J&J Tatapouri Bay

Hands up if you’re addicted to glamping. I’m a sucker for finding unique and epic places to stay, and little ol’ Aotearoa isn’t a bad country for it.

Tucked away on the golden coast, just 15 minutes from Gisborne, is Tatapouri Bay. Tatapouri Bay gives you the best of all worlds, somewhere to sleep, epic views, and a chance to get amongst nature. It is located on the beautiful East Coast and surrounded by rolling hills, golden sands and crystal clear waters. Raw, beautiful, rugged New Zealand at its best!

We've spent a few nights staying in one of their new cosy Zen Cabins. Let me show you around.

 

Their Zen Cabins are situated right on the beach so you literally have your own private beach right at your doorstep. The perfect luxury escape for those wanting a truly unique experience of Tairāwhiti. Arlo loved having the beach right on our front doorstep. It's a great little bay for children, white sand and awesome rock pools for exploring.

There are three different Zen Cabins and each cabin has their own interior design. Of course I booked their pink cabin! I loved all the pink details including pink cushions and throws and even gorgeous pink mugs!

The Zen Cabins have everything you need. A lush queen size bed with a window seat which gives you perfect views of the big blue ocean. This is not only a great place to curl up with a book but it can also be used as a bed for little ones. The icing on the cake, one of the best soundtracks to fall asleep to... lapping waves.

 

You can cook your own meals during your stay utilising their fully-equipped kitchen with a fridge, gas hob, oven, microwave, toaster, etc. However, they also have BBQ facilities so you can cook up some local Kiwi kai (food) over the barbie which we also did one evening.

We loved having the comfort of our own bathroom, which is also selfie worthy with its pink sink! I loved how the Zen Cabins gave a combination of comfort and adventure. A way to enjoy the wonders of the outdoors without sacrificing creature comforts.

Imagine falling asleep to the sounds of the waves and waking up to be the first in the world to see the sunrise, right from your bedroom?!

You have your very own deck with deck chairs to enjoy a cuppa or a wine while taking in the views of the ocean and the perfect spot to enjoy breakfast!

We made one of our famous J&J breakfast boards. This time make your own English muffins, with scrambled eggs, bacon, avocado and tomatoes. I find doing breakfast boards like this so easy to make and really good when you have small children who prefer deconstructed meals, like this with easy finger food for them to eat.

Tatapouri Bay is a natural playground for all ages to enjoy and super family friendly. Arlo loved that they had swings and slides at their children’s playground.

If you get a chance make sure you go for a dive or a fish. Gisborne is home to one of the biggest fishing clubs in the country and the area is renowned for big kingfish as well as crayfish and snapper. When you’ve reeled in your catch of the day, you can clean your kaimoana (seafood) in Tatapouri Bay’s designated fish cleaning area.

We spent our days on the beach, Its a great little bay with small waves making it great for children to paddle in the water. We pretty much had the whole bay to ourselves most of the time and set up a little area with towels and snacks while watching Arlo explore and play in nature. I loved with making sandcastles with him in the white sand and collecting seashells.

But we haven't even shown you the best part yet!


Three words. BEACHFRONT. HOT. TUB!

Facing the water’s edge, their outdoor spa is the perfect place to relax, unwind and soak up the good vibes. We had booked the sunset time and enjoyed watching the sky slowly turn a beautiful shade of pink.

It’s got that real Kiwi holiday vibe here and there's a little something for everyone at Tatapouri Bay. They have a range of different accommodation options available. I was also eyeing up their delightful bunch of lotus belle tents which are also beautifully designed and set up right on the beachfront. Having Arlo with us, we decided having the comfort of a kitchen and own bathroom is easier for us. However, the lotus belle tents do have newly built toilet and shower blocks exclusive for glampers only. They also come with a fully equipped communal kitchen. It would be so great to book a few of these with friends and all go together.


Who’s coming with us next time?