We absolutely loved our stay at Elaine's Retreat. We were looking for a kid-friendly place, with lots of space, and easy for us to get to both downtown New Plymouth and out to Mt. Taranaki for hiking. This place fit the bill and allowed us to easily get out the door to the mountain and duck into town for quick trips.
The place was spotlessly clean when we arrived and the kitchen was fully-equipped with everything we needed to cook dinner each night. The bedrooms were huge. We loved putting the fire on in the living room each night and appreciated Mel filling up the wood box for us without us even asking.
The kids (and adults!) adored the friendly and extremely quiet chickens who we got to admire from the kitchen and living room windows, patting Ned the dog who would sometimes check on us, and the little playground.
Mel and Smitty were available whenever needed and had great recommendations on hiking options in the region. Thank you for having us! We hope to back soon!