Experience the charm of Whare Kura, a historic 150-yr-old schoolhouse on the Pouto Peninsula. Enjoy your elegant open-plan lounge-office-dining-kitchen, unwind in your mezzanine bedroom with Queen bed and sofa bed or relax on the small front-door deck porch. Explore rural settings around you.
Reviews
8.88.8 out of 10
Excellent
Entire apartment
1 bedroom1 bathroomSleeps 3
Popular amenities
Kitchen
Washing machine
Dryer
Free Wi-Fi
Air-conditioning
Parking available
The current price is €108
€108
includes taxes & fees
13 Mar - 14 Mar
Add dates for prices
About this property
Entire place
You'll have the entire apartment to yourself and will only share it with other guests in your party.
Elegant 1-Bdr self-contained Guest-Wing at the 150-year-old Aratapu School House
This STUNNING fully self-contained Guest-Wing is located in one of the most historic buildings in the region: WHARE KURA the 150-yr-old Aratapu School House!
The decor is gorgeous and lavish - nicknamed "Ponsonby Chic" style of embracing the Victorian era with a funky edge ... a truly bespoke and roomy "apartment".
Amenities Include: > Elegant open-plan lounge-office-dining-kitchen > Bathroom with toilet, shower, washing-machine & tumble-dryer > Fabulous mezzanine bedroom with Queen, and SofaBed (wide Single / small Double - may not be comfortable for tall adults) > Small front-door deck porch with Table+Chairs > Generous free parking > Rural setting
WHARE KURA is a huge 150-yr-old School House, and this fully self-contained Guest-Wing (with its own entrance) is roughly one-quarter of the large historic building.
The decor is STUNNING and fabulous for a Single or Couple wanting quality accommodation in a truly bespoke and authentically unique setting. Also with the SofaBed, this means the apartment can also accommodate two Singles, or Couple+Single, or Parents with 1-2 children.
LOCATION: POUTO PENINSULA by the KAIPARA HARBOUR > 1-min to Superette in Te Kopuru > 5-mins to Dargaville town > 10-mins to Supermarket > 10-mins to Glinks Gully Beach > 20-mins to Baylys Beach > 30-mins to Kai Iwi Lakes > 1-Hour to Tane Mahuta in Waipoua Forest on the Kauri Coast
POINTS TO NOTE: > Excellent discounts available here online for stays of 28+ nights. > Nightly rate is based on two guests sharing the Queen Bed as a couple. If two single guests require both the Queen and Sofa beds, then an additional one-off $50 Extra Bed fee is payable. > For stays of 3-Months-plus, an additional standard Rental Hire form is required to be signed.
Property amenities
Internet
Available in the apartment: Free WiFi
Parking and transport
Parking on site
Kitchen
Electric kettle
Microwave
Oven
Paper towels
Refrigerator
Toaster
Dining
Dining table
Bedrooms
Bedroom
Bedsheets provided
Sofa bed
Bathroom
1 bathroom
Hair dryer
Shower
Soap
Toilet paper
Towels provided
Living spaces
Dining table
Living room
Separate dining area
Entertainment
Books
Smart TV with cable/satellite channels
Outdoor areas
Outdoor furniture
Porch/lanai
Laundry
Laundry facilities
Washing machine
Work spaces
Desk
Desk chair
Comfort
Air conditioning
Heating
Pets
No pets allowed
Suitability/Accessibility
Designated smoking areas
Services and conveniences
Iron/ironing board
Location highlights
In a rural location
Near a hospital
Things to do
Cycling nearby
Ecotours nearby
Fishing nearby
Swimming nearby
Safety features
Carbon monoxide detector not reported (host has not indicated whether there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property; consider bringing a portable detector)
Smoke detector (host has indicated there is a smoke detector on the property)
You will receive an email from the host with check-in and check-out instructions
Information provided by the property may be translated using automated translation tools
Pets
Pets not allowed
Children and extra beds
Children are welcome
Events
No events allowed
Smoking
Smoking allowed: in designated areas
Important information
You need to know
This property is managed by a professional host. The provision of housing is linked to their trade, business or profession.
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited
This property uses eco-friendly cleaning products
Host has not indicated whether there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property; consider bringing a portable detector with you on the trip
Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher, a first aid kit and a deadlock
This property is managed through our partner, Vrbo. You will receive an email from Vrbo with a link to a Vrbo account, where you can change or cancel your reservation
If you cancel your booking, you'll be subject to the host's cancellation policy. In accordance with EU regulations about consumer rights, property booking services are not subject to the right of withdrawal.
