Black Rocks Retreat is a one-hour drive from Auckland and 15 minutes from Waiuku on the Awhitu Peninsula.
Surrounded by farmland and rolling hills, the fully self-contained luxury cabin is set on the edge of Manukau Harbour - with stunning views across the water to the city of Auckland in the distance.
A beautifully styled bedroom has a king-size bed and ensuite bathroom. The kitchen and living area open out to a superb alfresco living space, with a large deck and comfortable outdoor sofa to relax in the evening. A thoughtfully landscaped outdoor bath is the perfect place to while away an hour or two.
A short walk through farmland takes you to the beach where you can jump in the kayaks for a paddle around the shoreline, or just enjoy an evening stroll along the shore.
Watching the sunrise across the water in the morning from your bed, and hearing the seabirds on the foreshore will make you feel a world away from the city action. Black Rocks Retreat is a restful escape from everyday life.
FROM $390 p/n
Includes Kayaks
169 A Renell Road, Te Toro 2684
Black Rocks Retreat is 1 one-hour drive from Auckland and 15 minutes from Waiuku on the Awhitu Peninsula.
Detailed arrival instructions will be provided in a pre-arrival email 5 days prior to your stay.
Guests have the option to book a helicopter flight to and from Black Rocks Retreat, as well as a scenic tour of the region. For more details, please visit the 'Rates and Extras' section.
Note: If you have booked within 5 days and haven't received a pre-arrival email shortly after booking, please email us at [email protected].
Arrival by 7pm is appreciated. Later arrivals can be made by arrangement.
The cabin sleeps up to two people in a king-size bed.
Full linen, towels and bedding are supplied. The duvet is feather and down with high-quality 100% cotton sheets and pillowcases. There are extra blankets if needed.
The kitchen is contained within the cabin and has a sink, bench and food storage. All the pots, cutlery and utensils you'll need for cooking and eating are provided.A Nespresso coffee pod machine is also provided (BYO pods).
The cooking facilities include an induction 2-burner cooktop, a combination oven and a microwave. A BBQ is provided for cooking alfresco.
The cabin has a full-size 350L fridge/freezer and a dishwasher.
Some pantry basics are supplied - olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper.
The ensuite bathroom has a large shower, sink and flushing toilet. A luxurious outdoor bath is situated just metres from the cabin.
Towels, bath robes and a hair dryer are provided.
Yes! The cabin has mains power, so you can bring your hairdryer and charge your devices using the power outlets and USB port.
Yes, there is good mobile phone reception. There are power outlets and a USB port for charging.
The cabin has a heat pump to keep you warm. The building is also fully insulated with double glazing.
Extra blankets are provided.
No there are no outdoor fires allowed at Black Rocks Retreat.
Black Rocks Retreat is open all of the year and is a perfect winter escape.
The cabin is not suitable for children and is strictly adults-only. The one exception to this rule is for non-mobile babies under 6 months with BYO bedding and portacot.
If you're looking for a safe family-friendly glamping site, select the family icon in the search bar on our 'find your escape' page to easily find them.
Black Rocks Retreat has a 'no dog' policy.
If you're looking for dog-friendly glamping, check out some of our other Canopy Camping Escapes sites that welcome dogs - you can select the 'dog-friendly' filter in the search bar to easily find them.
Black Rocks Retreat is very private. You can see a few far off buildings and lights of Auckland City across the harbour, but other than these signs of life at a distance, you'll feel completely secluded at this spot.
Access to the cabin has easy, drive-on access which is suitable for 2-wheel drive vehicles. You can park directly outside the cabin.
You're welcome to come and go from the property as often as you please.
Black Rocks Retreat is set on a working cattle farm on the edge of a harbour. There are cliffs that are fenced off and the beach access is quite safe.
For Health and Safety purposes, it’s very important to follow the safety guidelines and terms that your hosts will brief you on at the time of arrival.
All Year Round:
There is a standard minimum stay period of 2 nights.
Single nights are only allowed where there is a one night gap between bookings. One night gaps between bookings will be made available to book online.
Public Holiday Weekends:
The minimum booking period for long weekends such as Labour Weekend, Anniversary Weekend, etc is 3 nights. The minimum booking period for Easter is 4 nights. There are sometimes longer minimum stay periods across Christmas and New Year and these will be specified in the online availability calendar.
Our minimum night policies are strictly adhered to. Please note that there are no exceptions to the policies for Black Rock Retreat.
Our minimum night policies are strictly adhered to. Please note that there are no exceptions to the policies outlined below for Black Rocks Retreat.
All Year Round:
There is a standard minimum stay period of 2 nights.
Single nights are only allowed where there is a one night gap between bookings. One night gaps between bookings will be made available to book online.
