“Jonathan from Riparide and his partner Caitlin came in August and wrote a lovely story about Tui Ridge Homestay - below is all the details and make sure to follow Riparide and Jonathan on social media.”

A Home Away from Home

A fire crackling, fresh eggs in a bowl and a small native plant – these were a few things waiting for us on our arrival to this lovely historic farm stay. Located halfway between Auckland and Hamilton, Tui Ridge Homestay is a beautiful villa set on Te Punga Farms. It's perfect for the outdoor adventurers, the homely home-stayers, or the curious city explorers. Hamilton is only a 50-minute drive, while Auckland is just over an hour away. If you want to stay close to the villa there are plenty of activities close by, including the Waiterimu Golf course, hiking and tramping trails, clay-target shooting, biking and local swimming holes.

We arrived late at night to the fireplace warming the house, so we kicked off our shoes, checked out the interior and cosied up to some Netflix. The next day we opted for a day out in Hamilton. We spotted a superfood cafe called Amor, and ordered a big breakfast and smoothie bowl to fuel us up for the day. It was a grey and grizzly day so we tossed up between mini-golf or the botanical gardens while we enjoyed our brunch. The botanical gardens won. We sheltered under the umbrella and embraced the drizzle, exploring the most beautiful, underrated gardens (we’re surprised it’s still free!). Despite the weather, we felt transported to all the countries the gardens were themed around.

A weekend away from home can be conflicting – should we spend all our time out exploring or enjoy the comfort of that home-away-from-home feeling? We like to find the perfect balance of the two, and something as simple as a home-cooked meal can bring this. Naturally, our menu consisted of pasta, wine, and chocolate for dessert. We filled the bath and relaxed after dinner with another glass of wine.

The morning brought us clearer skies and fresh croissants. We enjoyed a cup of coffee on the porch as we ate our breakfast. On the drive home, we took the back roads to Clevedon to go for a little walk to Hunua Falls and saw them at their almighty best after the previous day's rain. The homestead provided us with the perfect home-away-from-home escape to recharge and get ready for another busy week in the big smoke.