I booked Tapeka Del Mar Beach House for the October long weekend. Some friends of ours did the Annual Coastal Classic Yacht Race from Auckland to Russell and we needed somewhere that was very close to Russell and could accommodate a large group (including WAGs and children of various age groups).

This house is absolute perfection, extremely comfortable in a tranquil location and well provisioned - I will be sure to book it again. It was in the prefect location to sit on the deck and watch the crew head towards the finish line and then close enough to Russell that the WAGs of the crew could head into Russell to meet them as they crossed the finish line. The house has uninterrupted views and access directly to the water and the crew were able to moor their boat just offshore once the race was done and join us at the house.

With such a large group we found the location, views, space and set up of the house exceeded our expectations. The kitchen, large BBQ and deck ensured that meal times were never a drama with trying to feed so many people.

Everything exceeded our expectations - from the well equipped kitchen, large screen TV, Internet Access, Sound System with outdoor speakers onto the large deck, the amazing views, comfortable beds (linen was also supplied which was great), modern bathroom facilities (including an ensuite in master bedroom), ample car parking space, large outdoor dining table, plenty of chairs, games and lots of outdoor space for the kids to run around in and not to forget the safe beach for the kids which was great as we could watch them from the deck.

The close proximity to Russell also allowed us the option of dining out at one of the many cafes and restaurants had we not felt like eating in. Russell itself is a beautiful village with many great shops and art galleries to meander through. We also noted on our way home that there is a winery close by – next time we will be sure to visit this and explore the area a little more.

This house is pure paradise and a great destination in any weather and at any time of the year. What a find! Thank you for such a great weekend – we will be sure to tell others about this piece of paradise.

Our stay at Tapeka Del Mar was fantastic. The holiday home was beautiful and the outlook from the huge deck was stunning!! There was always boats to watch and we even had a visit from a pod of dolphins on the Saturday, dancing in the sea right in front of our holiday home. The owners should be congratulated on keeping the property in prisitne condition and the kitchen was superb. Thank you for wonderful weekend. I highly recommend this property in this little world of paradise!

We stayed at Tapeka Del Mar for a few days in the July school holidays with our five children (16, 15, 14, 13 & 11) and our dog, Rango. Even though it rained most of the time, we had a really wonderful family holiday. There were lots of DVDs and games, and the teenagers even did a jigsaw puzzle (never seen them do that before!). Such a beautiful outlook and setting. Must be stunning in the summertime. My husband and I went out for a meal at the Duke of Marlborough - totally recommend this restaurant. Husband reckons it was the best pork he has ever had. Three fish were caught from the dingy, just out in the harbour ... and in only 30 minutes! Clive was an exceptional holiday "landlord" and phoned us on arrival to make sure we were settled in okay. Really appreciated his thoughtfulness. We will most definitely be back.

Wow, what a location right on the beach with a large flat lawn for a spot of touch football.
Nothing like sitting on the deck listening to a little "Adele" with a glass of Sav. Blanc in your hand watching the sun go down over the water, awesome. Clean & tidy with a well-appointed Kitchen. The beds were comfortable & the showers held good pressure. The large bedroom / rumpus room out the back was a great space for our son & daughter to hangout. We struck excellent weather, so plenty of swims & Kayaking prevailed.
With a handy boat ramp we managed to catch two excellent feeds of fish.
(difficult launching at low tide - not a biggy) Tried a couple of inexpensive restaurants in Russell, but let’s face it you can't beat fresh snapper on the BBQ!
Can't wait till next year............ we'll be back!

We stayed at Tapeka del Mar for 6 days, 14 of us in total (8 adults, 4 kids under 6, and 2 babies). The location is just perfect, the house was impeccable, and we all fit perfectly in the house.
We spent every evening sitting on the deck and looking at the sun set in front of us. The garden before the beach was great for the kids to play and run. The trampoline was used constantly!
We used the kayaks and dingy constantly. We went out fishing with the kids several times.
The only comment I have is that the "upstairs" bedroom needs a bathroom.

This place is heaven!