Te Popo Gardens Rural Retreat

We’ll definitely come back. This is a beautiful homestay with lovely hosts, great facilities, and gorgeous grounds. We ordered dinner for our first night, and it was affordable, delicious, and presented so nicely.

Amanda and Les were wonderful hosts and made us feel very welcome during our two lovely nights here. We preordered dinner and breakfasts, and the food was delicious. I’d stay again, and hope the planned cabin extensions go well.

We left straight away after a stay that fell far short of what the listing led us to expect. The Treetops Room had hard flooring and was freezing, despite the listing showing a cozy, carpeted room. Amanda said the room had been “upgraded” (changed), but the photos were out of date. The Garden View also looked more like a construction site than a retreat, with large piles of lumber, stacked wood, and debris on the awnings. There was no on-site dining or breakfast, despite it being advertised, and we were only told after we arrived. Amanda suggested a 1.5-hour round-trip drive to New Plymouth to get food. When we tried to resolve things, she called us “miserable” and told us to “ask like grown ups” for food, after presenting herself as “honest and hardworking.” We filed a formal report with the NZ Commerce Commission about misleading trade practices and are proceeding with a Disputes Tribunal claim.

Amanda and Les went out of their way to make our stay at Te Popo comfortable and memorable. We had a truly wonderful time and would certainly return.