Guest Reviews

Great house, great country vibe, birds singing (in tune) early morning. Looking forward to return visit.

So many rivers to fish....

So many rivers to fish....

Outstanding accommodation. Outstanding company. Outstanding fishing and golf. Simply outstanding.

Another delightful stay in this clean sparking house. Bike riding high on agenda on the Around Mountain Bike Trail and Lake-to-Lake at Te Anau. Thank-you to House Keeper for beautifully servicing this house and thank-you to the owners for allowing us to stay in your beautiful home. Relaxing and peaceful.

verything that we needed was here, especially the trout. Fire pit provived some great evenings with whisky and good banter. Will come again. Outstanding accommodation.

Great fly fishing holiday once again. Best possible place to stay and enjoyed the occasional warm evening in the lovely garden!

This house is well equipped with everything you could possibly need. Beautiful homey decor, comfy, and the fireplace is plenty warm for the entire house. Stunning spacious garden complete with fresh herbs for cooking. Enjoyed reading the story of this renovation. We will be recommending this accommodation highly

You've have done a truely amazing renovation of house and especially the native garden. House is extremely well provisioned - everything we need. It more than exceeded our expectations and enabled us to have a relaxing chill out time biking around the Around the Mountains Trail, Mavora Lakes, Lake Hauroko sightseeing and walking. Thanks to the House Manager and cleaning staff for the beautifully clean house. Will be back!

Wonderful House. Everything was as expected except for the wild weather. Witnessed snow, rain and wind. Hope to come again in April.

What a fabulous two weeks of brown trout fishing. This year even the weather was fantastic. Only hot and sunny days! Wonderful house and garden. See you next year!

What a fantastic week we had in the two houses, everything was perfect. Great fishing, many laughs and fun times had by all. Can't wait to come back

I’m home now in Colorado and slowly recovery from my jet lag, and I wanted to write and say how much I thoroughly enjoyed my three-week stay at the Oreti House. It is so comfortable being there, and you have thought of so many things to make it an enjoyable stay. I especially like the contemporary design, lightness, and cleanliness. Also, when it’s dark and rainy, or the rivers are just not cooperating, it’s a great place to be. A daily walk to the Bafe is an extra treat. I’ll be looking forward to another three weeks next year!

We had an excellent stay at Oreti House and just wanted to say thanks for the lovely clean house and beautiful garden.

Marvellous house, beautiful fishing waters. I'm glad we finally discovered Lumsden and the Oreti River House!

Magic ferry ride, Bicycle touring, Jet fishing, Lake looking, Pie tasting, Winery lunches, Second hand shop browsing, Fine dining, Best company, Trout talking, Picture taking, 4 Wheel driving, DVD watching, Bean Eating.... Kilo adding and Laughing!

Again with sadness we must leave our "NZ" home. Two weeks of bliss in this gorgeous house and its charming gardens. We loved the fishing, walks, cycling, birds and the quiet. Thanks again.

Tall Hedges Hide the Treasure Inside Of Garden Green, Marina's Pride. Trees, Bees, Birds, Bright Flowers, Stone Paths Wind Beneath Quiet Bowers.

Nearby the Quiet Oreti Flows Trout Rise, Too Many Wise, Who Know The Fly Means Battle to the Net For Fishers' Glee ... But Not Their Tea! Instead, a Photo-Op With Arms Out Wide Then, Flashing Fins and Spots ... Release! And Straight Back to Their Watery Hide.

In the River House Each Night With Pinots Fine by Fire's Light, They Swap the Yarns of That Day's Fight Then Slip to Sleep in Lumsden's Quiet

Awesome trout fishing once again. This time even the weather was most enjoyable! The best fishing accommodation there is with a beautiful garden.

Fantastic! Most comfortable accommodation. You have done a wonderful job - perfect for the trout fishermen. We will definitely be back with our wives.

We were a group of 4 adults staying at Oreti River House for the purpose of trout fishing in the area. The house was immaculate with very superior fixtures, fittings and furnishings. The location was also close enough for a day trip to Invercargill and Gore where there are plenty of things to do and see. Would highly recommend and we will stay there again.

Enjoyed the accommodation, neat and tidy and grounds gorgeous and well maintained. Conveniently located to all forms of recreational activities. Quality golf courses nearby and fishing also a must. The owners obviously take a great deal of pride in Oreti River House and are very concerned to ensure that the accommodation is first class with all the usual facilities. The added bonus is proximity to Queenstown with all of its attractions and the airport. In all would have no hesitation in recommending Oreti River House to anyone seeking clean and comfortable accommodation with all the extras.

A most comfortable stay; thank-you. The fishing and guiding was superb.

