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Birdsong Cottage - nestled up against Mt Aspiring National Park with Spa

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Photo gallery for Birdsong Cottage - nestled up against Mt Aspiring National Park with Spa

Exterior
Outdoor dining
Fireplace, DVD player
Property grounds
Fireplace, DVD player

Reviews

9.0 out of 10
Wonderful

Entire home

2 bedrooms1 bathroomSleeps 5

Popular amenities

  • Fireplace
  • Parking available
  • Kitchen
  • Barbecue grill
  • Air conditioning
  • Free WiFi
$111
$99 nightly
$111 total
Total with taxes and fees
Dec 8 - Dec 9

Explore the area

View in a map
Makarora, OTA
  • Place, Lake Ohau
  • Place, Lake Hawea
  • Place, Lake Wānaka
    ‪8 min drive‬

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About the neighborhood

Makarora

Located in Makarora, this cottage is on a river, a 1-minute drive from Te Wahipounamu and 6 minutes from Blue Pools. .This cottage is 8.4 mi (13.6 km) from Lake Wānaka and 14.1 mi (22.7 km) from Fantail Falls.
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What's nearby

  • Lake Wānaka - 8 min drive - 9.6 miles
  • Fantail Falls - 14 min drive - 17.1 miles
  • Blue Pools - 14 min drive - 7.3 miles
  • Aotearoa Gemstones - 49 min drive - 60.9 miles
  • Haast Beach - 64 min drive - 65.6 miles

Getting around

  • Wānaka Airport (WKA) - 59 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Makarora country cafe - ‬3 min drive

About this property

Entire place

You'll have the entire home to yourself and will only share it with other guests in your party.

Birdsong Cottage - nestled up against Mt Aspiring National Park with Spa

This original stone cottage is nestled on a bushy section between Mt Aspiring National Park and land owned by the Makarora Wonderland Lodge. We live in the Octagonal house next to you. The bird life is incredible with Kaka, Tui and Kereru frequently landing in the trees around us. It is a spacious, self-contained, 2 bedroom abode (choice of singles or King bed in second room) with lounge. There is a collection of DVD's and board games. Fully equipped kitchen. Outside is a garden entertaining area with table and chairs, BBQ, and views up to Mt Shrimpton. The Nature Walk and Shrimpton Track join up to our property. Go for a night wander to see the glow worms!
The Cottage is a 2 minute walk from the Wonderland Cafe/Restaurant/Bar and a 10 minute drive from the must-see Blue Pools. There are a number of epic short walks and multi-day hikes including the Gillespies Pass Circuit right at your door-step. We recommend staying a few nights to enjoy the wilderness, hiking, trout fishing or jumping on a fixed wing plane, heli or jet boat for an adventure up the Wilkin River Valley and beyond.
Make yourself comfortable in this air-conditioned cottage, which features a fireplace. There's a private patio. A kitchen is outfitted with a refrigerator, an oven, and a stovetop. Complimentary wireless internet access keeps you connected, and a DVD player is provided for your entertainment.
Take in the views from a garden and make use of amenities such as barbecue grills.
Guests will find features like internet access and onsite parking.

Property amenities

Ski

  • Close to skiing
  • Snowboarding nearby

Internet

  • Available in the cottage: Free WiFi

Parking and transportation

  • Parking on site

Kitchen

  • Coffee/tea maker
  • Cookware, dishware, and utensils
  • Electric kettle
  • Microwave
  • Oven
  • Refrigerator
  • Stovetop
  • Toaster

Bedrooms

  • 2 bedrooms
  • Bedsheets provided

Bathroom

  • 1 bathroom
  • Shampoo
  • Shower
  • Soap
  • Toilet paper
  • Towels provided

Living spaces

  • Fireplace

Entertainment

  • DVD player

Outdoor areas

  • Barbecue grill
  • Garden
  • Outdoor furniture
  • Patio

Comfort

  • Air conditioning
  • Heating

Pets

  • No pets allowed

Suitability/Accessibility

  • If you have requests for specific accessibility needs, please contact the property using the information on the reservation confirmation received after booking.
  • Wheelchair accessibility
  • Designated smoking areas

Services and conveniences

  • Change of bedsheets (on request)

Location highlights

  • In the mountains
  • On a river

Things to do

  • Birdwatching nearby
  • Ecotours nearby
  • Fishing nearby
  • Hiking nearby
  • Hunting nearby
  • Mountain climbing nearby

Safety features

  • No carbon monoxide detector or gas appliances (host has indicated there are no carbon monoxide detectors or gas appliances on the property)
  • Smoke detector (host has indicated there is a smoke detector on the property)