About the area
Located in Aratapu, this apartment is in a rural area. The area's natural beauty can be seen at Taha Awa Riverside Gardens and The Landing, while Dargaville Museum and The Woodturners Kauri Gallery and Studio are cultural highlights. Discover the area's water adventures with fishing and swimming nearby, or enjoy the great outdoors with ecotours and cycling. Visit our Aratapu travel guide
Is Elegant 1-Bdr self-contained Guest-Wing at the 150-year-old Aratapu School House pet-friendly?
No, pets are not allowed at this property.
How much does it cost to stay at Elegant 1-Bdr self-contained Guest-Wing at the 150-year-old Aratapu School House?
As of 12 Mar 2026, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at Elegant 1-Bdr self-contained Guest-Wing at the 150-year-old Aratapu School House on 13 Mar 2026 start from €108, including taxes and fees. This price is based on the lowest nightly price found in the last 24 hours for stays in the next 30 days. Prices are subject to change. Choose your dates for more accurate prices.
How much is parking at Elegant 1-Bdr self-contained Guest-Wing at the 150-year-old Aratapu School House?
On-site parking is available at the property.
What time is check-in at Elegant 1-Bdr self-contained Guest-Wing at the 150-year-old Aratapu School House?
Check-in begins at 3:00 PM.
What time is check-out at Elegant 1-Bdr self-contained Guest-Wing at the 150-year-old Aratapu School House?
Checkout is at 11:00 AM.
Where is Elegant 1-Bdr self-contained Guest-Wing at the 150-year-old Aratapu School House located?
Situated in a rural location, this apartment building is within 6 miles (10 km) of Zizania Hand Made Papers, Dargaville Museum and The Woodturners Kauri Gallery and Studio. Taha Awa Riverside Gardens is 6.1 mi (9.8 km) away.
Have a question?
AI iconBetaBeta
Get instant answers with AI powered search of property information and reviews.
Elegant 1-Bdr self-contained Guest-Wing at the 150-year-old Aratapu School House Reviews
Reviews
Excellent
All reviews shown are from real guest experiences. Only travellers who have booked a stay with us can submit a review. We verify reviews according to our guidelines and publish all reviews, positive or negative.
Such a cool place. We absolutely loved our stay at the old school house. Lovely and stylishly renovated and close to Dargaville and beaches.
Horst F.
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2025
10/10 Excellent
Craig
20 Feb 2025
Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities, communication
We very much enjoyed our stay at this property. It was very comfortable and spacious, with a lot of things provided (laundry, extensive kitchen items, TV, etc.). We found the place nicer than the photos and the reviews suggested it would be. The owners obviously take pride in the unit, as it was very nicely appointed and clean. We would definitely stay here again.
The grounds were lovely, peaceful and private.
The inside was shabby and grubby. Fridge and cupboards, dirty. We were aware and fully accepted that this was a work in progress but soap and water are cheap enough and elbow grease is free
Rex and Sheryl
Stayed 4 nights in Dec 2023
10/10 Excellent
Andy
5 Feb 2026
Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities, communication
Just a great place to stay, clean tidy and well renovated. Hosts were great!
We very much enjoyed our stay here. The schoolhouse has tons of charm. It is very well equipped. We would highly Recommend staying here. There is some traffic noise, So if you are a light sleeper, you might want to bring earplugs. The character Of this house far outweighs, the minor noise.
Richard V.
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2024
10/10 Excellent
Janette
15 Apr 2025
Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities, communication
This is a beautiful property - fantastic decor - so many detailed touches. Whoever designed this is VERY talented! Absolutely everything you could need including a full kitchen. Only drawback was road noise - especially logging trucks at speed in early pre-dawn hours - which takes a little to get used to. Hopefully this will reduce as the road hedge thickens.
Janette
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2025
8/10 Good
Michael D.
2 Mar 2025
Liked: Cleanliness, location, listing accuracy
Aratapu
Excellent in many ways, clean and tidy and well appointed. It would have been better if there was a toilet on the mezzanine as my wife has to use a walking stick and the bannister did not go all the way to the ground floor. Inconvenient at night if you wished to use the toilet.The road was noisy at times.The booking agency did not provide entry details before we arrived. The neighbours were very helpful.