Many thanks for a most memorable and enjoyable golfing, fishing and relaxing week. The accommodation and everything else was wonderful.

The Oreti River House with three bedrooms and two baths is spacious and comfortable in every respect. Its fully-equipped kitchen made it perfect for our daughter-in-law chef to make fabulous meals for us every night. The many DVDs and big screen TV gave us a great way to relax at the end of a day of fishing and hiking. The lovely backyard and gardens created a private space even in a neighborhood. Perfect location - just a short walk into town and an easy walk across a field to the Oreti River. Excellent communication with both the owner and the per manager. Our stay in this beautiful home went without a hitch!

We had a wonderful week in this beautiful home and wonderful garden. It was so lovely being here we didn't want to leave for other adventures. We fish in the Colorado Rockies so didn't want to do that here but appreciate what a great location it is for fishing.

Absolutely wonderful house. Great kitchen for meals in. Plenty of fish in the Waikaia River and the Oreti.- The perfect vacation. Thank-you!

Accommodation was excellent as usual. Weather was "feral' and fishing suffered. Notwithstanding a great time was enjoyed by all. See you next year.

Wow! In the last seven years that I have visited New Zealand, I've stated in every type of accommodation from luxury self contained apartments to cheap and nasty caravan parks. Oreti River House and Rod and Wheel House are by far the best places I have stayed. Both houses were very clean and comfortable, and being a chef, I was very impressed at how well equipped the kitchen was. I will definitely be back. Amazing, Amazing, Amazing!!

Awesome home away from home

A fabulous place to stay when in this part of New Zealand. Every amenity you can image, comfortable, spacious, super well equipped kitchen and a beautiful garden. I really enjoyed my stay, the owners are terrific and extremely helpful, as is the house manager who even popped in to make sure everything was to my liking. I would definitely go back. 5 stars!!

Great location, well appointed. Weather not so kind but fishing OK. Girls had good coffee outings.

Excellent base again for our brown trout holiday. Everything was perfect except for the weather! Thank-you.

What a delight it was for my husband and I to settle into this lovely home after a long flight from the States! With a hedge bordering three sides of this property, we appreciated the privacy as we enjoyed the private gardens and beautifully landscaped grounds. The house was exquisitely appointed with hardwood floors throughout as well as comfy furniture (including the beds) for lounging and resting after a long day fishing, skiing or enjoying any of the outdoor activities offered in the nearby towns. The kitchen is well equipped for any type of meal, especially those Trout caught in the local Oreti River. The mountain scenery on the local bike path is breathtaking and just glorious! We were able to walk to the local market as well as the restaurants in Lumsden. Internet service was also complimentary. We look forward to returning next year for the trout fishing and bike path!

Very comfortable. We couldn't have wished for better. Great fishing and bike riding. Hope to return. Thanks for making us so welcome.

Great accommodation. We enjoyed our stay enormously. Thanks for the recommendation to try FishJet at Te Anau. It was the highlight of our trip.

Just back from NZ after a weeks touring with the family, and I wanted to say how much my fishing companions and I enjoyed staying at Oreti River House. As a fishing base the house is ideally situated and with it’s modern refurbishment, delightful gardens with all the amenities anyone could wish for it was a truly wonderful experience. If the fishing hadn’t been quite so good we would have been able to enjoy the house even more! Still, there’s always next time.......

Oreti River House is a well maintained, comfortable home with everything you'll need for your stay. A lot of thought and effort have gone into the remodeling and landscaping of this property. The beds and pillows are very comfortable, linens are of a high quality. We enjoyed the gardens and watching the birds and the hedgehog. The owners and manager have been great to work with. Lumsden is a friendly, quiet town with plenty of good fishing, and easy access to other attractions.

What a lovely week we had in the Oreti River House. A quiet location in the pretty town of Lumsden made a fabulous base for us. The house had all the amenities you could wish for, including a funky, fish-shaped fire pit which meant we could have some glorious outdoor meals. We were in walking distance of some fabulous trekking routs along the Oreti River, and an easy drive away from endless other attractions, some well-known and others much more off the beaten track. We would highly recommend this for people wanting a calm and relaxing holiday.

