10 Nov 2025
Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Brian M.
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2025
10/10 Excellent
Heather S.
10 Nov 2025
Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Heather S.
Stayed 6 nights in Nov 2025
10/10 Excellent
Zoe S.
15 Aug 2025
Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Cozy winter getaway
Zoe S.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2025
10/10 Excellent
Rose M.
30 Dec 2023
Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Great stay
Rose M.
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2023
10/10 Excellent
Peter R.
14 Oct 2024
Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Lovely spot and house.
Peter R.
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2024
10/10 Excellent
Bruce G.
24 Mar 2025
Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Fantastic
Bruce G.
Stayed 4 nights in Mar 2025
8/10 Good
Gony D.
27 Dec 2024
Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Ideal place for rest and relax
Gony D.
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2024
10/10 Excellent
Nicky R.
13 Jan 2025
Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
A beautiful place to stay
Nicky R.
Stayed 3 nights in Jan 2025
10/10 Excellent
Vasu G.
20 Feb 2025
Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Beautiful cottage
Vasu G.
Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2025
10/10 Excellent
Kylie R.
8 Oct 2024
Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Cozy cottage in great location
Kylie R.
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2024
8/10 Good
Callum H.
3 Mar 2024
Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Nice stay
Callum H.
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2024
10/10 Excellent
Isobel F.
18 Jan 2024
Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Pretty place
Isobel F.
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2024
10/10 Excellent
Jenny F.
27 May 2023
Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
A great place to stay
Jenny F.
Stayed 2 nights in May 2023
8/10 Good
Sophie T.
8 Jan 2024
Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Great stay
Sophie T.
Stayed 3 nights in Jan 2024
10/10 Excellent
Hannah L.
30 Dec 2022
Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Amazing Stay
Hannah L.
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2022
10/10 Excellent
Greg T.
9 Jan 2023
Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Great Accomodation, Great Village and environs
Greg T.
Stayed 3 nights in Jan 2023
10/10 Excellent
Vivienne H.
10 Feb 2023
Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Lovely place
Vivienne H.
Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2023
8/10 Good
Andy B.
28 Jul 2022
Liked: Check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
A lovely stay
Andy B.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2022
10/10 Excellent
Norma K.
6 Jan 2025
Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
All the comfs
Norma K.
Stayed 8 nights in Dec 2024
10/10 Excellent
melanie a.
24 Jan 2023
Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
A beautiful cottage next to a stream with the sound of water flowing nearby
melanie a.
Stayed 11 nights in Jan 2023
10/10 Excellent
Berny H.
9 Mar 2023
Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Delightful cottage
Berny H.
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2023
10/10 Excellent
tracey b.
26 Jun 2022
Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Lovely stay . Nice and close to restaurants and lovely accomadation thanks so much
tracey b.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2022
10/10 Excellent
melanie a.
27 Jan 2024
Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Gorgeous house with the sounds of birdlife and running stream next to house.
melanie a.
Stayed 9 nights in Jan 2024
10/10 Excellent
Ellie M.
7 Jan 2019
Perfect Family Getaway
Ellie M.
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2018
About the host
Hosted by robbo14th
This home was co designed, built & developed by the owner from 1986 on.
La vie en rose cottage was named by the owner's mother, an accomplished pianist after a famous Edith Piaf French song which seemed most appropriate for this historic French settled town. It has continued to be well maintained, renovated & landscaped ever since by the owner, as is his other holiday home at Moananui Lodge on the waterfront of Purau By in Lyttelton Harbour.
In 2021, the interior began to be redecorated in an attractive themed French cottage style with improved furniture, new curtaining and blinds and new quality framed French themed pictures throughout & an awesome chandelier from a French Hunting lodge.
Double glazing & extra insulation measures were also carried out in 2021 & together with its logfire ensures its guests are kept comfortable warm and cosy all year round .
The cottage is available, like the Purau holiday home ,for short term rental for guests between May and October to apply.
In October 2022 the rest of the complete redecoration of la vie en rose cottage was undertaken and accomplished in style. Youll love the result!
La vie en rose cottage was named by the owner's mother, an accomplished pianist after a famous Edith Piaf French song which seemed most appropriate for this historic French settled town. It has continued to be well maintained, renovated & landscaped ever since by the owner, as is his other holiday home at Moananui Lodge on the waterfront of Purau By in Lyttelton Harbour.
In 2021, the interior began to be redecorated in an attractive themed French cottage style with improved furniture, new curtaining and blinds and new quality framed French themed pictures throughout & an awesome chandelier from a French Hunting lodge.
Double glazing & extra insulation measures were also carried out in 2021 & together with its logfire ensures its guests are kept comfortable warm and cosy all year round .
The cottage is available, like the Purau holiday home ,for short term rental for guests between May and October to apply.
In October 2022 the rest of the complete redecoration of la vie en rose cottage was undertaken and accomplished in style. Youll love the result!
Why they chose this property
Why not??? It's got it all!
What makes this property unique
Tranquil quiet private setting ,attractive established garden with bubbling Grehan Stream and grassed Reserve boundary. Birdsong all day and very attractive established garden setting with golf putting course. Restful views of bush clad hills & a stunning night sky without city light reflection.
Good offstreet parking,extensive decking & outdoor furniture with BBQ and only 6 minutes easy stroll to the centre of Akaroa & a mere 3 mins walk to the seafront & nearest beach.
Good offstreet parking,extensive decking & outdoor furniture with BBQ and only 6 minutes easy stroll to the centre of Akaroa & a mere 3 mins walk to the seafront & nearest beach.
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