General

  • At least 80% lighting from LEDs
  • Bed sheets changed on request
  • Garden

Policies

Check-in

Check-in time starts at 3:30 PM

Check-out

Check-out before 10:00 AM

Special check-in instructions

You will receive an email from the host with check-in and check-out instructions
Information provided by the property may be translated using automated translation tools

Pets

Pets not allowed

Children and extra beds

Children are welcome

Events

No events allowed

Smoking

Smoking allowed: in designated areas

Important information

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
Onsite parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Host has indicated there are no carbon monoxide detectors or gas appliances on the property
Host has indicated there is a smoke detector on the property
This property is managed through our partner, Vrbo. You will receive an email from Vrbo with a link to a Vrbo account, where you can change or cancel your reservation

Property is also known as

Vrbo Property Makarora
Vrbo Property Private vacation home
Vrbo Property Private vacation home Makarora

Reviews

Birdsong Cottage - nestled up against Mt Aspiring National Park with Spa Reviews

9.0

Wonderful

8.6/10

Cleanliness

8.6/10

Amenities

8.6/10

Property conditions & facilities

9.6/10

Eco-friendliness
Rating 10 - Excellent. 32 out of 51 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 13 out of 51 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 4 out of 51 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 2 out of 51 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 51 reviews

Reviews

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness
We had a lovely stay at the cottage. Host was very welcoming. Had the best nights sleep the beds were very comfortable. Movie selection was great and the bbq worked well. Unfortunately the hot tub wasn’t working which we only found out when we went to use it but completely understand. The only other thing was also the door to the property only locked form the outside. Not a big issue but as two young girls travelling alone we did get a bit anxious about this. Overall loved our stay and would recommend.
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2025

10/10 Excellent

Jeric D.

Liked: Cleanliness
The house is very cozy and clean. We had a wonderful time with the spa while enjoying the spectacular views of the mountain.
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2025

10/10 Excellent

Sarah T.

Liked: Cleanliness
It was a beautiful setting and the bird sounds were wonderful! I loved the cabin. The beds were super warm
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2025

8/10 Good

Neil W.

Liked: Cleanliness
pleasant greeting upon arrival, room clean and warm - was a wet, cold day - Host brought over dry kindling for the fire.authentic rustic building with all required conveniences
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2025

10/10 Excellent

Clare R.

Liked: Cleanliness
Loved our overnight at Birdsong! The deck and hot pool were great for bird listening and spotting. We had everything we needed for a comfy stay. Quirky and old school amenities with all the good stuff.If we are being picky We could have done with a second set of towels as we used the hot tub and needed a shower the next morning. Also struggled with the fire as kept going out, maybe flue needs cleaning? Heat pump was more than adequate to keep us all warm and cosy!
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2025

10/10 Excellent

Alison H.

Liked: Cleanliness
If you love New Zealand bush especially silver beech forest, glacial pools, mountain views, peace and quiet - you’ll love it here! Such a good base to explore the area.
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2025

10/10 Excellent

Yeh H.

Liked: Cleanliness
Check in was suprr easy , and the house is so cozy , we feel right at home straight away ! Have full kitchen ware and oven , we had no problem cooking meals. We loved it here !
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2025

6/10 Okay

Alexis H.

Disliked: Cleanliness

Fit for Purpose, but Not Relaxing

The location is great for walking trails along the pass, and overall the bach was comfortable enough. There was plenty of bedding and it warmed up well. The wood burner and supply of logs were lovely.There is a mouse issue, with one dead on arrival and droppings in the cupboard. It's not uncommon close to the bush but a heads up would've been appreciated. The only mouse-proof areas to store food were the fridge and microwave.The fridge was a poorly functioning mini-fridge, not a standard fridge and freezer as per the photo, which made things difficult for a four night stay and medication. It struggled to keep anything chilled on any setting.The toilet facilities were okay. The shower drain was blocked and would immediately overflow with sediment from the drain, but the water was nice and hot. Surfaces were dusted and it wasn't musty. However, socks continuously collected a lot of hair from the carpet, and some dirty tissues were under the sofa when we shuffled it to face the TV. Some furniture covers were stained but seemed clean.The spa was out of order during our stay, but the hosts let us know it might be an issue a few days in advance. The view from the lounge is of the host's carpark, but out the back is private and surrounded by trees. The bird presence was akin to Dunedin botanic gardens and university grounds.The collection of DVD's was a nice range.Overall the bach was fit for purpose, but not a relaxing stay in itself.
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2025

8/10 Good

Karen D.

Liked: Cleanliness

Cosy

Cottage was cosy enough for the 2 of us. Unfortunately, the spa was out of order, but these things happen and the host did communicate with us on this. Close enough to Haast to do a drive and check out the waterfalls.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Melissa K.

