Payments made by partners impact the order of prices displayed. Room types may vary.
The listings of booking offers for each property take into account the compensation paid to us by our partners. Prices shown may be for varying room types. Prices displayed are the lowest available, corresponding to the least expensive room type available, as provided from our partners as of the time of the user’s search.
The Sandcastle holiday accommodation is perfect for couples and families wanting to get away from the crowds. We offer six fully self-contained cottages that are serviced daily. Each cottage has its own private deck and is set in two hectares of tranquil gardens. They overlook the sea which is a pleasant five minutes walk away. The Sandcastle's many extra features include our popular spa and sauna complex, a wood-fired pizza oven and BBQ area, and a hall where children can play table tennis or watch a movie on wet days. There is no extra charge for any of the above activities. We can deliver a delicious breakfast, mostly sourced from our organic gardens, direct to your cottage. We want your stay to be excellent value and unlimited wi fi is also free of charge. There are also yoga classes in our hall twice a week and we have our own purpose-built massage room where various treatments are available from experienced therapists. The Sandcastle is one of the closest holiday accommodation options to the beautiful, northern end of the Abel Tasman National Park. Golden Bay has many gorgeous beaches, walks and other attractions and we are happy to point you in the right direction to make your stay as enjoyable as possible.Our reception is open 24hrs for any questions you may have about The Sandcastle or Golden Bay.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
Before posting, each Tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. If the system detects something that potentially contradicts our community guidelines, the review is not published.
When the system detects a problem, a review may be automatically rejected, sent to the reviewer for validation, or manually reviewed by our team of content specialists, who work 24/7 to maintain the quality of the reviews on our site.
Our team checks each review posted on the site disputed by our community as not meeting our community guidelines.
Rustic cabins and a grassy lawn overlooking the ocean below create a really lovely place to relax.
Steve creates a vibe of peacefulness and friendliness. On pizza nights he makes dough and everyone gathers around the pizza oven to get to know each other and create their own pizza.
The cabins are basic but have everything you need. It’s like the kiwi Bach was always meant to be. Beds are comfortable, showers are hot and kitchens are functional. You have everything you need. Wifi is patchy in different parts of the property but that could be seen as a bonus to many. Your dogs will love the freedom to run around chasing balls or walking 5 minutes to the beach.
There’s weekly yoga, and there’s a local massage therapist who works from the treatment room on request.
The prices are extremely reasonable and that’s partly because of the rustic and laid back nature of Sandcastle, and partly because Steve is a generous man who wants to share his love of his slice of paradise with others.
I stayed two nights in a cabin with friends, and then camped in my tent for two more nights on my own. I felt relaxed and safe, and just wasn’t ready to leave after only two days - so I didn’t. I can recommend The Sandcastle for anyone who enjoys spending time in a rustic, relaxing setting with a lovely host.
Read more
Date of stay: January 2020
Rooms
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
The Sandcastle is a really charming place with a few cabins dotted on a hill at Pohara. Ours had an open living room/ parent’s bedroom and a separate kid’s room with a bunk bed and a queen sized bed. Complete with basic kitchen and bathroom it’s all you need for a laid-back family holiday, or as a base to explore the Abel Tasman National Park. On one night Steven (the owner) arranged a pizza party at his self built oven, which will be remembered as a holiday highlight with delicious food and nice company.
Read more
Date of stay: February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Steve d, Owner at The Sandcastle Seaview Cottage Accommodation
Responded 8 Mar 2020
Your visit is remembered well here. The children were so active and involved with the horses and much else. Very pleased your stay in the abel tasman national park was also a great success. Thank you for a great review. Lovely to have met you all, Steve
Read more
Report response as inappropriate
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
The Sandcastle was an absolutely perfect place to stay for us and a wonderful location. Dog friendly too! Only 5 mins walk from Pohara beach and a bit further for local laid-back cafes, a store and restaurants/beer gardens. Short drives to Takaka, Collingwood, the mussel inn, and near to beautiful forest walks and also kayaking, SUPs and great swimming nearby with Golden Bay kayaks at Tata Beach. Location is quiet, spacious, clean, away from the road and surrounded by fields and hills, Self contained cabins have everything you need, clean, spacious, with a deck to have breakfast or a wine on - overlooking the lush lawn, wee stream and pizza oven/beer garden. A yoga hall on site also offers classes and massage. Steve is a fantastic host - relaxed and helpful, nothing is too much trouble. We have already booked our return stay!
Read more
Date of stay: October 2021Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:They can also take a few campers in tents or vans so contact them even if there cabins are full.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We originally booked in for 2 nights with the intention of moving on to zatori at Collingwood for a week. Steve was so friendly and accommodating, and we received SUCH rudeness from the woman at zatori that we decided to stay put. The chalet was actually booked out for three nights so we stayed in the most gorgeous yurt ever. We loved the whole experience. The locals were all friendly too, we were made to feel welcome at kotare sands restaurant, totally roasted cafe and indeed the boat club at pohara.
