Shoal Bay Estate, Great Barrier Island
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Shoal Bay Estate, Great Barrier Island
Shoal Bay, Tryphena, Auckland, Great Barrier Island New Zealand
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About
#1 of 2 B&Bs in Tryphena
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Sleep Quality
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Good to know
HOTEL STYLE
Mid-range
Romantic
Property amenities
Free parking
Internet
Restaurant
Beach
Babysitting
Children Activities (Kid / Family Friendly)
Non-smoking hotel
Room types
Non-smoking rooms
Family rooms
Location
Shoal Bay, Tryphena, Auckland, Great Barrier Island New Zealand
Getting there
Auckland Intl Airport
99.2 km•
See all flights
Car Hire
12 Restaurants
within 10 kilometers
1 Attraction
within 10 kilometers
ReviewsWe perform checks on reviews.Tripadvisor’s approach to reviewsBefore 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.
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We perform checks on reviews.
Tripadvisor’s approach to reviews
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.
Learn more about our review moderation.
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Detailed Reviews
Val and Francis are the consummate hosts of this idyllic and homey estate. Situated across the rural road from shoal bay, their home exudes a country lifestyle complete with chickens, cows, molly the cat (we have allergies and never noticed a thing), and breakfasts and dinners that melt in your mouth.
Val and Francis feel like folks who just open their home to strangers because its the type of people they are—warm and welcoming.
We stayed there as a result of booking with Tuatara Tours who chose Shoal Bay Estate as our accommodation and Walking Legends as our tour guide on the island. We would highly recommend all of these organizations based on our experience.
Some considerations: rooms share a bathroom which was fine with us as we were all friends and have traveled together often. Food is served family style around a big table with help-yourself portions. Meals may be indoors or outdoors depending on weather conditions.
Val and Francis feel like folks who just open their home to strangers because its the type of people they are—warm and welcoming.
We stayed there as a result of booking with Tuatara Tours who chose Shoal Bay Estate as our accommodation and Walking Legends as our tour guide on the island. We would highly recommend all of these organizations based on our experience.
Some considerations: rooms share a bathroom which was fine with us as we were all friends and have traveled together often. Food is served family style around a big table with help-yourself portions. Meals may be indoors or outdoors depending on weather conditions.
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Date of stay: April 2021
Value
Location
Service
Room Tip:Â Upstairs rooms have a better view of the bay and may be quiter if some guests stay up later.
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.
Shoal Bay estate is more a B'n'B or lodge than a hotel. Val and Francis make you very welcome in their home. Comfy beds, lots of good food. Great place from which to watch the bay. Island Gin on the verandah with the sun setting over the Bay. Kaka and moho pereru about. Snapper out in the channel. Loved the fresh fish, new laid eggs and the packed lunches. Learnt lots about vacuum cleaners from Val :)!
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Date of stay: May 2022
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip:Â upstairs maybe
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.
Great service! Car was dropped off to Claris Airport, ready for us on arrival. Car was comfortable and well maintained. We dropped the car back to the airport on departure, couldn't have been easier! Thanks Val!
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Date of stay: January 2021
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.
If you don't want to spoil your trip, stay away from Shoal Bay Rentals. They ask 100% advance and thats it. You are stuck with their poor service. Val from this company had arranged a car at the airport but that car was nowhere to be seen. She wasn't contactable either. Nor do they have anyone at airport/ferry to sort any issues. 2.5 hours got wasted in trying to contact her. I reached her office spending 60 dollars from my own pocket. Her office was closed too. Finally I took a car that was parked at her office and spent 30 dollars on fuel to fill it up. This car had worn-out tyres and kept skidding while driving. Till date Val has neither apologized nor reimbursed me my 90 dollars. Worst experience ever!
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Date of stay: February 2021Trip 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.
This was by far our worst trip ever, the owner (and host) does not know anything about how to treat guests. She over booked, the accommodation is not worth what they are charging, in fact I suggest you think twice before booking at this place. Someone warn us not to expect much, but this was way worse.
The only meal we had there was breakfast, what an experience, not enough room at the table, a small plastic table had to do, no table cloths and the best of all, she made toast, and deliver it to the table, not on a plate, but with her hand while she herself was eating with her other hand. Everything looked dirty, the sugar bowl hasn't seen a wash since Xmas, 8 months ago. Breakfast was very, very average, no it was actually very bad. We were suppose to stay for two nights, but flew back early in the morning, could not face another day.
My only advice to anyone, don't even book.
The only meal we had there was breakfast, what an experience, not enough room at the table, a small plastic table had to do, no table cloths and the best of all, she made toast, and deliver it to the table, not on a plate, but with her hand while she herself was eating with her other hand. Everything looked dirty, the sugar bowl hasn't seen a wash since Xmas, 8 months ago. Breakfast was very, very average, no it was actually very bad. We were suppose to stay for two nights, but flew back early in the morning, could not face another day.
My only advice to anyone, don't even book.
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Date of stay: August 2011Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Value
Cleanliness
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.
In EVERY way this property is the perfect place to stay. The true Kiwi hospitality, the spectacular residence, the local knowledge and everything is there at your fingertips. Val and Francis have thought of everything, they are so welcoming and made us feel like we were at home.