Public Holiday Weekends:
The minimum booking period for long weekends such as Labour Weekend, Anniversary Weekend, etc is 3 nights. The minimum booking period for Easter is 4 nights. There are sometimes longer minimum stay periods across Christmas and New Year and these will be specified in the online availability calendar.
All Year Round:
The nightly rate for weekends (Friday/Saturday) is $440* for up to 2 people.
The nightly rate for weeknights (Sunday - Thursday) is $390* for up to 2 people.
Infants under 6 months with their own portacot and bedding are free of charge.
*This rate applies for stays of two nights or more.
Single Night Stays:
Where single-night stays are available on the online booking calendar, a higher nightly rate applies. This is to reflect the additional servicing time/costs that single-night stays incur.
Give the gift of glamping! Gift Vouchers are available for use at any of our Canopy Camping Escapes glamping sites. These are provided in electronic format, for you to print out and pop in a greeting card for the lucky recipient. Read more about our gift vouchers, including how to purchase one, here.
1.1 Canopy Camping Limited (Canopy Camping Escapes, also referred to as we, our and us) has a curated collection of unique nature-based properties throughout New Zealand, independently owned and operated by individual owners of the properties (Hosts).
1.2 By making a booking through our website (here) (Website), you, as the person making the booking, agree to be bound by these terms and conditions (Booking Conditions).
1.3 Canopy Camping Escapes enters into these Booking Conditions as an agent for the Host. That means that you are making an agreement with the Host for the use of its property. Anything Canopy Camping Escapes does (including enforcing any of the Host’s rights), it does so as agent for the Host and is not a party to your agreement with the Host.
1.4 In these terms:
2.1 If you book within 28 Days of your check-in time, full payment via credit or debit card (VISA/Mastercard) is required at the time of booking. If you book more than 28 Days prior to your check-in time, a deposit of 10% is required to confirm your booking and secure the property. This will be charged to your credit or debit card (VISA/Mastercard) at the time of booking. A credit or debit card (VISA/Mastercard) payment surcharge of up to 2.5% will be applied to all credit or debit card (VISA/Mastercard) payments.
2.2 Bookings are considered confirmed once you have made your online booking and payment and we have sent an email to the address provided to us which confirms both the payment and your booking details. If you do not receive a confirmation email, please contact us as soon as possible. However, we (as agent for the Host) reserve the right to cancel any booking within 12 Days of the confirmation email where we discover that you, or any of your guests, has previously breached these Booking Conditions in relation to a previous booking. In that case, you will receive an email advising you that the booking has been declined, and the full amount paid by you at the time of booking will be refunded to the credit or debit card (VISA/Mastercard) you provided during the booking process.
2.3 If you book more than 28 Days prior to your check-in time, the remaining balance of your stay will be due 28 Days prior to your check in time. An email reminder will be sent to you at this time requesting payment for the outstanding balance. The reminder email gives you the option to pay the remaining balance by A2A (Internet Banking) or credit or debit card (VISA/Mastercard). If your payment has not been received within 24 hours, the remaining balance will automatically be charged to the credit or debit card (VISA/Mastercard) used at the time of booking. Please note: a 2.5% credit or debit card (VISA/Mastercard) payment surcharge is applied to all payments made by credit or debit card (VISA/Mastercard). Credit/Debit Card data is held in a secure and encrypted environment.
2.4 If any amount is not paid when due, you will forfeit your deposit and your booking will be cancelled.
3.1 Your 10% deposit (or 10% of the value of your stay if you have paid in full) is non-refundable, however it can be transferred to another booking made within 12 months of the date of confirmation of your original booking, if you cancel your stay more than 21 Days prior to your check-in time.
3.2 Cancellation or date changes by you that are between 3 and 21 Days prior to your check-in time will result in 50% of the total cost of your stay being charged. Cancellation or date changes made 3 Days (72 hours) or less prior to your check-in time will result in 100% of the total cost of your stay being charged.
3.3 Date changes made more than 21 Days prior to your check-in time are allowed without forfeit of any amounts paid.
3.4 Force Majeure
You are entitled to a full refund if you need to cancel for the following reasons:
Road closure. If at 1pm on the day before your arrival, a road on your route to your accommodation is designated by Waka Kotahi as closed or for essential travel only, and there is no detour, or the detour adds more than two hours to your travel according to the Waka Kotahi Journey Planner.
Metservice RED Weather Warning. If at 1pm on the day before your arrival, the Metservice has issued a RED warning/forecast in either your home region or the region of your accommodation, for either the day of your arrival or departure.
Natural disasters in New Zealand. Natural disasters such as cyclones, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, tsunamis, and other severe and abnormal natural events causing large scale disruption of essential services and/or transport, specifically impacting your travel to or from your accommodation.
4.1 Exceptional or unforeseen circumstance
Hosts reserve the right to cancel a booking at any time in the event of exceptional or unforeseen circumstances. This right will only be exercised in good faith and in exceptional circumstances such as:
(a) Any alteration to the property or its surroundings which may pose a safety risk for the guest.