Liked: Cleanliness
Amazing little cabin for a getaway in the bush. Older property with classic kiwi batch vibes.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2025

8/10 Good

Jess J.

Liked: Cleanliness

Rural getaway

A beautiful country cottage is the best way to describe Sarah’s place. We stayed there for two nights as the rural part of our trip and loved it. It had everything we needed including a fire place. The property and grounds were beautiful and right behind the house was Mt Shrimpton which was an incredible forest hike. Photos of the hike below! Sarah was so so lovely and had so much knowledge about Makarora and the surrounding area. She actually picked us up from Wānaka to bring us to the house as we didn’t end up hiring a car. It was such a cosy stay, highly recommended!
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2025

6/10 Okay

Tim B.

A little too rustic for us.

House smelt very musty, no tea or coffee provided. Shower wouldn't get to a desired temperature which was OK we just had a spa. Old fittings, furnishings, linen. Mouse droppings around the jug. Lots of birdlife which was nice.
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2025

8/10 Good

Brett M.

Liked: Cleanliness

Great location

Great stop over and accommodation style for touring cyclists. Close to facilities.
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2025

8/10 Good

Adrian

Traveled with family and small children
Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2025

6/10 Okay

sheryl r.

A little bit too rustic for us.

Birdsong cottage was indeed like going to grandmas house. Everything was old and mismatched. Lights were not great in living area. No tea or coffee provided. Coffee machine requires special pods.Ok for a night but no longer. View was of a carport and owners shed.
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2025

10/10 Excellent

Katie C.

Liked: Cleanliness

Cute cottage in the bush

Cute little house surrounded by beautiful bush, had everything we needed, wish we could have stayed longer
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2025

10/10 Excellent

Grace K.

Liked: Cleanliness

Perfect Homey Cottage

My partner and I had a great stay at the Birdsong cottage! The views around the cottage were stunning and we enjoyed the hot tub after a long day of hiking and driving. The kitchen was well-equipped for us to cook dinner and had some instant coffee for the morning. We especially loved the DVD collection and watched What We Do in the Shadows for the first time! Also, we couldn't have asked for a better location for the night before our Brewster Hut hike. Thanks again!
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2025

10/10 Excellent

Matthew H., Lyttelton

Liked: Cleanliness

wonderful wee cottage

good spot, lovely back garden, great birdlife
Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2025

8/10 Good

Kate P.

Liked: Cleanliness

Comfortable basic cottage with spa

The cottage is a reasonably rustic bach but is quite comfortable. The fridge was quite small with no separate freezer and the icebox in the fridge didn't keep ffGood base to explore the area. The best part is the spa in the private back garden and the sheltered back deck with solar lights. Hosts house right next door. Hosts are friendly and helpful. are helpful
Stayed 4 nights in Jan 2025

8/10 Good

Vernon

Traveled with partner
Liked: Amenities, property conditions & facilities
Disliked: Cleanliness
The location of this property can't be beat. We were plopped right in the heart of Mt Aspiring National Park with quick access to hiking and exploring. The owners seem to be wonderful and kind people. The house itself is a marvelous, historic place. The hot tub really helps elevate the value of the experience. The house could really use a thorough cleaning. We were asked to take shoes off in the house and our socks got dirty walking around on the carpet! If the carpets were scrubbed and the house were dejunked and scrubbed clean, it would be a 5 star place. The owner was working abroad and difficult to access. Husband was there, but not involved. I would stay there again because of it's location, but not my first choice.
Stayed 6 nights in Feb 2025

4/10 Poor

Nancy B.

Disliked: Cleanliness

Disappointing

The property was neglected, especially the cottage. On arrival, it was closed up tightly and smelled old and musty. The bed and pillows and bedclothes smelled musty, the hot tub had so much chlorine that when opened, it was overpowering. We were looking forwarf tothis stay and were awfully disappointed!
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2025

10/10 Excellent

Michelle V.

Liked: Cleanliness

A little paradise

A cute cottage nestled against the forest
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2024

10/10 Excellent

Adam H.

Liked: Cleanliness

Peaceful and quiet.

My wife and I stayed three nights. This is perfect rustic home for a get away. The hot tub was running and we jumped straight in after a long days walking and travelling. Good internet. Great views. Kitchen has everything you need. Good weather throughout, but could just as easily stay inside on a rainy day.
Stayed 3 nights in Nov 2024

10/10 Excellent

Amber K.

Liked: Cleanliness
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2024

10/10 Excellent

Ronald D.

Liked: Cleanliness

Wonderful Stay

Birdsong truly is the right name for this spot. We saw a tree with 12 woodpigeons on it!! Loved the location and spa was perfect for relaxing. Will book again
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2024