Retro Lakeside Retreat

Photo gallery for Retro Lakeside Retreat

A view of a grassy area with two yellow glasses on a green railing, overlooking a body of water and distant mountains.
A single-story house with a green metal staircase leading to the front door.
A compact kitchen with a washing machine, a chair, and a window with a view.
A bunk bed with a headboard and a wall-mounted light fixture.
A cozy living room with a grey sofa, two armchairs, and a small wooden side table.

Reviews

9.8 out of 10, Loved by Guests
Top 10% of guest reviews in this area

Highlights

  • Centrally-located
    You're never far from where you need to be with this convenient location.
  • Discover nearby landmarks
    Near Lake Taupō

Popular amenities

  • Patio
  • Pet-friendly
  • Washing machine
  • Onsite parking available
  • Microwave
  • Non-smoking

Explore the area

View in a map
Kuratau, Waikato
  • Place, Lake Taupō
    ‪5 min walk‬
  • Place, Tokaanu Thermal Pools
    ‪34 min drive‬
  • Place, Tongariro National Park
    ‪38 min drive‬
  • Airport, Taupō Airport (TUO)
    ‪72 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

2 bedrooms (sleeps 5)

Bedroom 1

1 Queen Bed

Bedroom 2

1 Queen Bed and 1 Single Bed

1 bathroom

Bathroom 1

Soap · Toilet · Shower only · Shampoo · Hair dryer

Spaces

Deck or patio
Kitchen

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About the area

Kuratau

Whareroa Village, a neighbourhood in Kuratau, is home to this cottage. River Vineyard and Tongariro River Rafting are worth checking out if an activity is on the agenda, while those wishing to experience the area's natural beauty can explore Lake Taupō and Tongariro National Park. Take the opportunity to explore the area for outdoor excitement like cycling.
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Map
Kuratau, Waikato

What's nearby

  • Lake Taupō - 5 min walk - 0.5 km
  • Kuratau Jetty - 32 min drive - 29.1 km
  • Tokaanu Thermal Pools - 34 min drive - 35.2 km
  • Tongariro National Park - 38 min drive - 40.9 km
  • Tongariro National Trout Centre - 39 min drive - 44.8 km

Getting around

  • Taupō Airport (TUO) - 77 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Floating Rock Cafe - ‬21 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is Retro Lakeside Retreat pet-friendly?

Yes, this property allows cats and dogs (limit 2 total).

How much is parking at Retro Lakeside Retreat?

On-site parking is available at the property.

What time is check-in at Retro Lakeside Retreat?

Check-in begins at 3:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Retro Lakeside Retreat?

Checkout is at 10:00 AM.

Where is Retro Lakeside Retreat located?

Located in Whareroa Village, this cottage is 0.3 mi (0.6 km) from Lake Taupō and within 20 miles (32 km) of Kuratau Jetty and Tokaanu Thermal Pools. Tokaanu Wharf and Tongariro National Park are also within 20 miles (32 km).

Reviews

9.8

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. 14 out of 17 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 3 out of 17 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 17 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 17 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 17 reviews

10/10

Cleanliness

8.0/10

Amenities

8.0/10

Property conditions & facilities

10/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

10/10

Location

10/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
super great communication good location everything was as it should be very happy with our stay
Stayed 4 nights in Jan 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Such a great classic Kiwi Bach. Amazing views and a a really great spot. We will definitely be back!
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2026
Response from VrboOwner on 25 Jan 2026
So glad you enjoyed your stay. Thanks for leaving Retro-Retreat so tidy. Would welcome you back again.
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities, communication
Beautiful view. Nice and quiet place.
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2024
Verified review

8/10 Good

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Peaceful stay

We had an awesome stay at kellis bach. The town of kuratau was a beautiful peaceful one. Right by the lake. Had everything we needed , a classic bach
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2024
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great Bach at great location

Very nice an basic - true kiwi gem!
Stayed 4 nights in Dec 2023
Response from VrboOwner on 31 Dec 2023
Thank you for staying at Retro Retreat and leaving the Bach tidy. I’m glad you enjoyed your stay. Thanks also for excellent communication.
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Beautiful quiet retreat

A beautiful, tranquil place to stay that's so close to the lake! Such great value for money! Has everything you need to have a very comfortable stay. Will definitely return.
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 3 Mar 2024
So glad you enjoyed your stay. Whareroa is a very special place. Look forward to hosting you again.
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

January stay

Loved the private beaches, the beautiful water and the peacefulness of Whareroa.Our mokopuna has a ball!
Stayed 3 nights in Jan 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 23 Jan 2025
Go glad you enjoyed your stay! Whareroa is a very special place. 😊
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
We took our 2.5year old Labrador who had a great time playing with the neighbours dogs. Very clean and full kitchen, upto date fridge,cooker and washer.Kelli was very helpful and we had a lovely stay.The area is very family oriented and only a short walk to jetty to swim.We will be back.
View from deck
Pet friendly
Stayed 7 nights in Jan 2026
Response from VrboOwner on 18 Jan 2026
So glad you both and your well-behaved beautiful dog had a lovely stay. Thank you for leaving Retro Retreat so very tidy. We look forward to hosting you again. 😊
Verified review

8/10 Good

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Peaceful

Peaceful
Stayed 4 nights in Jan 2025
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Retro magic

We had a lovely weekend at Retro Retreat which was exactly as listed. Everything there that you could need and a short walk to beach - uphill back! Just the most beautiful water for swimming, our lab wouldn’t get out! Thanks for sharing this special escape with us!
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 15 Jan 2025
So glad you and your lovely lab enjoyed your stay and the lake. Thanks for leaving Retro Retreat tidy and clean. Would be very happy to host you again.
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Fantastic spot.

