Australian Racing Team 7/10/2007
Had a wonderful stay! Could stay forever, very comfortable stay. All enjoyed our stay, have thought of everything. Wish the weather was colder to use the outdoor bath. Well done and all the best, would love to come back.
Peter and Marie Phillips, Christchurch 5/1/2007
What a glorious place to stay to celebrate the birth of our first Hawkes Bay grandchild, George. May there be many more so we can come back!
The attention to detail is superb – we loved everything about it, especially the roses! We’ll spread the word South – Many thanks.
Julie and Mike Jory, Runaway Bay, QLD Australia 10/11/2007
What a beautiful, peaceful retreat after a long day. We enjoyed the very friendly greeting and were made to feel most welcome. The home itself has been well thought out with all the conveniences and comforts of home.
Beautiful, beautiful place. We hope to return and enjoy again. Thank you.
Sue and David Muniter, Crows Nest, SYD, Australia 11/11/2007
Fantastic house, beautifully decorated and very comfortable. Superb setting and wonderful hosts. Did not want to leave. Will return on our next trip to NZ. Thank you.
Murray & Gaye Carrington, Havelock North December 2007
Great peaceful setting with amazing views and atmosphere. Outside bath a real treat. Fantastic decor and layout of rooms. Made to feel most welcome. Thanks for a great evening.
Phoenix Chambers, Rotorua 9/12/2007
Well! What a magnificent job you have done of this project. It is wonderful! We have had 3 days and superb! Like others we will be back. Make sure you try the bath outside!!
Gorgeous place! We loved the peace, privacy and ambience, the food, the wine, the quality of the accommodation… everything! We will be back for a whole week. Loved it.
Beautiful place – given some interior design inspiration. Peace and tranquility ensured much sleeping but in between we fitted in with tasting and lunch at wineries and a long walk up Te Mata Peak all close by.
We have loved every minute of our stay here. You have done an amazing job, just our style! Perfect! Will tell everyone they must stay. Thank you for having us, we will be back.
Thank you very much for sharing this wonderfully relaxing place with us. You have thought of everything to ensure we enjoyed our stay to the max. We really enjoyed our stay and will definitely be back. We will also make sure all our friends and family know about it. Kind regards.
We have all had a glorious stay at Arapata thanks Ben and Raewyn for your fabulous hospitality and warm welcome. The sun was blazing, the pool just delighful and a bath under the stars just beautiful. We will be back! Thank you
Brilliant! We loved this place! Such an extra special way to enjoy the Hawkes Bay wedding we went to this weekend. We hope to see Arapata again.
Totally amazing, the recipie?? is just right and we appreciate all the attention to detail. This has been a fantastic mid holiday treat for us Swede/Brit on tour in New Zealand. Lots of love.
What a wonderful visit to Hawkes Bay and Arapata Lodge was superb! Thanks to Ben and Raewyn and our Canadian hosts Dan and Jeri Khosets from Vancouver.
We have thoroughly enjoyed the ambience and comforts of our 6 weeks at Arapata Lodge and Havelock North. Wish we could stay longer! What has made it so special is the thoughtfulness and hospitality of our hosts Raewyn and Ben. We entertained a lot and everyone raved about our luck in finding such great accommodation. We shall certainly recommend Arapata Lodge to our friends at home and look forward to a return visit. Many thanks Raewyn and Ben for all the special little things you did for us, especially sharing Zsa Zsa and the rest of the family.
The lodge is absolutely perfect – even better than we had hoped. Stunning surroundings, fabulous hosts, great coffee and most enjoyable ‘star bath’! We only wish we could have stayed longer. Raewyn and Ben thanks a million.
Thanks so much for everything. Great place for families with children. Kids loved roaming the grounds and feeding the horses next door. We’ll be back.
We had a great girls weekend here. The hot bath was a real treat for us “middle-aged” mothers with young children! We would highly recommend the house catering – a fantastic meal of chicken marbella and Jamie Oliver’s chocolate torte. A beautiful house with all the bells and whistles! We will be back.
