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Home / Travel

Hotel review: The Ark, Cottle Hill Creek, Kerikeri

Thomas Bywater
By Thomas Bywater
Writer and Multimedia Producer·NZ Herald·
4 Feb, 2021 11:45 PM3 mins to read

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Cruisey couple days floating in the Cottle Hill Creek Ark. Photo / Thomas Bywater

Cruisey couple days floating in the Cottle Hill Creek Ark. Photo / Thomas Bywater

The Ark, Cottle Hill Creek, Kerikeri
A floating, self-contained bach, tethered to the bank of a Kerikeri duck pond.

Location: Just outside Kerikeri proper, beyond the Cottle Hill Winery on State Highway 10.

Style: Off-grid idyll on the water with no neighbours but the ducks.

Perfect for: A solar-powered recharge, or a cruisey couple days.

First impressions: Arriving down the gravel track at the Cottle Hill pond, the first impression is the sheer number of poultry ranging freely. Watch out for the guineafowl.

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The bach itself is tucked away in a corner of the duck pond behind a very bushy willow and a mulberry tree, and there's an inviting looking dingy boat and oars. Very Wind in the Willows.

Rooms: The Ark is an A-frame studio. Apart from the gentle sway and odd passing duck, you'd be hard-pressed to tell there was nothing below you but water. The kitchenette is well equipped for any occasion – unless that occasion requires an oven, which it doesn't have. The "eco" cabin might well stand for "economical", fitting a log burner, L-shaped sofa and bookshelf into the space. The sofa does fold out to sleep an extra pair of guests, but the Ark is really a space for two.

Loft space: The Ark's double bed is accessed via a ladder. Photo / Thomas Bywater
Loft space: The Ark's double bed is accessed via a ladder. Photo / Thomas Bywater

The bedroom is up a drop-down ladder in the loft area. Nest-like it sits up against the arched roof, level with the skylight windows and a pair of Welcome Swallows, which dart out on sorties over the pond.

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Bathroom: A sink, warm shower and full set of ablutions. The indoor compost toilet is at odds with the rest of the washroom. However it is a neat solution to minimise floating plumbing, with a bucket of fragrant sawdust.

Food and drink: A self-catered unit. However, there are basics provided, including fresh eggs from the chooks. Kerikeri high street is 10 minutes away but with waterside decking and a barbecue area under the big willow, you'll want to dine in.

What's in the neighbourhood: Two kunekune pigs, a dozen assorted chicken, ducks and some goats. More than 6ha of "the good life" on a Northland lifestyle block.

The Ark floats on a pond in a 6ha Kerikeri farm. Photo / Thomas Bywater
The Ark floats on a pond in a 6ha Kerikeri farm. Photo / Thomas Bywater

Family friendly:
There's not much space for a family to stay. Being situated over water means you'd have to mind younger kids, but being surrounded by wildlife and having access to a kayak straight from the front door, is the sort of novelty older children would love.

Accessibility:
Its situation over water and the leap from the pontoon to the floating Ark lend unique appeal but make it impractical for some.

Sustainability:
The eco-cabin is entirely powered by a couple of solar PV panels pinned on the side of the Ark. Low power LED bulbs hang on a network of cables, which can be a little tricky to find and the storage complains when used too extensively. But you've come here to unwind – not to charge your electrical appliances.

Price:
From of $240 a night, with a $60 surcharge for one-night stays.

Contact:
Cottle Hill Creek, Cottle Hill Drive
Kerikeri, Northland
021 284 7277
cottlehillcreek.com

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