Our campsites are open and operating safely at this time.
Please rest assured that if you do book a stay and a move back to a higher Alert Level means we have to close, we will postpone or refund your stay.
Ruru Room
Port Charles, Coromandel
High up, on a small point near the Coromandel settlement of Port Charles, is a truly special getaway with spectacular views - known as Ruru Room.
Ruru Room is 3-hours and 45-minutes drive from Auckland City, one hour from Coromandel Town, and 40 minutes from Colville.
The accommodation consists of two small cabins - one the sleeping, living and kitchen space, and the other the bathroom - connected to each other by decking walkways. Both are light, bright, tasteful and simple - with everything you need, and nothing you don't.
There are incredible sea views in every direction, but from your bed, you'll enjoy the sun rising over the sea to the East as the tide gently laps the rocks on the beach below. Gannets, seabirds and rays inhabit the bay - with snapper plentiful off the point.
Walk to the grassy summit to a shaded lookout - or down to the rocky beach where you can swim directly from the steps at high tide - or explore rich and diverse rockpools until you reach the water's edge.
Large and established trees surround the cabin and cover the property - primarily pohutukawa, but also puriri, kowhai, lancewood and many, many Nikau. The air is dense with the bird song of tui, kaka, piwakawaka, riroriro and many others. As the evening descends, you’ll hear the distinctive call of the ruru (morepork).
Ruru Room is a quietly dramatic property - with spectacular and subtle aspects combining to create a uniquely secluded, and peaceful, place to be.
FROM
$280
p/n
Sleeps
2
Winter Escape
Getting There
FAQS
Rates and Extras
Booking Terms
Make sure you download or print this handy info sheet with directions and host contact details prior to your journey. You may not have mobile reception at all times.
2) Drive. If you choose to drive, detailed instructions follow below.
Ruru Room is 3 hours and 45 minutes drive from Auckland City, one hour from Coromandel Town, and 40 minutes from Colville. Note that the final 30 minutes of your drive will be on an unsealed gravel road. Make sure you stop to buy provisions in Thames or Coromandel. There is a store in Colville, but the selection is limited.
Follow the Google Maps directions to the address.
Once you arrive at the address, you'll see a steep right-of-way at a corrugated iron Kereru and microwave letterbox. Turn on to this right-of-way. You may need to open and close a gate at the top. Continue down the steep right-of-way, driving carefully near the bottom where there is a drainage hump, and past the old wrecked 4WDs… Ruru Rooms entry is the wide metal gate directly ahead of you.
There is a gate lock and a lockbox with keys to Ruru Room - both require codes. We'll send the codes to you 5 days prior to your stay in a pre-arrival email.
Note: If you have booked within 5 days and haven't received a pre-arrival email shortly after booking, please email us at [email protected].
important arrival and parking instructions
Once you've arrived, proceed up the driveway
The drive is steep, so please drive very slowly, letting your vehicle drive gently so as not to rut and disperse the gravel.
At the top, it is best to drive past the flat area on the right and then reverse onto the flat area, that way your boot will be near the steps to the cabin.
When driving out, be careful of the corner back onto the drive, better to do the turn in two sections unless you have a very tight turning circle.
Ruru Room is perfect for a couple, sleeping 2 people in a queen-sized bed.
Duvet and pillows are 100% down, with a waffle cotton duvet cover. Linen is 1000 thread count 100% cotton. There are extra blankets in the antique chest.
The kitchen facilities are in the main cabin and include a stainless counter including with sink and hot water. A two-burner gas hob and electric oven are provided for cooking. In the cabinetry under the counter are two under-counter refrigerators. A blender, toasted sandwich maker and toaster are also supplied.
All the pots, pans and utensils you'll need for cooking and eating are provided.
Some pantry basics are supplied - olive oil, salt and pepper.
The bathroom facilities are in a separate building a few metres from the main cabin and include a hot shower with good pressure, flush toilet and a basin and counter-top with mirrors.
Water pressure is solid and pump-fed from rain-water tanks but careful usage to conserve water would be appreciated during the summer months.
Only Spark has coverage at Ruru Room and this is best found at end of the property, on the top flat area, at the sea end or on the outward corner of the cabin deck. Vodafone coverage can be found back some kilometres on the road at the turn-off to Carey road.
Ruru Room is not suitable for children and is a strictly adults-only site. The one exception to this rule is for non-mobile babies under 6 months with BYO bedding and portacot. If you are bringing your non-mobile baby, you'll need to mention this in the comments box when you book.
If you're looking for a safe family-friendly glamping site, select the family icon in the search bar on our 'find your escape' page to easily find them.
Ruru Room is very private, with only a few faint signs of other habitation from the cabin.
At the back of the property, looking south, you can make out the roof of the closest neighbour below, and catch glimpses of gravel road and a few partial sites of small bachs.
From the cabin deck, you'll see a handful of small houses far in the distance across the bay, in Port Charles. To the North is glorious open sea and landscape.
Note that the final 30 minutes of your drive to Ruru Room will be on an unsealed gravel road.
Access to Ruru Room once you arrive is via a steep gravel driveway. You'll need to drive carefully up the drive and parking is available at the top near the steps to the cabin. You'll be able to come and go as often as you need.
Yes. There are plenty of options for storing a boat during your stay at Ruru Room, although none are undercover. The property is secure in that there is a gate with a lock.
There is a flat (although rather weedy) area just inside the gate. There is also a large flat area halfway up the drive and the flat area just behind the cabin is long enough to park both boat and vehicle.
