River Song Retreat Golden Bay

Quirky. They had thought of everything! Clean. Comfortable. Fabulous!

It was all good.

Absolutely loved the serenity. Location was perfect, very clean and excellent facilities. Loved my chats to Lisa and Geoff the owners and cannot wait to stay again.

Nothing

Natural environment and very clean facilities

A very cozy and peaceful place. Every detail in the decor of this place was done with love.

Very quiet and tranquil space you are tucked away along the river

Kitchen is very well equipped and tightly, it was so lovely to enjoy our meal with the terrific view in front of our eyes 👀 overall atmosphere of the accommodation has a deep sense of healing quality and cleansing your mind and body into purely natural environment.

Bedroom might need some minor upgrade, it feel like a bit over priced for us, not certain about what other guests think about the price in terms of over facility of the place though...

A wonderful spot to relax amid nature and stargaze after dark. It's a comfortably rustic place with a terrific al fresco kitchen. Also very near the Mussel Inn. Lisa's a kind and generous host!

It was absolutely amazing stay! Especially at night I have never seen that many stars before! Even we could took photos of Milky Way :) The caravan where we stayed was pretty and really clean. Also the river was just next to the caravan. The toilets is compost but it is the cleanest compost toilet ever. There is natural herbal tea, it was delicious. Kitchen, shower room were also really clean and tidy. I can see the place was considered to keep it comfortable. We were really happy that we stayed there ;)

It is surrounded by nature, it was impossible to avoid bugs and moths if you take a shower at night. I recommend to take a shower in the morning!

Sehr besondere Unterkunft und sehr sauber überall. Unheimlich freundliche Gastgeber

Everything! The location is perfect to explore thr Golden Bay. The truck is really nice, comfy, beautiful surrounding. We have loved waking up to the Pukeko' sound and meet the eels down the river. Lisa & Geoff are lovely people. Everything is clean, comfortable and well thought.

Nothing. We will come back around whenever we are in the area.

I loved everything about the place - to the caravan it was so cute and quirky and bonus points with the fairy lights at night. The best was soft and lush and loved reading my book while it was raining at night and all I could see was the fairy lights and greenery The location is STUNNING and we met a weka while swinging on the hammock. Toilets and bathroom was nice and clean. We didn't use the kitchen only the fridge for our drinks but wish we did now so we could sit and eat out breakfast on the outdoor seating Would recomend to anyone who just wants to get away from the busy city lifestyle and reset

Beautiful, peaceful, private Sensational shower Spotlessly clean Lisa is extremely kind

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I loved everything. The place is so well furnished, clean, beautiful surroundings and friendly host.

Georgeous, relaxen Place. I had enjoyed every minute.1 Saw Glohworm from my Bed 😁 Host lovely and verry friendly Thank you so much🙏

Sandfly the loved me so much🫢

Fabulous setting on the river. The open air kitchen is excellent, a really relaxing place to enjoy breakfast and dinner. Geoff and Lisa gave us some great tips on the local area. Geoff was a great weather man and his local knowledgeable was really useful for planning our days out from here.

River Song was a calming base to stay while I was on a workshop - gorgeous place to come back to in the evenings, it felt like a retreat. I'd love to come back in summer and swim in the river, just meters from the door of the caravan.

Beautiful quiet and calm

Nothing

Loved the location loved the accommodation very quirky and very relaxing

Probably the wet lawn clippings making a mess on the nice paved areas but nothing a sweep doesn't fix ☺️ no issues

Very nice accomodation with a cozy bed, great surrounded into the nature. The view from the bed is amazing and several chairs let you rest and enjoy. This is a sustainable place but still a guest misses no luxury in regards to bathroom. At night you can see the stars and the kitchen is open in the garden, everything there that you might need in order to cook. Guests can have free coffee and fresh herbal tea etc. Very friendly Hosts with helpful recommendations what to do in the area :)

You have to protect yourself from mosquitos (make sure they dont come into the room and when cooking you need to use repellent).

If you’re yearning for a peaceful escape that reconnects you with the essence of nature while offering a touch of simple luxury, River Song Retreat is the perfect sanctuary. Nestled beside a quiet, flowing river, this retreat feels like a secret tucked away in nature’s embrace. The retreat focuses on the beauty of simplicity—everything you need and nothing you don’t—creating an environment that feels both humble and special.

Nothing...

Absolutely loved it was just the perfect place for much needed R&R and Lisa and Geoff were amazing hosts allowing plenty of freedom to relax and explore while also helping out if and when needed with the local sights etc highly recommend and can't wait to do I again 😀

Lisa was a fabulous, welcoming host. Beautiful garden setting with lovely private patio area. Communal kitchen and shower area was well stocked.

The composting toilet is a bit of a trek across the garden from the sleeping spaces.

I must say this could be the best choice for my first-anniversary ending spot. We relaxed and chilled out after a 10-day trip around the South Island. Meanwhile, we met the wonderful couple who own this amazing place. They told me, "You should marry the land where you choose to live." They vividly presented the answer I had been searching for over the past couple of years. Good luck, God bless! May you always reap the harvest in this beautiful wonderland.

