Luxury Suite - sauna, plunge pool, outdoor kit/fireplace, spa inspired bathroom

Welcome to our corner of Mangawhai!

We're Bruce and Vania, and along with our cats, Billie and Kingsley, and our geese, Lucy and Ivy, we call these five-ish acres home.

Located just minutes from Mangawhai Village and the coast, our property offers the best of both worlds—easy access to beaches, cafes, and local attractions, while still enjoying the peace and space of rural living.

We've spent years shaping and caring for this property, creating spaces that are practical, comfortable, and designed to be enjoyed. It's a place we're proud of and one we're delighted to share with guests.

You'll likely see us around the grounds during your stay. We're always happy to help if needed, but we also believe that privacy is an important part of any getaway. To make things easier, you'll find QR codes throughout the property with useful information, instructions, and local recommendations.

We hope you enjoy your stay and experience a little of what makes this place so special to us.

Grounds & Gardens

Wander through the citrus groves, orchards, and herb gardens, or follow the path to the upper pond and small waterfall. If the trees are generous during your stay, you're welcome to enjoy a piece of seasonal fruit as you explore, there are generally an abundance of herbs in the herb garden.

The Boat Shed Story
The space you're staying in began life as the property's original boatshed.

When designing the space, flexibility was important. We wanted it to remain practical while creating somewhere comfortable, welcoming, and thoughtfully considered. Rather than completely reinventing it, we chose to work with what was already here, preserving its character while refining it into the space you see today.

It's a place that has worn many hats over the years, and that's part of what makes it special to us. We hope you'll enjoy it as much as we have.

Winter at the Boatshed - Winter here has its own quiet rhythm.

While the days are cooler and the pace slows, the Boatshed is designed to stay warm, bright, and comfortable throughout the season. With high stud ceilings, double glazing, and polished concrete floors with underfloor heating, the space holds warmth beautifully. On sunny days, the large windows bring in natural light and passive heat, making it a calm, inviting place to settle in.

It’s also an ideal time for longer stays and slower days.

For those who need to stay connected, the property is equipped with Starlink, providing reliable high-speed internet throughout the Boatshed.

Between work sessions, winter here is best enjoyed outdoors in short, simple moments — a walk around the grounds, time by the fire, or a session in the sauna followed by a cold plunge for those who enjoy it. Currently the orange grove is full of ripe navel oranges and satsuma mandarins. Evenings naturally draw people back to the outdoor fire or the comfort of the Boatshed itself.

It’s not about escaping life — more about shifting where life happens for a while.