Mairenui Rural Retreat

Sue and David Sweet

1019 Ruahine Road
Mangaweka

Postal address

RD54
Kimbolton 4774

Phone: +64 6 382 5564
Mobile: 027 4517 545

Email: mairenui@xtra.co.nz

Web: www.mairenui.co.nz

Please mention nzfishing.com when you make an enquiry or booking.

Rangitikei River and tributaries

Kawhatau River

Mairenui Rural Retreat is marked on the mid Rangitikei River map.

• A range of accommodation to suit different needs
• Breakfasts, lunches and evening meals are available at the homestead.
• The two or three course dinners include a pre-dinner drink
• French and German are spoken by your hosts
• Groups of up to 22 people catered for
• Conference facilities are available

Mairenui Homestead

Mairenui Homestead offers quality in-house accommodation for up to four people, with:

• One double room with a queen-size bed; a small sitting area with a wide selection of books and magazines; and an ensuite bathroom with sunken, tiled bath/shower, toiletries, and hairdryer
• One twin/king room with handmade beds crafted from native totara timber milled on the farm, and an ensuite shower/toilet
• Electric heating, heated towel rails, bathrobes, and individual verandahs with tables and chairs in both rooms
• A breakfast of your choice at a time which suits

The Villa

The recently restored 1885 villa sleeps up to ten people in five rooms, plus an extra 2 people in a small separate building (Te Whare). The villa has:

• Verandahs on two sides of the house, providing plenty of room for relaxing on the comfortable seats in the sun
• A small pool table, two open fires and a wood stove, a piano and lots of books, magazines and games
• An electric stove, refrigerator, freezer, and some electric blankets and heaters
• A cot and a crib

The Retreat

The Retreat is an architect-designed, 3½ storey timber dwelling, set in a 700 year old stand of native trees. It sleeps up to 7 and offers guests:

• An open plan structure, leading from the semi-circular living room with free-standing fireplace, up to the main dining, kitchen and utility area
• A kitchen complete with electric oven, microwave and for the nostalgic, a wood-burning stove as well
• A breakfast room in the old conservatory with paved floor and cane furniture
• A brick floored bath/shower room and toilet with wooden shutters opening to the native bush and windows in the ceiling, with the whole roof being totally glassed
• A second toilet and handbasin upstairs
• One bedroom with a queen-sized bed from which you can gaze over the surrounding countryside through a two-storey high arched window and private balcony
• A second bedroom with a double bed and two small arched windows built into the rough-timbered sloping walls
• A third bedroom which is up a vertical ladder, with two single beds and a window above the stair tower
• An extra bed on  the wide window seat in the dining area
• Private grounds with gas BBQ and rustic table

On-site activities at Mairenui Rural Retreat include:

• Fishing and swimming on Mairenui's private stretch of the Rangitikei River
• Tennis on an all-weather concrete tennis court with racquets and balls supplied
• Petanque (boules) on a full-size court equipped with stainless steel boules
• Croquet on the specially designed lawn, edged with rhododendrons and camellias
• Farm tours in a restored 1953 Landrover

Activities in the Rangitikei area around Mairenui include:

• Guided trout fishing trips on the Rangitikei River and its tributaries: your Mairenui hosts are happy to arrange fishing trips and recommend local guides Jim Rainey and Russell Anderson of Green Trout Guiding
• Kayaking, canoeing, eco float trips, whitewater rafting or jet boating on the Rangitikei River
• Horse trekking
• Golfing on local courses
• Taking the Historical House Architectural Tour or touring the beautiful open gardens

Mairenui Rural Retreat's tariff ranges from $40 to $210 per person per night. Please enquire for an accurate costing for your intended stay.

Please phone or email to make a booking, or use the online form at the Mairenui Rural Retreat website.

• Mairenui require either a deposit (50% of first night's accommodation), or a credit card number
  to confirm a booking
• Your credit card will not be charged except as stated in our cancellation policy

When making a booking at Mairenui Rural Retreat, you agree that your deposit will be:

• Fully refundable if your booking is cancelled up to two days before booked date
• 50% refundable within two days of booked date or your credit card charged to the value of 50% of one night's accommodation
• Non-refundable in the event of non-arrival without cancellation or your credit card charged to the value of accommodation booked

• If approaching Mairenui from the north, travel south on State Highway One (SH1) and continue south after Taihape until you reach Ruahine Road.
• If approaching Mairenui from Palmerston North, take SH54 through Feilding and continue on this well-maintained, occasionally winding, scenic route until SH54 joins SH1. Continue on SH1 until you reach Ruahine Road (approximately 50 metres before of the village of Mangaweka)

Then:

• Turn-off SH1 onto Ruahine Road which is approximately 50 metres north of the village of Mangaweka (a village recognisable by a "Cookie Time" DC3 airplane café parked beside the road).
• After Ruahine Road crosses the Rangitikei River, continue along beside the river (do not turn to the left)
• 10 km from SH1, a large uphill section of road brings you to the gates of Mairenui Rural Retreat