a You’ll The most popular things our guests ask us about are explained here. Alternatively, we’re here to answer any questions you have – just send us an email or give us a call.
BOOKING INFORMATION
What methods of Payment do you take?
We take internet banking deposits and credit card payments.
Do you allow one night stays?
We do occasionally accept one night bookings but we only accept these if there is one night available between two other bookings, OR we will accept them in the few days prior to the booking if the date is still available on the calendar. We charge an extra $50 for one night bookings. Check the calendar on our Book Now page to see what one night stays are currently available.
How far are you from Raglan town?
We are 12 kilometres from Raglan. By car, it takes around 15-20 minutes to get here from Raglan township. We’re located on the coastal side of Raglan just up the road from famous surf breaks Manu Bay, Whale Bay and Indicators (5-10 mins by car).
Are pets allowed?
Yes we love pets! Just not on the furniture! We allow you to bring 1 or 2 well-behaved pet(s) with you as long as you’re happy to ensure that you keep them off the furniture and clean up fully after them (pet hair, waste, etc). Please let us know if you will be bringing a pet hello@tinyhouseescapes.co.nz. Any excess cleaning that is required after a pet stay will incur a $75 cleaning fee.
Are the Tiny Houses warm in winter?
Yes they are warm. The treehouse, bus and cottage are all fully insulated. There are small heaters available in each accommodation. We put two duvets on the bed in winter to ensure it’s extra warm and snuggly.
Is there power in the Tiny Houses?
Yes and no – although all of our tiny houses are fully off-grid, you shouldn’t notice the lack of power. In the treehouse the hot water is supplied via gas califont and the led lights are powered by batteries. There is also a small chilly bin fridge in both the Bus and the Treehouse powered by solar panel. You’ll just need to ensure you turn it off at night so it doesn’t drain all the power. In the bus, the hot water is also supplied by gas califont and the lights are powered by a solar panel. You can charge your electronics by plugging into the invertor at both the Bus and the Treehouse. We provide a Yeti chilly bin (super well insulated) in LoveNest cottage to keep your food cold.
Will we have exclusive use of the Tiny House?
Yes, all our Tiny Houses are self-contained with kitchen and bathroom facilities. You will not share with anyone else. We respect your privacy and do not access the Tiny House during your stay unless pre-arranged.
Can we purchase Gift Certificates?
Yes! As the Huff Post says “An unplugged weekend in a modern eco-cabin is the coolest gift you could give someone” and we agree! This is the perfect romantic wedding gift, birthday gift, anniversary gift. Or just because you know a hardworking couple who could do with a relaxing break and chance to reconnect with each other. It’s such a great idea for a gift and we have lots of people purchasing for their special loved ones. We usually have a minimum stay of two nights but we are happy to sort out the balance out with the gift recipient at the time of booking if you’d like to just nominate an amount that you’d like to spend up to. We can post a voucher out to you to gift to your special loved one. Just email hello@tinyhouseescapes.co.nz to purchase.
ARRIVAL INFORMATION
Is there parking?
Yes you can park near each of the accommodations.
What time can I check into my accommodation? Are late arrivals ok?
Check in is any time from 3:00pm on the day of your arrival. Late arrivals are not a problem. We’ll provide you with full instructions via email about where you can find the key. You can check in at any time that is most convenient to you.
Can I request an early check-in?
Our check-in time is 3pm. We are usually unable to accommodate early arrivals during peak times, however we can sometimes offer a 1pm check-in during off peak (or earlier if there is no one staying the night before), subject to our housekeeping schedule. The fee for an early check-in (subject to availability) is NZ$30. You can add this as an extra when booking your stay on our booking page.
Anything else that we should know for arrival?
We have a steep driveway that some people are not used to. It’s perfectly safe and concreted at the steepest gradient. Just take your time and you’ll be fine. We used to have an old Toyota Prius that went up and down our driveway absolutely fine so if that can do it so can your car!
How do I collect the keys? How many are provided?
We’ll provide you with full instructions via email on where to collect the keys. There is one key provided for your stay.
Do I need to bring anything? What is provided?
We provide you with full bedding/linen and towels for your stay. If you have requested use of our sofa-bed and paid for an extra guest, additional bedding and sheets will be provided. We also provide basic supplies such as Morning Glory Organic Coffee, tea, sugar, milk powder, olive oil, salt & pepper, toilet rolls, dish-washing liquid, body wash, shampoo and conditioner. All our tiny houses have a small cooktop, chilly bin fridge or chilly bin, kettle, heater.
Please bring some drinking water and ice/ice packs for the chilly bins. We have spare ice packs at the house if you need them.
Please note that we are offering you a chance to unplug and reconnect so no we do not have TVs in our tiny houses.