The food was delicious, we had cooked breakfasts and Val provided our evening meals,l including Christmas dinner.
They organised activities, picked up our drinks order from Auckland and had rental vehicles available, we didn't have to worry about a thing.
The estate is beautiful there are numerous areas to sit and enjoy meals and drinks, to hold meetings or sit quietly and read. It really caters for everyone and for large groups. It is very well kept and comfortable and has all the luxuries of home.
Val and Francis are wonderful hosts, we all had a fantastic time and everyone agreed we will be back!
The food was delicious, we had cooked breakfasts and Val provided our evening meals,l including Christmas dinner.
They organised activities, picked up our drinks order from Auckland and had rental vehicles available, we didn't have to worry about a thing.
The estate is beautiful there are numerous areas to sit and enjoy meals and drinks, to hold meetings or sit quietly and read. It really caters for everyone and for large groups. It is very well kept and comfortable and has all the luxuries of home.
Val and Francis are wonderful hosts, we all had a fantastic time and everyone agreed we will be back!
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Date of stay: November 2016Trip type: Travelled on business
Value
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.
What a fabulous place to escape to for our 50th. We had such a lovely time, the setting was perfect - great weather, plenty to explore, excellent accommodation to relax at... Val & Francis were just wonderful hosts - so friendly & welcoming and kept us well fed (loved the sticky date pud!!) Such happy memories have been created from this stay. We just can't wait to get back there!
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Date of stay: September 2016Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Value
Rooms
Service
Room Tip:Â Rooms in the front have the best view of the bay
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've just returned from a wonderful relaxed weekend with Val and Francis at Shoal Bay Estate.
We booked a winter package deal which included return flights, 2 nights accomodation, transfers, car hire and breakfast for $600.
Our room was warm, clean and spacious and great value for money. The views were incredible too!
We arrived about 6pm on the Friday and enjoyed a relaxed evening with other guests. Val cooked us a beautiful dinner which included steak, snapper, spinach & feta pie and sticky date pudding. Dinner wasn't included in the deal but it was a bargain for an extra $35 each. The following morning, Val's breakfast was outstanding and saw us through both days until our dinner.
We spend our days taking advantage of the walks available on the island, spent some time on the beach and visited the hot springs too. The Saturday night we had a hearty dinner at the local sports club with other guests and watched the All Blacks game with the locals.
We highly recommend staying here if you're considering visiting the Island.
We booked a winter package deal which included return flights, 2 nights accomodation, transfers, car hire and breakfast for $600.
Our room was warm, clean and spacious and great value for money. The views were incredible too!
We arrived about 6pm on the Friday and enjoyed a relaxed evening with other guests. Val cooked us a beautiful dinner which included steak, snapper, spinach & feta pie and sticky date pudding. Dinner wasn't included in the deal but it was a bargain for an extra $35 each. The following morning, Val's breakfast was outstanding and saw us through both days until our dinner.
We spend our days taking advantage of the walks available on the island, spent some time on the beach and visited the hot springs too. The Saturday night we had a hearty dinner at the local sports club with other guests and watched the All Blacks game with the locals.
We highly recommend staying here if you're considering visiting the Island.
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Date of stay: August 2016Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Value
Cleanliness
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.
Spent 3 nights at shoal bay for a wedding.val and francis are excellent hosts.nothing was too much trouble.great barrier island is a paradise and shoal bay is a wonderful place to stay.
Highly recommended.
Highly recommended.
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Date of stay: November 2014Trip type: Travelled with friends
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.
Val and Francis are the most hospitable and friendliest hosts, they certainly made us feel welcome in their home. They had a brilliant knowledge of the Island and great tips of things to do and see (Kaitoke Hot Springs is a must do!) We had dinner with them one night – Val is an amazing cook – so recommend you at least do this for one (or more if you have time!) of your nights there. We had upstairs to ourselves – and had brilliant night sleeps (beds comfy!) We loved our first trip to the Barrier and if we ever return, which we hope to do – with kids in tow this time (whom I know will love the friendly/family cat Taxi too!), I’ll certainly be booking in to Shoal Bay Estate again.
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Date of stay: August 2014Trip type: Travelled as a couple
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.
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"Upstairs rooms have a better view of the bay and may be quiter if some guests stay up later."Read full review
"We stayed in the upstairs room and we are to come back, we would like to request the ones in the upstairs again."Read full review
LOCATION
New ZealandNorth IslandAucklandGreat Barrier IslandTryphena
NUMBER OF ROOMS
7
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Frequently Asked Questions about Shoal Bay Estate, Great Barrier Island
Which popular attractions are close to Shoal Bay Estate, Great Barrier Island?
Nearby attractions include Station Rock Lookout (4.0 km).
What are some of the property amenities at Shoal Bay Estate, Great Barrier Island?
Some of the more popular amenities offered include an on-site restaurant, free parking, and kids activities.
What food & drink options are available at Shoal Bay Estate, Great Barrier Island?
Guests can enjoy an on-site restaurant during their stay.
Is parking available at Shoal Bay Estate, Great Barrier Island?
Yes, free parking is available to guests.
What are some restaurants close to Shoal Bay Estate, Great Barrier Island?
Conveniently located restaurants include Currach Irish Pub & The Innkeeper's Lodge, Pa Beach Cafe, and Barrier Social Club.