St Omer Hide Away, Marlborough, NZ
A DAY AT ST. OMER'S
When you wake up on Day One, take a moment to take in the silence. St. Omer Hide Away's remote location is blessed with a deep, natural quiet. Every once in a while - maybe 10 or 15 times a day - you'll hear a car winding its way down Kenepuru Road, but it's a distant sound.
(Though it's remote, St Omer Hide Away is not a place for loud music or parties. Sound does travel here and we want to preserve the quiet and be good neighbors.)
Two of the bedrooms - one with a queen-size bed and one with a full - present show-stopping views of St. Omer Bay and Kenepuru Sound and balcony access. The third bedroom is kid-friendly with bunk beds and no balcony or water view.
The shared bath, in typical New Zealand style, features a toilet (water closet) in one room and a sink and shower in a separate room.
Photos get you part of the way to understanding how dazzling the view is, but seeing it in person is a whole other story. Spend a few hours on the wraparound deck with a glass of local wine, blue skies above and jewel-tone water below, and you'll be made new.
Open the retractable patio doors in the living area and let in the fresh morning breeze. Brew a French press coffee and cook up some local eggs in the modern kitchen.
Side note: There are no stores or fuel stations in Kenepuru Sound, so you'll want to stock up on groceries before you get here (or have them delivered). We provide some dry goods including paper towels and toilet tissue, but you may wish to bring some with you just in case.
Despite the home's remote location, there is a surprising number of things to do nearby. Sightseeing by water taxi. Mussel farm tours. Exploratory trips on the Mailboat. Sailing charters. Kayaking, fishing, biking (and many other verbs). Hiking the Queen Charlotte Track. Golf at Nopera. Sunset on the balcony. But if you miss it, don't worry - the sunrises are equally awe-inspiring and will be waiting for you in the morning.
GETTING HERE
St. Omer's Hide Away is 3 hours by car from Nelson, 2 hours by car (or a 25-minute boat ride) from Havelock. Or take the ferry over from Wellington to Picton, then drive the rest of the way. See this post on our blog for more information.
CRITICAL INFORMATION: READ BEFORE YOU BOOK!
This home is far from typical. It is off-the-grid, spring-fed and uses solar/batteries & a generator for power. The driveway is steep. So steep that, when we met the locals, they said, "Oh, you're the people who bought the house with the driveway."
Before you book, make sure you are okay with the below:
A 4WD vehicle is required to get up the driveway. You can also park at the bottom of the driveway and walk up with your again, it's quite steep.
The generator will not run between 10 pm and 7 am to preserve the silence of the Sounds.
Heat is from a wood-burning stove.
Cooling is via open windows (no A/C or other cooling).
There is no WiFi. (Wifi will be available for an additional fee, via Starlink, beginning mid-2023.)
There is no kid-friendly gear.
No nearby grocery stores, so you have to stock up in advance.
The reward for all of this, though, is the hush of seclusion and privacy, and the hilltop views that you will remember for years to come.
Rates may be quoted in NZD or your home country currency, but will ultimately be charged in USD. There may be a small monetary differential based on the date of the quote and the ultimate charging date. Plus the listing site may charge a currency conversion fee.
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- Baking pans
- Beach Towels
- Blender
- Cake pans
- Cheese grater
- Coffee grinder
- Coffee Maker
- Coffee press
- Cookie sheets
- Cookware
- Cutting board
- Fenced yard
- Flatware
- Food storage container
- Full Kitchen
- golf
- Hand Mixer
- Highball glasses
- Jar Opener
- Juicer
- Kitchen towels
- Knife block
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Microplane zester
- Microwave
- Mixing bowls
- Muffin pan
- Outdoor dining/seting
- Pastry blender
- pets considered
- Pie pan
- Plates & bowls
- Pots & Pans
- queen
- Refrigerator
- Sifter
- Splatter screens
- Stove/Oven
- Teapot
- Toaster
- Waffle Maker
- Washing Machine
- Water glasses
- Wine & bottle opener
- Wine glasses
- Wire Whisk
- Blankets
- Separate utility room
- fishing
- Deck
- hiking
- Wood Stove
- Secluded
- Balcony
- BBQ Tools
- Bundt pan
- Colander/strainer
- Cream pitcher
- DiningSeats
- Electric Tea Kettle
- Essentials
- Full
- Funnel Set
- Glass Measuring Cups
- Glass Pitcher
- Gravy Boat
- Ice Cream Scoop
- Jelly Roll Pan
- Juice glasses
- Kitchen Scissors
- Knife Sharpener
- Large Kettle/Pot
- Loaf Pan
- Location
- LocationField
- No-contact check-in and check-out
- Offset Spatula
- Outdoor lighting
- pier fishing
- Pot Holders
- Pot Scrubber
- Potato Masher
- Private Entrance
- Rubber Spatulas
- Serving Platters
- Serving Spoons
- Shampoo
- Sheets and Towels
- Silicone Brush
- Silicone Spoons
- Silpat
- Sizzle Platters
- Smoke detectors
- Stainless Mixing Bowl Set
- Stainless Strainer Set
- Steak Knives
- Sugar Bowl
- Turners and Tongs
- Type
- Vegetable Peeler
- View
Cozy home in a stunning location
This is a stunning location. It’s very remote so be prepared for quiet days and hardly seeing another person. The views are amazing. We chose to arrive by plane which was great considering the roads were all closed, but it was so worth the scenery from the air.