The house is beautiful and kept in excellent condition. It is a great location being central to the Fjordland Park and to Queenstown and the charming little town of Te Anau. The whole area is incredibly pretty and the stay at your home was very, very comfortable. Linda was very pleasant and please do extend our thanks for her being very accessible to us and for the stuffed toy she packed for our 8 year old daughter. We enjoyed your beautiful garden too

5 of 5 stars We have just completed a weeks stay in this wonderful home and didn't want to leave. Beautifully renovated and luxuriously appointed, you lack for nothing. The owner's attention to detail is fabulous. The beds are extremely comfortable, all the fittings are top quality and the house is very cosy even in the strange extremes of Southland's climate. The beautiful garden just beckons you outside and has BBQ facilities as well as a very funky fire pit. Both the owner and the housekeeper are really lovely to deal with, and the house is located within spitting distance of some of the best trout fishing in New Zealand. Sky TV & free internet were a surprising bonus. We can't wait to return later in the year! very accessible to us and for the stuffed toy she packed for our 8 year old daughter. We enjoyed your beautiful garden too

The house has recently been renovated to a high standard with all modern fittings. The lovely kitchen is well equipped for self catering and the dining area nice and spacious. The comfy lounge is well set up for evenings in with a selection of movies and sky TV in front of a great remote controlled gas fire. The WiFi internet is excellent. Both bathrooms are modern with great hot showers and under floor heating in the main bathroom. The laundry is an added bonus and the bedrooms are tastefully furnished with luxurious beds. The electric blankets and heat pump make it lovely and warm even on the coldest nights and days of winter. The house is kept to an extremely high standard throughout both in terms of cleanliness and comfort. The garden has been lovingly tended and would be perfect for BBQ's in the summer months. The little contact I had with the owners and the manager was easy and friendly - it's a great place to stay and relax. Highly recommended!!

Whether you are fishing or just visiting the patchwork splendor of New Zealand's Southland, this house would have to be a benchmark for good value, high quality accommodation. The whole house exudes a quality restoration, and is situated in a lovely garden setting.5 of 5 stars We took full advantage of the gourmet kitchen & stocked up in Gore with local produce & wines of all varieties that NZ is increasingly famous for- all sub $20 kiwi a bottle!! If like us you love to chase trout, then you are spoilt for choice with numerous rivers nearby, aided by the excellent NZ Fish & Game maps of the region. A lovely base for a Southland holiday, & so close to Melb or Syd via direct flights to Queenstown!

Our stay was enjoyable and you have a very comfortable home which enhanced our trip. The quality of the fittings and the surprising details such as needles, cotton and buttons, dvd's, fishing information folder etc all helped to make our fishing trip very pleasurable. Oreti River House has certainly set a benchmark in accommodation, that I suspect will be rarely equalled. The fishing was a little challenging with wet conditions and high water levels. Nevertheless we did get fish up to approx 10lb with some sight fishing on a couple of sunny days. We had a few enjoyable days catching rainbows to 5lb surrounded by magic scenery on the Von. I will certainly recommend the Oreti River House to friends. I fish in NZ yearly so will book it again myself

We stayed at Oreti River House for a week over the New Year period as part of our travels throughout the South Island. The house is very modern, but with country charm. We love to cook and the kitchen was well equipped with everything we could want – there is even a lovely herb garden just outside the kitchen door. We enjoyed New Year’s Eve outside by the open air fire pit with a competitive game of croquet on the lawn (the owners have left a cupboard full of indoor and outdoor games). The house is extremely close to a number of river systems and we did a few days guided fishing on the Mataura and Oreti Rivers. The owners were extremely helpful with recommending guides and local fishing spots. As keen golfers we played at Jacks Point (Queenstown), Lumsden Golf Club and Invercargill Golf Club, all within an hour’s drive of the house. We also did day trips to Queenstown/Arrowtown (can recommend the sticky buns at Provisions in Arrowtown!), Invercargill and the glow worm caves in Te Anau. If you are looking for self-contained accommodation in the South Island, this is a wonderful choice. We couldn't have planned a more relaxing stay.

We enjoyed a few wonderful days at Oreti River House. The accommodation was excellent with very comfy beds and a very well equipped kitchen. The garden is lovely and we enjoyed a very pleasant afternoon playing croquet. I would highly recommend Oreti River House.

My wife and I were very pleased with the standard of accommodation - it would please the most astute traveler. Everything was eautifully presented, meticulously clean and the standard of workmanship on this property was first class. The place is perfect for catching fish with fantastic rivers all around we had a great time and will come back as there is so much to see.

Our stay at Oreti River House was part of a memorable visit to the South Island of New Zealand to coincide with the pool stages of the Rugby World Cup 2011. The house itself was beautifully set up, had all the conveniences one could hope for on a holiday (including Sky TV and the facility to schedule all Rugby matches and programs to be recorded to watch at leisure). Lumsden itself is so well located, close to Queenstown, Invercargill. Gore, Te Anau which allowed for some wonderful day trips and outstanding meals, winery visits etc as well as the comfort of a home away from home to enjoy and relax. The outdoor bush stove provided wonderful setting in the evening to enjoy a glass of wine and to soak up the atmosphere. Obviously if we were into trout fishing it would have opened up another whole set of adventures.