(b) Unexpected damage or destruction at the property.
(c) A death in the Host family.
(d) Our relationship with the Host ends for any other reason.
In the unlikely event a Host cancels under this clause, the guest may elect to receive a full refund or to credit the booking to another available date or Escape. The Host’s liability will be limited to the refund of amounts paid for any part of your stay that is cancelled.
4.2 Cancellation for breach
Hosts may terminate a booking at any time if they, or we, reasonably believe that there is, or has been, a breach of these Booking Conditions by you or any guest or visitor. Where a Host cancels under this clause, all amounts paid are forfeited and, where such termination occurs during the rental period, you and all guests and visitors must immediately leave the property.
5.1 Accommodation is often situated on working farms and there are hazards both natural and man-made. You accept that you, and any guests or visitors, enter the property at your own risk.
5.2 Participation by you and any guests or visitors in activities, such as, outdoor baths, climbing trees, walking on the property and any other activity on the property, is done so at your and their own risk.
5.3 To the extent permitted by law, neither we nor the Host accept any liability for accident, loss of property or personal injury during your stay.
No pets are allowed unless otherwise specified on the Website listing. Most accommodation is situated on working farms and therefore are not suitable for visiting pets.
GST of 15% (where the accommodation is GST-registered) is included in the daily per night cost. A tax receipt will be supplied by Canopy Camping Escapes if requested.
8.1 Guests have a licence to occupy the Property for the paid holiday period only. You are responsible for ensuring that you and they arrive no earlier than the check-in date, and leave no later than the check-out time, specified on the Website.
8.2 You are required to, and must ensure that all guests and any approved day visitors, observe the rules and procedures in relation to the property:
8.3 You must, and must ensure that all guests and any approved visitors, take all reasonable and proper care of the property and its furniture, fittings and effects and leave them in the same state of repair, condition, cleanliness and tidiness as at the commencement of the rental period. Where the property has not been left in the same state of repair, condition, cleanliness and tidiness as at the commencement of the rental period, you will be required to pay an additional cleaning cost of $100 which may be charged to the credit or debit card used at the time of booking.
8.4 You are required to inform Canopy Camping Escapes of any damage or breakage occurring during the rental period in or around the property promptly so that it can be repaired and replaced for the next booking. You must reimburse the Host for the reasonable costs of replacement or repair of any damage caused by you or any guests or visitors and such costs may be charged to the credit or debit card (VISA/Mastercard) used at the time of booking.
8.5 You must ensure that any access information in relation to a property (including any access codes, location of keys, etc) is kept confidential and not disclosed to any person.
8.6 Smoking is not permitted anywhere on the properties.
8.7 The Host may access the property during the rental period to the extent reasonably necessary to undertake repairs or replacement or where we or the Host have reason to believe these Booking Terms are not being complied with.
8.8 The number of guests staying at the Escape overnight must be the same as the number of guests included in the booking. Any day visitors must be approved by the Host prior to your stay. No overnight visitors are permitted.
8.9 You and all guests and any approved day visitors must behave in a proper, appropriate and legal manner with due respect to the Host, the Property, other guests and neighbouring properties and neighbours, and Canopy Camping Escapes’ staff and representatives.
If you encounter any issues or problems during your stay, you must first contact the Host to try to resolve the issue. The Host should be given the opportunity to address and fix the problem before any further steps are taken.
If you decide to leave the accommodation early due to an issue without first contacting the Host to resolve it, you will not be entitled to compensation. Essentially, if you don’t give the Host a chance to fix the problem, you cannot expect financial reimbursement for leaving early.
If you have a complaint that you'd like to alert Canopy Camping Escapes about after your stay, please contact us promptly at [email protected] with details of the complaint. As an agent, we will be the initial contact between you and the Host but may need to put you in direct contact to resolve any issues.
To the extent permitted by law, as agent for the Hosts, we have no liability, to you or any other person, in contract, tort (including negligence) or otherwise:
Your rights are against the Host, not Canopy Camping Escapes.
If, for any reason, Canopy Camping Escapes has any liability to you under or in relation to these Booking Terms or your stay, to the extent permitted by law, our liability is limited to the 20% of the amount paid by you in relation to the relevant booking.
Any liability the Host has to you under or in relation to these Booking Conditions or your stay is, to the extent permitted by law, limited to refund of amounts paid by you for the relevant booking and shall not extend to any other costs or loss incurred by you or any guest or other person.
Gift vouchers expire if not redeemed within 2 years of purchase. If a booking paid for using a gift voucher is cancelled, any refund will be by way of a gift voucher with the same expiry date as the original gift voucher. Gift vouchers are not refundable or redeemable for cash and cannot be transferred or on-sold.
