Te Mata Lodge was a cool place to stay to experience the Kiwi 'camping' holiday without the tents! The kids loved the daily river swims and hanging out with other kids there too. The hosts were lovely and gave us some great tips on some local places to visit. It is an awesome place to chill out in nature and also close enough to Thames and Coromandel to explore further afield. Definitely take bug spray and fly spray as you are in the bush and there are mozzies and sand flies. Also note that cell phone reception is very patchy...which is awesome if you really want to switch off from the hustle and bustle of life for a few days. :) Great value and and great experience had by the whole family.