A wonderful place for “Girls weekend 2008″! Thanks so much for your great hospitality – will recommend Arapata Lodge to anyone coming to Hawkes Bay. Fantastic meal thank you – what a treat! Back to Auckland refreshed and revived.
Thanks for a wonderful stay, we only wish we’d had the chance to stay longer and take it all in – we’ve already recommended the place to others over the weekend.
Thank you very much – what a beautiful place – really tastefully done. A great treat!
Back here again! We love it. Fantastic weather and a great relaxing time. Bought a friend to Arapata Lodge. We think he will be back! Had a fantastic time dining and playing golf nearby. Had 2 baths under the stars and fire inside – loved our stay!
We had a fantastic 2 week family holiday at Arapata Lodge. It was more beautiful than we expected and the hospitality warmer! What a wonderful secluded, sheltered location. We look forward to returning in the summer. Thank you for the “fruits of the land” and the opportunity to get to know you all a little bit. Unfortunately we didn’t brave the cold nights for the bath.. Next time! Enjoyed some wonderful food and of course fine coffee during our stay. With love.
Our family had a really relaxing and enjoyable time. I wish we could pick up the house and surroundings and place it in Hong Kong where we live. Congratulations to the people that developed Arapata Lodge, it certainly is a Boutique Accommodation. God bless.
What a wonderful mid-week retreat! I wonder what ‘Arapata’ means? Maybe its Maori for “House of peace and tranquility, hospitality and rest”! It sure is all of those things. Thank you Ben and Raewyn for our wonderful stay here. A wonderful escape from a busy world of work and children. This truly was a blessing to us. Kind regards.
Dear Raewyn, Ben and Families, “Bhanyavid” – Our stay was absolute bliss. You have a beaut-i-full dwelling… just as I recall to prior renovations. With appreciation.
Another stay at Arapata Lodge comes to an end! I think a habit is starting to develop – 3rd stay in 9 months! 5 brilliant days with some light rain this morning. Warm fires and long baths – relaxed and ready for a busy September now. Enjoyed Gin and Tonic and your hospitality on Friday night – Awesome prawns! Might break one rule and bring our seven year old Olivia to play next time. Warm wishes.
Thanks so much for sharing your little piece of paradise with us – it was just what we both needed! We look forward to returning – maybe for a summer break.
Thank you so much for the wonderful stay in your Lodge. A super destination to celebrate a
60th Birthday with the family! The comfort of ‘Everything’ made it memorable indeed. (We will take some decor ideas away with us..) We will be back.
A rare trip away without the children, Arapata Lodge has been a stunning alternative to our usual digs at Kennedy Park! The lodge is fantastic, so much care and thought has gone into every detail. We loved our time in the Hawkes Bay and Arapata makes it that much more special! Cheers.
Loved the ‘house’ and all the wonderful little extras. Hope to bring my family here one day.
Wow! We are very impressed. The house has been beautifully done and has a very welcoming feel. Everything we could have asked for! We ate too much, drank too much and slept like logs! Thank you, we will be back.
Arapata Lodge is not just simply a place to rest your tired bones, it’s a heaven for total relaxation with every detail within the lodge enhancing the wonder and beauty that is Hawkes Bay.
A great occasion for the Jones’ family. Benita Gaddum and Tom Ormond’s wedding. What a wonderful day and a beautiful bride and perfect accommodation at Arapata Lodge. We all loved it. Absolutely fabulous.
Thank you for your hospitality, it has been a wonderful place to have a four generation family holiday. We have loved the grounds and the beautiful roses coming up the drive. Special thanks to Harry for the ramps. It was a great help for Lill. Hope to see you again down here.
Wonderful place to spend a few days over the New Year. Beautiful location and fantastic accommodation. Calming, relaxing and soothing! Plenty of space for a three year old to explore and tire himself out. Thank you.
Great spot, great facilities. Thanks for a most pleasant stay.
What a fabulous stay we have had at the most relaxing spot. It was a time for us that was very special – our sons wedding. We just love it and hope to be able to return in the future.
