Dream property features in visitors’ dreams too

When Anne and Lindsay Thrupp bought their dream holiday home two years ago, they could almost feel the sun of a long, hot summer on their backs.

Yet things didn’t turn out exactly to plan. Their problem: Lots of other people wanted to stay in it too.

“Now we only get to go there in the winter, when it’s cold,” says Anne.

But the couple is far from disconsolate. The home, better known as The Executive Retreat, last year won gold in the design category of the annual Bookabach Bach of the Year Awards. Voting in the 2018 awards https://bachoftheyear.co.nz/ has just started and the public are encouraged to vote - and be in to win $10,000 of bach getaways*.

With commanding views out over the coastline from the small Bay of Plenty settlement of Te Kaha, Thrupp knew they had something special. Only trouble was…so did everyone else.

“Previous owners had run it as a holiday home,” she says. “We had people telling us they had stayed there in the past and had we ever considered putting it on Bookabach.”

They decided to do so – and quickly found the 240 sqm property was in huge demand. “It was no trouble, everything in it came in motel-quality, there was nothing in there that was personal to me,” says Thrupp.

The couple live in nearby Opotiki where they also run the Royal Opotiki, a restaurant/bar and backpackers establishment. Anne also works locally in real estate while Lindsay is a builder.

Winning the award was hugely exciting, she says: “It gave everybody a buzz and put this nice, sleepy little town (Te Kaha has a population of about 400) on the map.”

The Executive Retreat has stunning views both inside and out. Its sleek lines and inviting design perfectly complement the commanding coastline vista it enjoys through oversized windows in the spacious bedrooms.

Large sliding doors - and expansive decks and balconies - help make the most of the sun and sea.

Te Kaha offers more than just a relaxing seaside holiday. Although it has its fair share of beautiful sand beaches for swimming, it also boasts a number of rock formations that are great for exploring - and the area provides plenty of scope for fishing and diving.

Opotiki township is nearby but, if even that feels like too long a journey, a general store sits just across the road, while two minutes along the road you can grab a coffee or takeaways at the Te Kaha Resort.

The retreat has drawn lots of favourable reviews. One group of guests said this: “Our second time at this great property, it’s getting hard to get in. Location is awesome with easy access to beach for fishing.”

Another reviewer said: “Was a wonderful retreat. Such amazing value for money. The shower is gorgeous and the whole house is warm and inviting.”

*Gold, silver and bronze awards are given in eight categories with a Supreme Winner chosen as Bookabach Bach of the Year from the best of the eight category winners.  To vote - and to see a list of 2018 finalists - go to the campaign website: https://bachoftheyear.co.nz/