These Booking Conditions are governed by New Zealand law and the New Zealand courts have exclusive jurisdiction.
We may amend these Booking Conditions at any time. Any changes shall apply to bookings made from the date of such changes. You are responsible for familiarising yourself with these Booking Conditions each time you make a booking.
Black Rocks Retreat is self-catering. Just bring your own food and drink, and cook meals using the kitchen facilities and BBQ provided. You'll find all the cutlery, crockery, pots and pans that you'll need.
If you want a break from cooking at any stage, Waiuku is just a 15-minute drive away. Your hosts recommend The Kentish Hotel (New Zealand's oldest licenced hotel), Malt N Steel or Fitzy's for fish and chips.
Waiuku has a New World Supermarket for stocking up on supplies.
With a restful water view, board games to play, kayaks to paddle, an outdoor tub to soak in, and farmland to wander - you'll appreciate the chance to just relax and take in the vibes right there at the property.
A short walk through farmland takes you down to the beach. Enjoy a stroll at sunset.
If you're looking to explore, visit the West Coast beaches or the Manukau Heads Lighthouse. The Awhitu Regional Park offers plenty of great walking - or if you fancy something a bit more sedate, try a tasting at Awhitu Wines!
Looking for something extra special? Create unforgettable memories with a helicopter flight to and from Black Rocks Retreat, or enjoy a scenic tour of the region! Learn more in the 'Rates and Extras' section.
Your hosts at Black Rocks Retreat are John Renall and Deb Dragt. They are the parents of five children and grandparents of 11 grandchildren.
John and Deb are the 4th generation of the family to farm the land, which is steeped in history. John's Great Grandfather Joseph Alfred Renall (Mayor of Masterton) moved to the property in 1906 with 8 of his children.
John is a hay contractor, beef farmer and operator of large machinery - and Deb is in charge of hospitality, cleaning and taking care of the beautiful gardens on the property.
Deb and John love the stunning views of the Manukau Harbour and its ever-changing moods, the rolling hills of the Awhitu Peninsula and the peace and quiet of rural living. Setting up a special glamping retreat to share this magical spot has been a dream of Deb's for years - finally realised with Black Rocks Retreat.
Black Rocks Retreat is named for the black rocks that can be seen when the tide goes out, the result of a volcanic eruption many years ago.
Our stay at Black Rocks Retreat exceeded our expectations. It is a lovely location and a perfectly appointed getaway cabin. We are likely to rebook.
"Joan Forret - 07 Apr 2025
1 / 12
Lovely hosts and a great setting. We requested them to arrange something for a special occasion, and they did not disappoint—it was very sweet of them.
"Osheen Danney - 02 Apr 2025
2 / 12
This place was an absolute dream! We were greeted by John, who was a joy to talk to. It was such a treat to get to stay on his family's land; what an incredible part of the earth they've lived in for generations! The place was clean, homey and cosy. It was so serene and easy to immediately slow down and enjoy the scenery. It does get a bit hot during the day, but using the shades and air conditioning helped immensely. We really enjoyed our time here and would absolutely recommend it to anyone looking for a quiet getaway.
"Andrea Kemp - 30 Mar 2025
3 / 12
A stone's throw away from Auckland. Instant relaxation as soon as you arrive!
"Denise Nel - 22 Mar 2025
4 / 12
Awesome location, great hosts and beautiful scenery.
"Taylor Maree Cook - 18 Mar 2025
5 / 12
Absolutely loved our stay here and what a stunning view to wake up to. Had plans to get away somewhere quiet to recharge the batteries, and we could not have found a better place than Black Rocks Retreat. We cannot wait to come back again.
"Elaine Kinsella - 11 Mar 2025
6 / 12
Awesome spot for our two-day retreat. From the warm welcome to the accommodation, to plane and boat watching, it was the perfect location to switch off and chill.
"Rowan Scott - 18 Feb 2025
7 / 12
Exactly like pictured. Private and tranquil.
"Luke Andrew - 29 Jan 2025
8 / 12
We absolutely loved our stay!
"Nina Akulova - 26 Jan 2025
9 / 12
Black Rocks Retreat was so relaxing, and the most beautiful environment possible. The views are insane, and everything is so comfortable, not to mention the hosts are lovely.
"Anatia Roil-Omeri - 16 Jan 2025
10 / 12
A great spot to get away from it all and enjoy time away from life’s busyness. Highly recommend this genuinely private retreat with all the comforts necessary to recharge your batteries.
"Clare Sokimi - 11 Jan 2025
11 / 12
Absolutely gorgeous spot with amazing views! The accommodation was lovely, clean and had everything we needed. Would highly recommend!
"Nicole Lord - 09 Jan 2025
12 / 12
Beautiful tents surrounded by nature, quirky cabins with packets of personality and secret hideaways that offer something completely unique... Explore the other places in our collection.
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