Read more
Date of stay: June 2020Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We began our stay here a few days before NZ was plunged into another Level 4 lockdown. We had only planned to be here for a few days, but seeing the state of the country, we knew The Sandcastle was the best place we could be to lockdown! Steve was extremely welcoming and flexible allowing us to stay throughout lockdown in the same cottage. As Steve was in our bubble, we had a great time getting to know him and about the surrounding area and hearing about how they had transformed the land into what it is today. All in all we had the most relaxing time listening to the birds, relaxing by the water features and walking along the beach in the evenings.
We made great use of the hall: playing music, great games of table tennis, yoga and generally watching the world go by. If you are in NZ, this is the secret gem you don't want to miss out on. We have now stayed here both in Winter and Summer; both were gorgeous in their own ways! In Summer we had easy access to miles and miles of quiet beaches and amazing swimming, and even in Winter the weather feels like an English summer!
We can't wait to return to this little paradise in the future.
Read more
Date of stay: August 2021
Rooms
Cleanliness
Room Tip:All the cottages have great views and surroundings
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We have never written a 1 star review and do not take this lightly. We phoned the owner and booked a one bedroomed flat as we did not like the look of the cottages. We arrived late afternoon in the middle of a storm to be met by him saying that someone else was in the flat and he had "upgraded" us to a cottage. He showed us this and if that is an upgrade, we dread to think what the flat was like. We said to him that it was not what we wanted nor booked and it was a problem. He walked away and we decided that we would not stay in the wet and dingy so called 'cottage'. We drove off and found the only room available in Pohara for the night at great cost. To crown it all, we received a rude message from him the next day accusing us of bad manners!!! despite the fact that he changed our booking without asking and just walked off mid discussion. We recommend staying anywhere in Pohara (or surrounding area) but here.
Read more
Date of stay: February 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Don't stay here.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Steve du Feu, Owner at The Sandcastle Seaview Cottage Accommodation
Responded 15 Feb 2023
Please try and imagine the devastating effect of having your business and yourself so misrepresented on this platform. I have to say I don't recognise any of the above except we upgraded the accommodation to one of our popular cottages, which many people would consider generous, and it was raining. I'm upset, yes, as we have hundreds of guests who have fabulous holidays here and love what The Sandcastle offers. For example the value, our free pizza nights, spacious gardens with views, tips to explore Golden Bay, our cottages which has everything for a comfortable stay. My advise, ignore trip advisor, you could miss out!
Read more
Report response as inappropriate
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Booked via AirBNB 4:30pm one day, Host confirmed booking 10:30 next day. Paid within 2 hours. Subsequently Host cancelled booking and AirBNB have issued refund. Not very honorable to cancel booking after confirming cottage was held for us.
Read more
Date of stay: December 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Steve Du Feu, Owner at The Sandcastle Seaview Cottage Accommodation
Responded 8 Jan 2021
I think it is outrageous trip advisor allowed this review when the person concerned had never even been here. How could Michael comment on the fantastic value we offer, the comfortable fully self contained cottages recently upgraded, peaceful extensive gardens to explore, sea views, amazing golden Bay beaches and walks, when he never even stayed. Of course Michael is upset missing out on a great experience staying here and of course we regret this.
Read more
Report response as inappropriate
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
My husband and I were looking for a place where we could stay with our two dogs and enjoy the beautiful surroundings of Golden Bay for 2 weeks just before Christmas. We were not expecting to find paradise for the great value of the Sandcastle, but we did! The cottages have everything you need to make your stay super comfortable, the view is gorgeous, Steve is so friendly he made us feel like family from day 1, and the yoga classes held at their cozy hall were just perfect! Plus, it is really close to all the amenities of Pohara but far enough that you are away from the holiday crowds. We will be back!
Read more
Date of stay: December 2020
Value
Rooms
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I spent a wonderful month in the Sandcastle. Due the COVID-19, I've been stuck in NZ during more than one month before coming back to France. Steve welcomed me as his own daughter. We shared so many beautiful moments with Steve's family and the Sandcastle people: pizza party, crepe party, meditation retreat, music party etc. The Sandcastle is surrounded by some houses with lovely people that you will meet if you go for a walk on the beach (5min by walk). The sunset are amazing and different each night. You will be at 20 min by car of the Abel Tasman National Park. I definitely recommend this place! Thank you SO MUCH Steve once again for your hospitality. I will remember you, the sandcastle people and this place for the rest of my life!
Read more
Date of stay: April 2020
Rooms
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
No stars. Overgrown outside. The unit was full of cobwebs and dirty. The host uncontactable (by phone or ‘reception’ bell). No plug in the washhandbasin. Curtains only worked with persuasion and the bathroom blind had to be tied to the shower rail to hold it up. Missing towel rail. As a New Zealander I’m ashamed that tourists must think we find this acceptable. On the positive side, the shower was excellent.
Read more
Date of stay: February 2023Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
There are more places to choose from in the Pohara area.
PRICE RANGE
$100 - $153 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
LOCATION
New ZealandSouth IslandNelson-Tasman RegionGolden BayPohara
NUMBER OF ROOMS
6
Prices are provided by our partners for one room, with variable occupancy rules as provided by the property, and reflect total costs of the stay, including all taxes and fees known to our partners. Please see our partners for more details.
Is This Your Tripadvisor Listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