By far the best stay I've had in NZ so far and deserves all the exceptional reviews. The property, accommodation and the hosts are wonderful - room was very cozy & comfortable; great shower; kitchen well equipped and with freshly made herbal water waiting for us in the fridge; fruit trees all around the peaceful green meadows, and most of all, the owners were the most warm and generous people. Would stay here again in a heartbeat!

Lisa made us very welcome. The caravan and house bus are so appealing, but also comfortable and clean. We loved the way that they were a good distance apart for privacy but that the kitchen area was comfortable for sitting and chatting with drinks. This was such welcome overnight stay for us

We stayed with two longtime friends at the property. We stayed in Gypsymoth the housetruck, our friends stayed in Glowworm the caravan. The sites are a good distance away from each other and provide total privacy. We liked absolutely everything. The photos are spot on but don't do justice to the property. It's better, absolutely fairytale like perfect. An eel or two swimming upstream early in the morning. A territorial tui defending its home while singing his ownership to the world. Everything is spotlessly clean. The kitchen is very well kitted out with good quality coffee and homemade herbal tea waiting for you. The beds are very comfortable (the pillows could do with an upgrade), there are two chairs and a little outside seating area at each accommodation.The hosts are very nice and responsive people. The property has great energy. 2 Km up the road is the Mussel Inn which has a great vibe, live bands in the weekend and excellent food for those nights you don't feel like cooking. We never stay in one place for more than two nights and hardly ever go back to a place we have already been to as there are too many places to discover in one lifetime. However, we stayed for two nights and that was not enough! We'll come back for a whole week.

The road can be a bit noisy at times but it didn't bother us at all.

The house bus was Quirky and comfortable with a retro style. Having the river outside your bedroom was relaxing and made for a restful sleep. The shared kitchen had everything we needed and the shower was perfect. The outside toilet was better than we expected and we would definitely stay again the hosts ( Lisa and Geoff ) are welcoming and friendly. All In all a beautiful little hideaway spot for a few days relaxing. ☺️

Just a small “ thing “ nothing major but a few hooks to hang your clothes on inside would make the stay even more better and perhaps a note to say insect repellent is an advantage just because of the proximity to the river otherwise a great wee find .

It’s a beautiful setting with lots of interesting things to savour. Very soothing and peaceful. Funky too.

Nothing really. Probably a little better night lighting for those using the toilet facilities but this is being addressed.

We had an amazing four nights at River Song. Everything exceed our expectations. The Truck Home provided both novelty value, but was also very comfortable, clean, and cosy. The kitchen was great to cook in and well equipped. The farm and gardens were so relaxing, and we just wanted to spend all our time relaxing there. Lisa and Geoff were lovely and knowledgeable hosts. We couldn’t recommend enough.

The location was ideal for a peaceful retreat from our busy lives. The surroundings are very beautiful - lots of open green spaces, hammock under the fruit trees, birdsong, clean air, babbling brook to enjoy. Loved the creative touches in the house truck, the shower unit and communal kitchen. Our host and extended family were very warm and welcoming. Can't wait to book in again.

Forgot to put in insect repellent! Advise taking some if you have sensitivity to the voracious beasties!

I loved my stay. It was peaceful and recharging. I spent the whole day in the site because I just needed to rest without going anywhere. And it was beautiful! There is plenty of shade and areas you can seat. A little bush walk. Lovely river. Kitchen, toilet and shower are spotless. Bed is very comfortable. Plenty of pillows to feel at home. I also had a reiki session as this visit was my two nights retreat. I wish I could stay longer and I’d love to come back!

The place is amazing! Positioned perfectly to explore some of Golden Bay and Abel Tasman and was a great place to come back to after long days of walking and traveling. Facilities are excellent, shower was amazing and cooking area has everything you could need and lovely extras with coffees, teas and hot chocolate! Our caravan was very comfy and there were loads of great places to sit and enjoy the garden. At night the stars were incredible and they also have a very cool glow worm walk through the back of the garden which surpassed our expectations with loads to see! Lisa and Geoff were extremely welcoming and always around if we had any questions. Would highly recommend!

Review of Rivesong Retreat House Bus Stay We recently had the pleasure of staying at the Rivesong Retreat in their charming house bus, and it was an unforgettable experience. The setting is absolutely stunning, nestled by a peaceful river. Falling asleep to the soothing sound of the stream was magical, and the cosy old house bus added a delightful touch of nostalgia and comfort. The facilities were great. The shower was a highlight—excellent water pressure made it a real treat. The kitchen is well-equipped and offers beautiful views of the expansive garden, adding to the serene atmosphere of the stay. The composting toilet was impressively clean and well-maintained, showing the care and thoughtfulness of the hosts. Speaking of the hosts, they were amazing—warm, welcoming, and full of fascinating travel stories that made our stay even more enjoyable. It’s clear they are well-travelled and passionate about creating a wonderful experience for their guests. We loved it so much that we’ve already trying to find available dates for our next stay in a month. We can’t wait to return to this little slice of paradise! Highly recommended for anyone seeking a peaceful, unique, and relaxing Eco-Retreat.

A BBQ would make the cooking experience in the garden superb.

Breakfast was amazing. The garden and the location perfect! Highly recommended. Lisa and Geoff were very friendly, excellent host. Wonderful place to stay calm and relax.