DEPARTURE INFORMATION
What time is check out? (What if I want to stay later?)
Check-out is strictly 11:00am. We know how hard it is to leave! But we usually have guests starting their holiday the same day you are finishing yours, so we need every minute possible to get the tiny house ready for the next guests. We can sometimes offer a later check-out of 12 noon/1pm during off-peak, subject to our housekeeping schedule. The fee for a late check out (subject to availability) is NZ$30. You can book this as an extra when booking your stay.
Where do I return the keys?
Our check-out process is very easy. Just leave the keys in the door of the treehouse, or inside the bus.
Do I have to clean? What if I don’t want to clean?
We ask all guests to give the tiny house a quick clean prior to leaving unless you prefer to pay a $50 cleaning fee ($75 for pet stays).
Cleaning involves; doing any dishes, and removing the sheets/pillow cases from the bed. We provide cloths and spray. We also ask that you remove all rubbish and recycling as we don’t have rubbish collection from our property so we appreciate your help with this
GENERAL INFO FOR YOUR STAY
What if I need to contact you during my stay?
We are contactable by email (hello@tinyhouseescapes.co.nz) or text message (+6421 225 4052 or +6421 516 716) and we will respond to you as soon as we can.
What if we love it so much and want to stay an extra night?
If the night is available on the calendar then just let us know and we can arrange a payment while you’re here.
Can we catch a taxi/ride into town?
If you’d like to have dinner in town and would like to book a taxi/shuttle, contact Raglan Shuttles to book one.
Can I smoke in the Tiny Houses?
No, all Tiny Houses are strictly smoke-free. If you do smoke outside please ensure that you remove all cigarette butts. It is very dangerous for you to dispose of any cigarette butts in or near our forest so please don’t do this.
Do the Tiny Houses have WIFI?
Yes we will provide you with the connection details to the Wifi connection that is available at some spots from the Treehouse and Bus. It is not a fully constant connection but you can get a better connection from the driveway if needed or come down to the main house. If you’re staying at our LoveNest cottage, you’ll have to walk down further into the forest and find the Pine tree with the WIFI sign on it in order to get a signal.
Can we host a party at the Tiny House?
No, we do not allow parties at our Tiny Houses. We sometimes consider small wedding bookings. Please contact us for further information at hello@tinyhouseescapes.co.nz
Lost Property
Lost property is kept for a maximum of a month and will then be donated to the local Lions Club collection. Please ensure you take all items home with you.
Can we light fires?
No. Please don’t light any fires other than in the fire pit provided at the bus. We have not been able to provide a fire pit at the treehouse as it is not possible to have any fires safely near the forest.
THINGS TO DO WHILE IN RAGLAN
Can you recommend what to do while in Raglan?
Absolutely, check out our Cool Things to do in Raglan blog.
Is there beach access from the property? Where are the nearest beaches?
No there isn’t beach access from our property however there are many options for beaches nearby. For surfing, you can go to Indicators or Whale Bay (advanced), Manu Bay (intermediate to advanced) or Ngaruanui beach (beginners and above). For swimming, you can swim at the boat ramp at Manu Bay when the tide is low to medium. Or you can go to Ngaruanui beach also, around a 12 minute drive from here. If you’d like to experience a more remote beach, then Ruapuke beach is just up the road from us towards Kawhia. You continue past our property on the gravel road for around 20 minutes. Turn right at the sign that says beach access and you can surf from this beach when the waves are not big enough at Raglan. Swimming is more dangerous and Ruapuke as there are rips so be careful. There is a waterfall and small stream that runs into the ocean so the stream is a great place for little ones to paddle.
Are there any bush walks nearby?
You’re welcome to have a wander around our property. We are building more bush paths/ walks as time allows.
Picnic Tree Walk: We’ve made a hike down towards the cliff/ocean, to a huge old Puriri tree where you can have a picnic. You’ll walk through the field, then through native bush and down to the stream, past a waterfall and then to the Picnic tree. The walk will take you 10-15 mins to get there, it’s pretty easy on the way down and quite a bit tougher on the way back up because the hill is steep in places, but its great exercise. We recommend giving it a go. Start at the sign that’s just on the side of the driveway in front of the treehouse and follow the little blue triangles all the way. It’s recommended that you bring suitable walking shoes.
Driveway challenge: You can also take our driveway challenge, walking from the bottom to the top is great exercise! You can also walk up our new concreted driveway and down our old driveway which gives you a bit of a loop track.
If you’re looking for a longer walk then you can start from Te Toto Gorge which is about 1.5kms further along the road from here. You can walk to the summit of Mt Karioi from here which takes around 3-4 hours return.