The house has a simple set up, but had everything we needed. Beth was really helpful, despite being remote from the location she was able to help us deal with the logistics of our stay with unexpected bad weather. When we had no way to get our groceries, the locals treated us as one of them and were only too happy to help us in any way they could.
Thanks for a lovely stay.- Anonymous , Posted: 11/15/2022
Hosts were amazing - what a fabulous place to stay
Can't speak highly enough of Elizabeth the host, the communication prior, during and after the stay was top notch, the property was incredible and a hidden gem in a beautiful part of the world. We will definitely come back to stay and very much look forward to some more time at St Omer Hideaway- Anonymous , Posted: 8/8/2022
st omer retreat new zealand/ aotearoa
we had a lovely week at st omer
all amenities perfect
clean and comfortable house
great view in a quiet spot- Anonymous , Posted: 4/7/2022Thank you and welcome to the neighborhood!- Splashy Ventures staff, Posted:
Peace and beauty with birdsong
We enjoyed a very relaxing week in this stunningly beautiful place, located within natural bush, with little sound other than the song of Tuis, Bellbirds and other native birds. The sense of isolation and simplicity of life made this a very peaceful experience. The house was modern, well maintained and provided all our needs. The nearby St Omer beach is very beautiful, calm, and safe for swimming. The walk down to the beach is steep, which we viewed as good exercise, but some people would find it difficult. We chatted to a few local people, who were very friendly. Possibly the most relaxing holiday we have ever had.- Anonymous , Posted: 1/14/2022
Great views
We enjoyed our stay, great views and good weather. Everything nice and tidy, good wood burner heated the whole house. Long twisty drive into St Omer. Took our time but because of the heavy rain did not stop, lunch in vehicle. All part of the fun of the holiday. Shower pressure good as was the bed.- Anonymous from Ashburton, Posted: 6/4/2021
Wonderful place to relax
St. Omer Hide Away is a wonderful spot in one of NZ’s most beautiful places. The house is clean and cozy, with all the needed amenities available. Nested in the bush, you wake up to the song of bellbirds. It’s the perfect spot to relax and enjoy the view. But it’s also a short walk to a (pretty much) private beach, perfect for a swim. We were also welcome to bring our 2 dogs, so we could enjoy our holidays with them! There are many things to do in the area, but make sure to have a chat with Gary from Pelorus tours, as he will be able to take you on an amazing boat trip around the sounds! So make yourself a favour and pay St. Omer a visit!- Anonymous , Posted: 4/18/2021
Great little hideaway
House was clean, tidy and had a very well appointed kitchen. The views are something special to wake up to.- Anonymous from Geraldine, Posted: 4/14/2021
Slice of Paradise
We are so happy to have found this little gem and had the perfect holiday. The house and the outside Verandah with its stunning views is a real suntrap and we had the most relaxing time. Being able to bring our beloved dog on holiday has been extra special and we went swiwmming in the bay most days. Our daughter and her partner joined us for a couple of nights and the house easily accommodated 4 adults with plenty of outside /inside spaces to move about. It's a 30-40min walk to the lodge/ pop-up restaurant (only open during the day) up the road . We had a wine and fresh mussels and relaxed in the sun(dog also welcome outside)and decided to return a few days later by car for an affogato and cake.
Beth has been fantastic and a responsive and helpful communicator prior to our holiday and thus we were well organized with a box of fresh food delivered to the mail box halfway through our 10 day stay. The drive is definitely steep and a challenge if you don't have a 4WD but was welcome exercise for me and must have been a little fitness boost as we didn't think twice about it after a few days. This was easily one of my favourite holidays! Thank you Beth, for making this little slice of paradies accessible to others. My heart is full .- Anonymous from Dunedin, Posted: 3/20/2021
Was a great stay
Very relaxing breakaway- Anonymous , Posted: 3/16/2021
This is the retreat you need, and a getaway you will enjoy
We regained our composure, found peace and stillness (we moved with the tides, enjoying the jetty for high tide swims and the beach for low tide walks, right over to the derelict ship), rose to challenges (the driveway was achievable, but notable! we managed the state of the ice and consumption of food with joint task teams) and enjoyed each other immensely. St Omers hideout did inspire love at first sight but we were still enamoured at departure, and that is what we found most impressive.Thanks for sharing this lovely space.
- Anonymous , Posted: 3/10/2020We now have solar panels, batteries, a new generator and a refrigerator! No ice and food consumption management necessary!- Splashy Ventures staff, Posted:
Great getaway
A beautiful location to go and recharge your batteries. The house was lovely and cosy and communication was prompt and positive. Highly recommend as a place to stay.- Anonymous , Posted: 9/21/2019
Great place to chill out
Wonderful location. Great views. Exactly as described. Wonderful communication prior to visit, very helpful.- Anonymous , Posted: 5/5/2019Thank you so much!- Splashy Ventures staff, Posted:
Unforgettable view in a quiet place
Full equiped, very romantic place, 2 difficulties no power unless by the generator and long an narrow road to go there, but you can take a water taxi, excellent restaurant near the house.- Anonymous from Nouméa, Posted: 3/25/2019I'm so glad you enjoyed the hideaway.- Splashy Ventures staff, Posted:
Example: “Are fresh linens provided?”