We all had a great time. Bach was simple but lovely, a true old school kiwi lake bach. Our girls 6 & 8 had a blast and spent most of the time in the water. Whareroa is a Absolute hidden gem. We will be back. Thanks again, Sim & kay.
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 19 Feb 2024
So glad you enjoyed your stay. The area certainly is beautiful. Thank you so much for leaving Retro Retreat so tidy. I would love to host you again.
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Absolute Gem 💎

Our stay was incredible! Whareroa Village is such a nice, chill and beautiful place! The property was immaculate on arrival and Kelli is awesome and super responsive with communication. I implore anyone wanting a relaxing and tranquil holiday, to book in at the Retro Retreat! Lake Taupo is a stone’s throw away. This place is an absolute gem to say the least! We are definitely heading back there, we loved it! Awesome place to book! A+++
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 11 Jan 2024
Wow! Thanks for leaving Retro Retreat so clean and tidy and for your excellent communication. Im so pleased you had a great stay, especially after all the booking site issues you experienced initially. You were perfect guests and we would love to host you again. Cheers Kelli
Verified review

8/10 Good

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Whareroa retro

Was exactly what was advertised. Retro retreat. Served us well. Middle of winter so cold. Luckily we had packed a heater as the one heater in house wasnt enough. Would recommend
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 6 Oct 2024
Thanks for letting me know about the heating. It’s the first winters we’ve managed the property and we were told the heating was fine in winter. We’ve added more heating!
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Good value great view

This was our first time in Whareroa, it’s a beautiful settlement with great swimming. The bach is a basic no frills bach that was very clean and perfect for our needs. The kids weren’t impressed it didn’t have wifi but I didn’t mind a bit 😊. I would stay here again. It was good value for money, a beautiful view, shorter and easier walk to the lake than I expected. Host was easy to communicate with and we appreciated the nice touch of a welcome note and lollies. Thanks!
Stayed 3 nights in Jan 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 23 Jan 2024
Hi Thanks for staying at Retro Retreat. So glad you enjoyed it, even without wifi! The Bach is close to the lake so pleased you found the location and view good. You left the Bach clean and tidy, thanks, I do appreciate that. Would love to host you again. Kind regards Kelli
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Lovely Lake

A typical Kiwi bach perfect for a relaxing holiday. It really is a retro bach! We appreciated being able to bring Harley, a milk in the fridge and a bag of sweets on arrival. Owners staying in the front property but utterly discreet. All communications warm, helpful and friendly! Thank you! Will be back if we can.
Stayed 11 nights in Dec 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 11 Jan 2025
So pleased you enjoyed your stay. Thanks for leaving the Bach so tidy. Hope to host you again.
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Blissfully beautiful!

We stayed at Retro and loved it so much we want to book again! Clean and tidy, stunning views, massive lawn space and absolutely homely! The teenage kids loved the bunks and the privacy of the room. The amenties were great and a lot of extras were supplied. Kelli was oncall and more than accomodating to our requests. Close as walk to the stunning lake and very quiet and private. We would gihly reccomend Retro to all familes or antone wanting a great kiwi bach experience. Thank you Kelli! We hope to see you soon!!
Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 22 Feb 2024
Thanks for an awesome review. So glad you and your family enjoyed your stay at Retro Retreat. Your communication was excellent! Whareroa is a lovely village with beautiful lake access.
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Quiet, Scenic, and Family-Friendly Retreat

We had an amazing stay at the Retro Retreat! The location next to Lake Taupo is absolutely stunning and made our trip even more memorable. The weather was lovely as well. The batch house was incredibly nice, tidy, and well-maintained. We appreciated the thoughtful touches, especially the basic amenities and the lollies for the kids—they loved them! The location is very quiet at night. It’s less than 5 minutes to the lake, which was perfect for us. The kitchen windows offers nice panoramic view of the lake, making every meal special. There are also lovely walks around the area that we thoroughly enjoyed. The host was exceptionally kind and attentive, making sure we had everything we needed. Thank you for providing such a wonderful experience. We highly recommend this place and hope to return in the future!
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 7 Jun 2024
Thank you for your kind words, Im so glad you enjoyed your stay. Whareroa is a very beautiful place. You left the Bach exceptionally tidy, thank you for that. I would love to host you again.
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