Appledore Lodge

31/12/2020

It's a hot dry summer folks. Please preserve water.

10/12/2020

Well, it is the end of an era here at Appledore Lodge. After 9 happy years of owning and running the Lodge, the time has come for us to retire and move on to the next excitement. Developing Appledore Lodge into the business it has become, has been such a learning curve and so much fun as well as heaps of very hard work. The friends we have made along the way, the fascinating people we have met and the joy of returning guests has enriched our lives enormously. THANK YOU to every one of you. The new owners are SO excited to be able to take the business further and expand it in their own unique way. We wish them every possible success going forward and much happiness on the river.

03/11/2020

Thinking of all Austrians, and in particular our lovely guests from there over the years. May Vienna withstand this too. Sending strength to you.

31/10/2020

Just a reminder of the loveliness up here in the far north:)

​Why do so many people head south for their holiday, when some of NZ's best sights are found near the very top.

04/10/2020

Well, what a time the world is having. Here in NZ, we are almost covid free and spring has sprung at Appledore Lodge. Domestic travellers are booking for the high season and we look forward to hearing everyone's experiences!

15/04/2020

We were so lucky to have our delightful young Dutch guests stay on with us for a further 2 weeks due to flights cancelled and the general chaos of COVID- 19. They managed to fly home last week, and things have been VERY quiet since then. Thank you Martine and Arjan for all your help around the property.

26/03/2020

Here in NZ we are also in lockdown. Being a small country very far away from the rest of the world, all our visitors have travelled across the world to get here. Thousands of them are stranded and being accommodated in a range of motels and camp grounds. We have one young couple here with us from the Netherlands, and there are of course no flights. They have been here with us for a while and we have put them up in our Cottage, so they are part of the family now for what looks like 4 weeks. We are all grateful to be in isolation right here. Look after yourselves and we'll be back at the start of summer here down under.

16/03/2020

Thank you to all our lovely guests this season. At the tail end of it for us, we have, of course, had a lot of cancellations. but the glimmer of light is that we have had 2 nights booked by New Zealanders coming up to the Bay of Islands for some sun and sanity and escaping from Auckland for a few days. Many of our cancellations, which are all from our European guests, have asked if they can postpone and rebook when all this calms down. Stay safe everyone. Be sensible.

07/02/2020

How fabulous is this! Having lived and worked in the UAE for many years, this is so much appreciated:)

The flag was showcased on the Burj Khalifa in Dubai which stands at 829.8 metres high.

05/02/2020

Waitangi week is in full swing up here in the Bay, culminating in Waitangi Day tomorrow. Last night we had Orzogna, a Vietnam Veteran, and his wife Miriam, who wore her Dad's medals from WW11 and the 28 Battalion. They were involved in the dawn service today, commemorating those Maori soldiers who fought in many conflicts throughout the past few centuries. The Waitangi Treaty Grounds have opened a new museum today which does just that. It is fabulous and adds to the already great attraction of the Treaty Grounds. It is buzzing up here with the PM, politicians, Maori leaders and many visitors enjoying the festivities.

01/02/2020

The only good thing about summer is that it does turn into autumn and winter.... I, along with kiwis apparently, cannot wait for that to happen.

The very dry summer in the Bay Of Islands and throughout Northland has made it extremely difficult for the Kiwi to locate water. Usually only a nocturnal animal, it’s been sighted coming out in the day. Locals are encouraged to slow down on roads, leave water bowls out and keep a watch over their dogs. The Puketi Forest is home to the North island Brown Kiwi, the largest of the 5 Kiwi species and often heard singing out on our twilight night tour. To learn more about the kiwi BOOK with us online! 🌿

23/01/2020

Thank you Allan for this wonderful start to the day earlier this week:)