FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

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All the details so you can plan your stay.

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The Property
Accommodation
Activities
Booking
Policies
Location
Catering
Groups

THE PROPERTY

About Lawn Road Retreat

Yes — always. Lawn Road Retreat is only ever booked by one group at a time. You have the entire property to yourselves for the full duration of your stay. No shared facilities, no other guests, no strangers at breakfast.

Up to 16 guests as standard, across 8 ensuite bedrooms. For groups of 17 or more, a 9th bedroom is available — a full ensuite murphy bed suite that functions as a lounge for smaller groups. The additional guest rate of $100 per person per night (or $135 during peak periods) applies beyond 16 guests. Get in touch to discuss larger group requirements.

Yes. There are ramps to all downstairs living areas, plus a dedicated accessible bedroom and bathroom. The property is genuinely well set-up for guests who need level access — please mention any specific requirements when you enquire and we’ll make sure everything is in place.

Pen and James live on the property in a separate house adjacent to the retreat. They’re close enough to help if you need anything, and far enough away that the place is entirely yours during your stay.

Qualmark is New Zealand’s official quality assurance mark for tourism businesses. Lawn Road Retreat holds a Qualmark 4 Star Plus Gold rating — the highest quality endorsement available — and has been recognised under the Light Footprint, Safe & Sound, and Warm Welcome categories.

ACCOMMODATION

Bedrooms, bathrooms & facilities

The property has 8 ensuite bedrooms, plus a 9th bedroom available for groups of 17 or more. The 9th room is a full ensuite murphy bed suite — it functions as a lounge for smaller groups and is set up as a bedroom when needed. Bedrooms 2 and 3 share an ensuite; all others have their own private bathroom. There are 10 bathrooms in total, including the accessible bathroom.

Yes — all bedrooms have air conditioning.

There are two fully equipped kitchens. The main kitchen has 2 ovens, 2 dishwashers, 2 fridges, and 2 sinks. The second kitchen has its own oven, cooktop, fridge, and dishwasher — plus the property’s washing machines. Combined appliances include a Thermomix, Magimix, rice cooker, crockpot, and air fryer, plus 3 large fridges and 2 bar fridges across the property.

Yes — Starlink ultra-fast broadband is available throughout the property, including in the meeting room and outdoor areas. It’s reliable enough for video calls, presentations, and streaming.

Yes — there are 8 Smart TVs with Netflix access throughout the property, including in main living areas and several bedrooms.

There is on-site parking for up to 10 vehicles. Additional parking is available for larger events — ask Pen when you enquire.

ACTIVITIES

On-site facilities & things to do

Yes, there is a saltwater pool on site. Please note it is not heated. There is also a large 14–16 seat hot tub which is heated and available year-round.

Yes — a 19x10m pickleball court opened in 2026. Equipment is available on site. The property also has a full-size tennis court, putting green, pétanque court, volleyball and badminton net, basketball hoop, and netball hoop

Lawn games include croquet, petanque, cornhole, cricket, kubb, and soccer with goals. Indoor activities include a pool table (with a tabletop option for meetings), darts, table tennis, piano, Jenga, Scrabble, Rummikub, and chess. There’s also a large playground, kids’ playhouse, and a jumbo Springfree trampoline for younger guests.

Yes — a wood-fired pizza oven in the outdoor entertaining area. There is also a BBQ, an outdoor fireplace with navy sofas, and a covered outdoor entertaining space with screens that’s usable in any weather.

Yes — the property has a Williams Warn kegerator. You’re welcome to bring your own keg (it must have a Williams Warn fitting), or if you’d like to order one in advance, we recommend Giant Brewing in Havelock North. They typically stock Lager, Pilsner, and NZ Pale Ale, plus a rotating range of small-batch beers. Kegs are mostly available in 50 litre, with limited 25 and 30 litre options. Pricing ranges from $6.50–$8.00 per litre plus GST. Delivery to the property is available, or you can collect from their Havelock North pub.

Yes — a landscaped putting green opened in 2026. The property is also ideally placed for golf groups, with five courses within 22 minutes including Cape Kidnappers, ranked in the world’s top 100.

Yes — the Hawke’s Bay Cycle Trail runs practically at the gate. You can head out from the property and be on the trail within minutes. We recommend Napier Bike Hire for quality bike hire delivered directly to the property.

BOOKING & PRICING

Rates, deposits & minimum stays

The standard rate is $2,300 per night for up to 16 guests (to October 2026), rising to $2,500 per night from October 2026. A peak rate of $3,200 per night applies during Mission Concert and Christmas/New Year. A one-off cleaning fee of $500 applies to all bookings. See the pricing page for full details.

