Glamping in Martinborough

Over the Easter weekend, we spent two nights at the incredible River's Edge accommodation, only 10 minutes from Martinborough village in the Wairarapa.

Glamorous camping or 'glamping' is the perfect way to escape the hustle and bustle of the city...without sacrificing our creature comforts. This incredible site is off the grid - no reception and no electricity, but full plumbing and plenty to see and do.

The 'tent' came equipped with a king size bed, vintage leather couch, a fully equipped kitchenette (with a chilly bin as a fridge), + bathroom. We were delighted to find a great array of books and games (I thrashed Alex at chess). The owners even left us a bottle of local Sav, bless them. Even within the tent, our senses were immersed in the natural environment around us - the babbling of the river running through the property, the delicious smell of smoke from the indoor wood burner or pine from the recycled timber (some of my favourite smells ever), the feeling of a breeze through the tent. It was absolute bliss.

Of course, the wonders of our stay extended far beyond the tent. A short wander across the field in front of the accomodation leads you to an outdoor claw-foot tub. It lies under towering pine trees and next to the river, with countless fantail/pīwakawaka flitting about. Park up with a glass (or bottle) of wine and soak in the bubbles, listening to birdsong, rushing water and rustling leaves.

There's heaps to do in nearby Martinborough, a town renowned for its amazing vineyards and eateries. Still, we didn't feel much need to leave our cosy lodgings! After gathering up provisions from some of the local grocers, we self-catered with a lush platter and entertained ourselves with books, games, walks, river exploring, and even improvised pétanque using some lawn bowls we found outside the tent!

After only two days at River's Edge Ruru tent, Alex and I both felt incredibly relaxed and revived - we could barely pull ourselves away!

If you're looking for a unique place to stay in the Wairarapa, I couldn't recommend this place more. While there are a few extra things to plan for your stay (portable chargers and insect repellent comes to mind), glamping is a superb way to really get away from it all and reconnect with nature and a slightly slower pace of life.