Ben and Rae, Thanks for all the comforts of home! We were so comfortable in fact that we didn’t want to go on hikes, go shopping etc. etc. Nothing will compare to Arapata Lodge as we continue our trip around the world. Hopefully we’ll see you again one day. Best to you both.
Stayed here for a Hawkes Bay wedding. What an absolutely beautiful place! Thank you so much.
Thank you both for a wonderful start to our trip in NZ. Havelock North is always our first port of call and as always its been a great place to rest and unwind. The venison was a delight – thank you. Until next time. Have a restful Autumn. All the best.
A relaxing weekend away for Nana’s 80th Birthday. We all wish we could have stayed for the week. Such a nice set up here. Many thanks and God bless.
Today is our sons 21st birthday. We had a fabulous lunch and the coffee at Hawthorne was to die for. Love the open fire and lounge and taking a bath under the stars was so special and unique, not to be missed. Beautiful Arapata Lodge, nothing lacking. Thanks Ben and Raewyn.
Hard to leave this compatible environment, your impeccable taste presented with imagination, elegance and flair, these and the starlight bath have been a real delight, thank you.
Ben and Raewyn, thank you both for helping to make our last six weeks in NZ so memorable. We had a wonderful stay and enjoyed our time thoroughly. We will be back. Kindest regards.
What a lovely restful place. Wish we had more time to spend here. Open fire made it very cosy and relaxing. We will be back.
Perfect!
A wonderful, peaceful retreat. Ben and Raewyn thanks so much. Thanks to Benita and Tom for your hospitality and excellent coffee. I heard the dawn chorus today for the first time in years, we watched rabbits chewing up their breakfast and saw a wood pigeon in the tree beside the cottage. What bliss. Thank you for saving this beautiful spot full of comfort, peace and nature. We have had a fantastic weekend.
What an awesome experience. To have such history and beauty on our doorstep, made our honeymoon perfect. Thank you.
What a wonderful place to stay. Quiet, picturesque and such a wonderful lodge. Everything to make a great four days.
Thank you for such a beautiful place. Even better when the sun came out. My daughter will miss playing with Zsa Zsa. She tells me that she wants to move to the Hawkes Bay and open a winery when she grows up. Divine house in a divine location. All the best.
Another stay at Arapata for us. Bought our friends and we all had such a great weekend. Cards into the night. Thank you so much, we will be back again.
Mr Team said it all, but given it’s our first time, we wanted to say its awesome. We will be back. Love love love all the furniture, bits and pieces and the bedding – fabulous.
A great three days in this lovely lodge. It is a great treat. We have enjoyed the attention to detail and the hospitality.
A beautiful place in a stunning part of the world. Sad to be leaving, but many happy memories.
Ben and Raewyn, thanks again for the special Gaddum hospitality and for making our visit to Arapata so enjoyable. The month went really quickly and we look forward to a longer return visit. With fond memories.
Perfect break from the Sydney rat-race. Fantastic home and surrounds. Cheers.
Hawkes Bay born and raised here, now living in USA. Fabulous accommodation. Thanks heaps.
A fabulous place to start our married life after an awesome wedding day in Hawkes Bay. The weather was perfect, as is this place.
What a wonderful place to relax for a few days after our wedding. We adore Arapata. Our friends are already planning their next visit to Hawkes Bay and will be staying right here. Many thanks, everything was perfect.
It has been a great place to spend time with our extended family soaking up country lifestyle. Loved making a roaring fire each night.
What a wonderful, delightful, beautiful place to spend a few days. The attention to detail was much appreciated. Everything you could ask for. The ambience to the place was perfect. Thanks for making the effort and for allowing others to share in the enjoyment of your property. Excellent.
Special thanks to Raewyn and Ben who made a short visit a memorable stay. We had a great time here visiting Hawkes Bay region, relaxing listening to the birds in the morning, making big fires at night. Thank you so much.
Thanks Raewyn and Ben for thinking of everything to make this beautiful place comfortable and peaceful. A great place to plan our future together with nature and serenity all around. We will return.
Thank you Raewyn and Ben. Had a fabulous time despite the rain, we were toasty warm and had everything we could ever need. We enjoyed cycling along the country lanes, sipping the local wine and generally relaxing. We will miss the roaring fire at night and will be sure to tell our friends about your lodge.