Minimum stays are: 2 nights (standard year-round), 3 nights (weekends October–April and all public holidays), 4 nights (January, Waitangi Weekend, Easter), 5 nights (Christmas and New Year).

A 50% deposit is required to confirm your booking. The remaining 50% is due at least one month before your stay. All payments are made by bank transfer.

Yes — a $750 security deposit is required before check-in. This is fully refunded if the property is left in good order and no damage has occurred.

All payments are non-refundable unless: (a) cancellation is received in writing three or more months prior to the stay, or (b) a replacement booking of equal or greater value is secured before the original stay date. Full details are in the Terms & Conditions.

Yes — you can book directly through our online portal to check availability and secure your dates. Alternatively, get in touch with Pen if you’d like to talk it through first. Visit the enquire page for both options.

POLICIES

House rules & good to know

No — pets are not permitted at Lawn Road Retreat..

Smoking and vaping are not permitted inside any buildings. Outside, butts must be disposed of in the vessels provided. Please note that tampering with smoke detectors results in immediate eviction with no refund, plus a $1,200 fire service callout fee.

Yes — guests are asked to be mindful of the neighbours particularly after 10pm. Excessive noise at any time is not permitted. A noise complaint results in a first warning; repeated complaints may result in being asked to leave.

Parties and functions require prior approval and payment of a function fee. This includes pre- and post-wedding gatherings, BBQs with non-staying guests, and commercial activities such as photo shoots. Please discuss your plans with Pen when enquiring.

Yes. The pool is shallow so no diving. No glassware in the pool area or hot tub. No alcohol in the pool area if guests are intoxicated..

No — Lawn Road Retreat is not available for 21st or 30th birthday celebrations as we have had damage from these in the past. We welcome milestone birthdays from 40th onwards, as well as family stays, golf groups, corporate retreats, weddings, and other celebrations.

Comprehensive recycling options are provided, including bins for glass, plastics, cardboard, and specialist collections for soft plastics and batteries. Food scraps go to the chickens (not eggshells).

LOCATION

Getting here & getting around

150 Lawn Road, RD10, Hastings 4180, Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand. The property sits on open farmland surrounded by orchards and a vineyard — rural and peaceful, but centrally located between Hawke’s Bay’s main centres.

Approximately 20 minutes by car. There are regular flights into Napier from Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch.

Hastings and Havelock North are approximately 8 minutes, Napier 15 minutes, and Te Awanga 8 minutes. The property is well-placed for exploring the whole region.

Very close: Askerne Estate is 3 minutes away and accessible directly from the Hawke’s Bay Cycle Trail. Craggy Range and Black Barn are 5 minutes. Clearview Estate and Elephant Hill are 8 minutes.

Cape Kidnappers — home to New Zealand’s largest mainland gannet colony and one of the world’s top-100 golf courses — is approximately 22 minutes from the property..

FOOD & CATERING

Kitchens, chefs & dining

Yes — the property has two fully equipped kitchens with everything a large group needs to self-cater comfortably. See the accommodation section above for full kitchen details.

Yes — and sorting food is one of the things that makes the biggest difference to how a stay feels. Some groups book a private chef who cooks for the duration. Many others order ready-made meals from local caterers — affordable, delicious, and all you have to do is reheat them. The following have all worked at Lawn Road Retreat and come with excellent feedback: Molto Kitchen · Malo at Home · Pure Catering · Kate Lester · Roam · No5 Café & Larder · Long Island Deli · Mitzi & Twinn · Hygge. Food trucks: Black Betty BBQ · Gina’s Truck. Just mention catering when you enquire and Pen will help you figure out what suits your group best.

Yes — the wood-fired pizza oven is available for guests to use and wood is provided for this. There is also a full outdoor BBQ setup in the covered entertaining area.

GROUPS & EVENTS

Corporate, weddings & special occasions

Yes — a dedicated meeting room sits separate from the main living areas of the house. It seats up to 16–18 people with table extensions, has a 75″ Smart TV for presentations, Starlink wifi, and an adjacent breakout room with tea and coffee facilities.

Yes — the property is available as an exclusive-use wedding venue. Up to 16 guests can stay on site, with the reception held under a marquee on the grounds. Non-staying guests depart at the agreed time, and the wedding party has the house privately for the duration of their stay. Venue hire is $20,000. See the weddings page for full details.

Yes — the property is well-suited to retreat formats of all kinds, with a dedicated meeting room, multiple breakout spaces, a large covered outdoor area, and a calm rural setting. Retreat leaders are welcome to bring their own program and facilitators. See the retreats page for more.