Ranfurly Hostel & Laundry

11/05/2026

Falls Dam is a great alternative to the more popular St Bathans — or you can easily combine both into one day trip. Unlike St Bathans, you probably won’t see many other tourists here 😊

We’d recommend turning off the main road in Hills Creek and approaching the less touristy northern end of the dam, where the old fishing huts are located. The huts themselves are worth seeing, and from there you can access the walk along the dam. The track is officially marked as closed, but when we visited there was no padlock on the gate ;)

Just be aware that the road can get rough — a 4WD is recommended unless you also want an unexpected mud adventure like us 😅 We crossed two fords without problems… but got properly stuck in the mud past the dam.

The wider Oteake Conservation Area is also full of interesting hiking trails and is a fantastic place for hut bagging.

04/05/2026

A lovely surprise – we’ve won a photo competition in the local newspaper Positively Maniatoto. Thank you! 😊

25/04/2026

Join our Board Games Night tonight at 7pm in the common room 🎲
Everyone’s welcome! No experience needed!

24/04/2026

Game on! 🏉 See you soon at the Maniototo Park!

24/04/2026

We’ve been waking up to frost lately, and there’s honestly no better time to warm up in our infrared sauna 🔥 Whether you’ve just finished a ride, a long day outside, or simply want to relax — this is your sign to treat yourself this long weekend! Everyone is welcome — locals and travellers alike 😊

👉 Book your session here: https://sauna.schedulingkit.com/b/ranfurly-infrared-sauna

💡 Last-minute plans?
For same-day bookings, give us a call on 03 444 9588 or message us on WhatsApp 022 165 2233 (at least 1.5 hours before your preferred time).

Warm up, recover, and relax — you’ve earned it 💛

15/04/2026

It’s been just over a week since our sauna arrived at Ranfurly Hostel, and it’s already had quite a workout — over 22 hours of use so far! 🔥

We’ve been enjoying it ourselves (a lot 😄), and it’s been great to see some locals from Ranfurly come and try it too. One of our guests even described it as an “out of this world experience”!

There’s something really special about taking that time to slow down, warm up, and properly relax — especially after a day outdoors.

We’re looking forward to more of you giving it a try and enjoying a bit of well-deserved relaxation with us 😊

👉 Book your session here: https://sauna.schedulingkit.com/b/ranfurly-infrared-sauna

12/04/2026

We’ve put together a few simple guidelines to help you relax, stay comfortable, and enjoy the full benefits of the sauna 🌿

👉 Ready to relax? Book your session here: https://sauna.schedulingkit.com/b/ranfurly-infrared-sauna

10/04/2026

Our infrared sauna at Ranfurly Hostel is now available for bookings! 🔥

If you haven’t tried one before, infrared saunas are a gentle, relaxing way to warm up from the inside out. People love them for helping to:
✨ relax muscles and ease tension
💓 improve circulation
🚴 support recovery after cycling or long days outdoors
😌 reduce stress and boost mood
💧 sweat out toxins
🌿 open pores and give you a natural glow
😴 promote better sleep and overall wellbeing

It’s not just about the heat — it’s about taking time to slow down, breathe, and properly unwind!

We’re offering 75-minute private sessions:
💛 $15 for 1 person
💛 $20 for 2 people

Towels and water included — just bring yourself. Payment via cash on arrival or bank transfer.

👉 Book your session here:
https://app.schedulingkit.com/b/ranfurly-infrared-sauna

Perfect after a ride on the Rail Trail, a cold day, or just when you feel like treating yourself ✨

If you’ve got any questions, just send us a message — and we hope to see you in the sauna soon!

09/04/2026

Our infrared sauna has arrived! 🥳 This has been a long-time dream for Kamila, and she’s absolutely over the moon — she’s already used it twice!

A huge thank you to Sam & Anna for helping put it all together, Becky for gifting us her lush plants, and the kind fellas who helped carry those heavy boxes inside. You’re legends! 💪

We’re now thinking about opening the sauna to the public — and we’d love your thoughts.

The idea is simple: a relaxed, private 75-minute session where you can unwind, warm up, and take a proper break. Our introductory offer of $20 for two people or $15 for one, includes towels and water — just bring yourself.

It’s not just about the sauna though. You’d also have space to slow down a bit — stretch on a yoga mat, read a book, do a puzzle, or just enjoy some quiet time. Inside the sauna, you can connect your own music via Bluetooth, listen to the radio, or sit in silence, with different light settings to match your mood.

We’ll share more tomorrow about how to use an infrared sauna and why it’s so good for you.

💬 For now, we’d love to hear from you — would you come for a session?

26/03/2026

Mark your calendars! 🗓️ Only Fools and Horses Race is coming up on Saturday 11th of April, starting in Wedderburn—just 15km from us.

I’ve done a couple of Inch Events races before and they’re always so much fun. Whether you’re aiming to outrun the horses 🐎 or just soak up the stunning Maniototo scenery, it's well worth it. Highly recommend!

🔥 ONLY FOOLS & HORSES IS BACK 🔥
📍 Wedderburn, Maniototo, Otago
📅 Saturday, 11 April 2026

Runners, are you sick of losing to humans?
Why not get absolutely waaasted by two species instead? 🐎💨

This is the unhinged race where you line up against…
👉 Other humans
👉 And actual horses

Yes. Real ones. Fast ones. The kind that don’t care about your ego.

We need more Fools!

💥 $1000 prize if you somehow outrun a horse
💥 Questionable life choices encouraged
💥 Bragging rights (or excuses) guaranteed

If you:
• Reckon you’ve got legs like lightning
• Regularly sign up for things you regret
• Feel a mild thrill at the idea of being trampled…

Then step right up.

👉 Tag your most delusional mate
👉 Enter now
👉 Embrace the chaos

https://fools-and-horses.com/