The Sandcastle is in a super location 10 mins walk to the lovely Pohara beach. We arrived early and had a nice welcome from owner Steve. The accomodation was spacious and had everything we needed - the gardens and setting are lovely. It was a great place to stay and we felt very lucky to meet Steve and hear about how he came to live there. He invited us to join in a pizza evening with homemade pizza dough and the pizza oven in the garden and we ate pizza with other guests and had a great evening. It's not a modern place but it's a very special place and we were made so welcome. We will remember our time in Pohara and Thank you Steve

What a find! This place was described as “shabby chic” but it was certainly anything but shabby. The cabins are fully equipped to suit all your needs during your stay - very comfy beds, a great shower, basic kitchen, a tv, dining area, and balcony. The views over to the beach are breathtaking. In the middle of the stunning gardens, there is a woodfired pizza oven and Steve, the owner, put on a pizza night for us with homemade pizza dough. Peni, the resident guard dog, is not very good at her job - she is so friendly and welcomes everyone. In fact, I would say she is the opposite of a guard dog - she put on her best puppy dog eyes when it was time to go, which made leaving very hard! I could write heaps more about this place but it is probably best that you book in and discover it for yourself. I will definitely be back here again very soon.

I wish I could have stayed longer, and also maybe taken Peni home with me…

If you want 5 star hotels this may not be the place for you. If you like slightly quirky surroundings in amazing countryside, quiet, clean and comfortable accommodation with all facilities, and a wonderful host then this is for you. Occasionally owner Steve fires up the pizza oven and provides the bases, guests bring toppings and let the feast commence, maybe with some of Steve's friends and family providing music and conversation. The cabins may look a bit elderly from outside, but insides are bright, clean and freshly decorated and lacking nothing. It's a testament to owner Steve that some of the guests we met 4 years ago at the beginning of lockdown were there again on our visit this time.

That we could only stay 3 nights 👍

The property was so quaint and cute! There were various cottages all overlooking fields, garden and ocean! Simple accommodations with everything you need. Steve was very accommodating, such a great host! He helped us make pizza without the brick stove since it was rainy; he went very out of his way. Thanks again!

I think they could make check in a lil smoother! I had to get someone to help flag down Steve (who was weedeating the lawn). But it was still ok :)

Very beautiful garden, beautiful view, sunny deck, good vibes, warm cabin with everything we needed. We had an awesome evening with pizzas cooked in the pizza oven by Steve, with other guests, it was really nice. I also enjoyed yoga classes the 2 mornings I spent there, with 2 good instructors, Jade was the best! We loved our stay and we are looking forward to go back!

It was great. If I'm very picky I would say I missed a good knife 😬. But I'm very happy with everything Anyway.

The host was so welcoming and even made up a small cottage for us to stay in, as they were fully booked for our first night. It's a great place to stay if you're wanting to explore the Tasman/Golden Bay region. Pizza night was cool too - just bring your topping and have it cooked in the pizza oven outside. Fantastic! We had all we needed and the ambience of all the Tui outside was awesome. Great place - highly recommend!

Beautiful, peaceful surroundings; lush gardens with plenty of shade. Steve, the owner, was lovely and very accommodating. We particularly liked pizza night where Steve provided the dough. It was a lovely time to mingle with other guests. Thank you Steve, from us and Monty and Lilly 😊

The freezer compartment of the fridge wasn't working properly but we managed all the same.

The location is idyllic. 3 minutes from the sea at Pohara. We saw penguin nest boxes and saw-heard actually!-blue penguins crossing the harbour carpark at night. The helpful and friendly owner, Steve, lives on site and happily joined in our impromptu music session , bringing a superb musician to the evening. The cabin was a really good size with well equipped kitchen and nice shower. Set in its own gardens with a work in progress nature pond. Outdoor Pizza oven and eating area. Ideal for families or couples and solo travelers. AND you get to drive the awesome Takaka hill drive. Also 20 minutes from Anatoki Salmon fishing farm-catch your own-recommend the salmon pizza.

Nothing Loved it all.

Stay at Steve's paradise for 5 wonderful, soul & body recharged. Steve is gracious, kind. Made pizza, Not. 1 thing was missing. Fishing great. The ground at Sandcastle are a delight to wake up to. My son & dog loved it. I highly recommend Sandcastle. We will return many times, as I have found my home away from home. Thank you 😊 Katherine

Nothing all perfect for ud

The cabin is set on a lovely property very close to all the activities and places of interest in Golden Bay. A very welcome and friendly community. Steve was a helpful and informative host.

We were mostly satisfied, however, the kitchen required more pans and microwave dishes would have been useful eg 2 saucepans with lids that were too big for either of them and a lack of cooking utensils. This may seem insignificant but over four days and in a relatively isolated spot an equipped kitchen is preferred. A few repairs are necessary including a cracked window and toilet which emitted smells suggesting a blockage, controlled to some extent, if the lid was closed.