We had a fantastic time in Havelock North and surrounding areas absolutely beautiful. Cycling, mountain climbing, sipping wine etc etc. The accommodation is outstanding. We will definitely be back.
Never did we anticipate such a multiple star rating facility, supported by multiple star rated surroundings and geography. Such is the quality of the kitchen facilities, it took little effort for we three males to host a three course dinner plus for nine adults. Ben and Raewyn, it would be remiss of us not to pen our appreciation for your attention and warmth shown to us personally during our stay. This personal attention was also a complement offered by our visiting USA friends. As such we could not hesitate but to recommend Arapata Lodge to our many friends and associates. Well done Ben and Raewyn and thanks heaps. Regards, the three Aussies.
Three days in your wonderful piece of paradise. I’m at peace.
We have had a fantastic four day break. What a wonderful place to celebrate a sixtieth, we’ll never forget it. Gorgeous house, peaceful, stunning surroundings. Many thanks.
If it weren’t for family and friends to visit and catch up with we wouldn’t have left. Our time here has just been as we had hoped plus more. Every little detail has been thought of and Arapata Lodge makes you feel at home instantly. Thank you to the extended Gaddum family for making us feel so welcome and for opening up your fabulous home. The kids loved the outdoor bath. My husband loved watching the family of quail each day and I couldn’t get enough of the beds and fresh air. Thank you and we can’t wait to return.
What a location. We’ve had a chilled two days. A great way to start the New Year. The decor and setting have been the most enjoyable way to spend special time with family from overseas. Congrats on a great product.
The perfect location for a weekend away. Wonderfully comfortable with every convenience. This has been a memorable weekend for four people who specialise in memorable weekends. Certainly one of the best lodges we have ever had the pleasure to stay in. We don’t want to go home and we will be back.
Magical place for our daughters marriage. Thank you for allowing us to share your home. Wonderful history, setting, decor, great hospitality. Thank you.
Fabulous home, perfect for our family get together and of course to go to Horse of the Year. Stunning location, peaceful and private.
Thank you so very much for such a wonderful stay. A great location to celebrate our mothers 50th birthday. She was one very happy lady. Stunning lodge and grounds. We had a fabulous time. Cheers.
Fabulous part of NZ. We will have to come back. Had a wonderful weekend with wonderful friends. Arapata Lodge exceeded expectations. Ben and Raewyn, you’ve done a great job. Thank you so much.
Thank you Ben and Rae. Thank you for a great stay at your beautiful lodge. It lived up to everything we saw on the net, plus more. We loved the cosyness of the lodge and the relaxing vibe of the stunning grounds. You are lucky to live in such a gorgeous spot. We will be sure to tell all of our Aussie friends and relations about this piece of heaven.
Thank you for such a beautiful lodge. We don’t want to go home and we would love to stay permanently, but alas we must head home. We will be back. We will certainly promote your lodge and we will post photographs on the facebook page.
Back at Arapata for the fifth visit. Just such a special place to rest and be peaceful. Fantastic hospitality as always from Ben and Rae and such a pleasure to meet little Farrah. Hate to leave, but can’t wait to return for visit number six.
I don’t think I can add anything to other wonderful accolades written before other than to endorse them in the fullest and in an exemplary way. Anyone staying here is very very fortunate. We will certainly return.
Well this wonderful lodge made turning 50 a whole lot easier. Thank you so much, I will be back before my 60th.
Staying at Arapata has been very special – our own place to relax, just love it. As promised by so many, we plan to be back. Thank you.
Thank you Raewyn and Ben for a wonderful four days stay. Played a great game of golf, watched the rugby, went to wonderful restaurants. Great time here. Can’t wait to return to Arapata Lodge. We will make it a yearly visit. Lovely to meet you.
What an excellent place for a holiday. The accommodation was first class and nothing had been overlooked. We were able to tour the surrounding area and enjoy fabulous meals in the roomy dining area. We will take back fond memories to Wellington and Canada and will certainly recommend it to our traveling friends.
