Vacation rentals with a kayak in Russell

It is not 5 star accommodation but it did not say it was. It was clean and things worked. Great value for a group of friends travelling. 2 night stay sitting on the deck in the evening, the view of the falls and below was great. We ate at the manor a couple of minutes' walk away and enjoyed Karoke. Second night we made dinner. What was important to us? a) 8 of us can stay together b) keeping cost down c) clean. We will come back in again on the next trip in 2026.

Stunning location with a spectacular view. House was comfortable and coped very well with our group of 7, however the upstairs bedrooms need to be shared by a family as access to the bathroom was through the other bedroom. Road up to house very tricky and probably better attempted with a 4 wheel drive. We had a great week and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.

Amy's place was even nicer than the pictures! Our family of 5 loved staying in this peaceful beach community surrounded by beautiful views everywhere we turned. Cherrie was great at welcoming us and even connected us with a local kiwi expert that took us out to see kiwis in the wild, a one of a kind experience we will never forget! Our kids loved playing out on the beach and our youngest loved the toys in the kids room downstairs. Would definitely come back and recommend to anyone!

We stayed at Anne’s lovely cottage for three nights and enjoyed every minute of it . The beds are super comfy so we slept like a dream. The location is beautiful. Nicely nestled into the hill over looking the bay and only a short stroll to the beach and a short drive to the other beautiful bays in the area. The cottage has an everything you need and is spotlessly clean. I haven’t relaxed so much in ages. I think the giant bed with the gorgeous view has a lot to do with it . Anne is super lovely too. Perfect for us in every way.

Kay's place was perfect for a couple of night's getaway. She was a very quick communicator and everything was as expected. She kindly left us freshly baked bread, as well as honey and apples from her property. The beds were very comfy and the whole place was well stocked and much more spacious than we expected. Kay's husband James sorted the pizza over for us and we cooked homemade pizzas. The property is private and secluded but just up a driveway from the road. Would highly recommend both the hosts and the property. Would happily stay again or suggest it to friends and family.

Blown away by location and beautifully presented home, complete with all the bells and whisltes. Loved that we had access to plenty of beach toys, games and books. Did not need a thing. Felt right at home after travelling 800kms. Perfect size for a big whanau who love the beach. The sunrises and sunsets are stunning.

Ben and Tereza went the extra mile in all aspects. Really appreciated all the small touches and the fact there was much more than what we were expecting. Definitely stands head and shoulders above other accommodation. Will try and get back and stay here again. Ali, Saskia and Jordie

Lovely place to stay. Very well equipped. Great for family group of 3 generations. Great views from all rooms and always something happening on estuary. Pool table, spa , pizza oven and kayaks provided great variety of options. Highly recommend

Great stay in this Airbnb. The house aswell for the area was truly amazing! A beatiful way to end our holiday in New Zealand watching the sunset and beach from the balcony. Recommended for anyone spending time in NZ!

Olive Grove Cottage is one of the best airbnbs that we have stayed (trying hard to recall one that was better). The bathroom had loads of bench space for all our things, the bed was so comfortable, and the kitchen had everything that we needed (including a sharp knife - almost a first!). The two cabins (one for bed and ensuite, and the other the kitchen) were connected by a fabulous expansive patio, partly covered with a sail cloth (just right for a bit of shade from the sun). This patio was a great place to relax, have dinner, and enjoy the view - spectacular. Such a lovely private enclave. To top it off, the herb and vegetable garden were available for what we wanted. Lisa is a fabulous host, who made us feel welcome from our very first contact, with a very quick response time. I couldn't recommend Lisa's place more highly.

Goodness, we may have found the perfect airbnb. This charming cottage is set in an extraordinary setting, which is saying something given how extraordinary the Bay of Islands is to begin with. The hosts are incredibly gracious and generous, sharing their whole property: stargaze in the olive grove, kayak in the protected bay, watch sunrise from bed or your private balcony, enjoy fresh organic lemons, limes, and apples, watch sunset from the top of the hill, and see how many birds you can spot in the native bush (you may even hear the elusive Kiwi at night!). What a peaceful place to relax, though there is much to explore nearby, too. We cannot wait to return. This is a sign: if your partner shows you this listing and says, “I think we should stay here!” don’t think twice, just say yes.

Amazing little kiwi back in a private Rocky bay. Awesome for quality family time or a group of friends. Will definitely be staying here again!

River Cottage was such a gem! The surroundings were like a jungle, the grounds were beautiful and there was fun activities like board games and kayaks. We were even able to borrow a fishing pole and caught a fish! I enjoyed walking around the farm property and river area. My favorite part was access to a lookout tower off the deck. I made my latte each morning and climbed up there to enjoy it while watching and listening to all the birds. Book this place, it's magical!

Our time at the Shearer’s cottage was absolutely magical. My husband and I stayed with our three children for three nights. We were all utterly delighted when we walked in the door - lots of excited gasps from everyone - the surroundings are gorgeous, the property is thoughtfully appointed and spotlessly clean… far enough from the madding crowd to feel peaceful and secluded, yet still a very convenient drive to Kerikeri and the Bay of Islands. Ian and Anna were very friendly and communicative and made us feel totally welcome. Allow time to make the most of this beautiful place. The dawn chorus is glorious! Make sure you opt in for the spa by the river. We really hope we can visit again. Thank you so much Ian and Anna.

Linda’s place is beautifully organised and very clean. Lovely starry nights there. I didn’t explore the surrounds as I was too busy helping set up for my sons wedding, etc. next time I’m in Rangitane I’ll visit her studio 🩵

This was our best stay in NZ in terms of Airbnb’s and hotels. Such a beautiful, secluded spot that was everything we hoped for and more. Favorite parts was enjoying the sunsets, sitting by the water and enjoying some paddel boarding and kayaking.

We booked Diane's beautiful cabin for our familyfriends from overseas that came to stay up north for our wedding. The cabin was only 5 minutes from our place which made it very convenient as they we're new to Whangarei. Diane is very communicative and greeted our guests on their arrival. They only had good things to say about their stay and they really enjoyed the clean and tidy cabin and of course the lovely peaceful surroundings of nature around as well. Thank you Diane for welcoming our dear family friends into your property. Definitely will book your place again 😊

What an amazing little cottage on the water to relax and enjoy New Zealand's beauty! Perfect little spot to catch up with nature and see so many species of birds all around. The cottage even had fresh picked flowers when we arrived to make it even more magical. We can not wait to return to the cottage on our next trip back to New Zealand. The host Anna was wonderful and very responsive our entire stay! She helped us out and checked in on us during our stay to see if we needed anything. Thank you so much Anna, you were amazing.

Enjoyed our stay

Was a wonderful weekend, Nicole was so kind and welcoming!!