This is a steep property in areas, and often over-grown, so caution and diligence are advised.
The deck’s outermost corners are a little over a metre and above agapanthus, so caution needs to be taken.
The short walkway between bathroom and cabin is raised and, as yet, foliage has not established at its sides - please be cautious and turn on the outside light at night.
The pathway to the sea is steep in places with steps that are steep. Although robustly constructed, please be mindful as the land on either side is steep and loose. The final steps to the water's edge are a rope ladder down a relatively steep bank, you'll need to take it easy and watch your step.
Ruru Room has a standard minimum stay period of 2 nights with no exceptions.
Public Holiday Weekends:
The minimum booking period for long weekends such as Labour Weekend, Anniversary Weekend, etc is 3 nights. The minimum booking period for Easter is 4 nights. There are sometimes longer minimum stay periods across Christmas and New Year and these will be specified in the online availability calendar.
Ruru Room has a standard minimum stay period of 2 nights with no exceptions.
Public Holiday Weekends:
The minimum booking period for long weekends such as Labour Weekend, Anniversary Weekend, etc is 3 nights. The minimum booking period for Easter is 4 nights. There are sometimes longer minimum stay periods across Christmas and New Year and these will be specified in the online availability calendar.
Give the gift of glamping! Gift Vouchers are available for use at any of our Canopy Camping Escapes glamping sites. These are provided in electronic format, for you to print out and pop in a greeting card for the lucky recipient. Read more about our gift vouchers, including how to purchase one, here.
1.1 A deposit of 10% is required to confirm your booking and secure the property. This will be charged to your credit card at the time of booking. A 2.5% credit card payment surcharge will be applied to this payment.
1.2 On receipt of the deposit, you will receive an email confirming both the payment and your booking details.
1.3 The remaining balance will be due one month in advance of your arrival date. An email reminder will be sent to you 31 days prior to your arrival date, where an outstanding balance remains. The reminder email gives you the option to pay the remaining balance by A2A (Internet Banking) or credit card. If your internet banking payment has not been received within 24 - 48 hours, the remaining balance will automatically be charged to the credit card used at the time of booking. Please note: a 2.5% credit card payment surcharge is applied to all payments made by credit card. Credit Card data is held in a secure and encrypted environment.
1.4 Bookings made within 4 weeks in advance of your arrival date will be charged the full balance at the time of booking (this may be processed in two payments).
1.5 If you are unable to pay the balance before the stated due date, you will forfeit your deposit and your booking will be cancelled.
1.6 Bookings made online within 48 hours of arrival will not be confirmed immediately. Once the campsite has agreed that the booking can be honoured, the guest will be informed by Canopy Camping Escapes and the credit card used for the online booking will be charged the full balance of the stay (note that there is a 2.5% credit card fee).
2.1 Some campsites may have limitations due to weather. If severe weather is forecast we will call you as soon as possible prior to your scheduled arrival date to advise you and cancel your booking. You can choose whether to defer your holiday to a later date subject to availability or receive a full refund.
2.2 Your 10% deposit is non-refundable, however it can be transferred to another booking made within a 12 month period, if your stay is cancelled more than 3 weeks prior to your arrival.
2.3 Cancellation or date changes by you within 4-21 days of your arrival date will result in 50% of the total cost of your stay being charged. Cancellation or date changes within 3 days of your arrival date will result in 100% of the total cost of your stay being charged.
2.4 Date changes made more than 21 days prior to your original arrival date are allowed without penalty.
3.1 Campsites are often situated on working farms and there are hazards both natural and man-made. You accept that you enter the property at your own risk to participate in a glamping holiday.
3.2 Participation in activities such as, outdoor baths, climbing trees, walking on the property and any other activity on the property is the responsibility of the Guest and is done so at their own risk.
3.3 Canopy Camping Escapes accept no liability for accident, loss of property or personal injury whilst on your stay.
No pets allowed unless otherwise specified on the website listing. Most campsites are situated on working farms, and therefore are not suitable for visiting pets.
6.1 Guests have the right to occupy the Property for the paid holiday period only.
6.2 Guests are required to observe the rules and familiarise themselves with the procedures contained in the information folder provided in the accommodation.
6.3 Guests shall take all reasonable and proper care of the property and its furniture, fittings and effects in or on the property and leave them in the same state of repair, condition, cleanliness and tidiness as at the commencement of the rental period.
6.4 Guests are required to inform the owner of any damage or breakage in or around the property promptly so that it can be repaired and replaced for the next guests. Guests are bound to reimburse the owners for replacement or repair.
6.5 Where the property has not been left in the same state of condition, cleanliness and tidiness as at the commencement of the rental period, an additional cleaning cost of $100 may be reasonably demanded by the owners.
6.6 Smoking is not permitted anywhere on the property.
6.7 Guests undertake to behave in a proper, appropriate and legal manner with due respect to the Owner, the Property and other guests and their property. If any guest behaves inappropriately or improperly (of which the Owner will be the final judge on their Property), or illegally, the Owner reserves the right to ask the guest and their party (at their discretion) to leave the Property before the end of the holiday period. Any refund for so doing will be at the entire discretion of the Owner in consultation with Canopy Camping Escapes.
The person who completes the Booking Form certifies that: he or she is authorised to agree the Booking Conditions on behalf of all persons included in the Booking Form, including those substituted or added at a later date; the signatory is over eighteen years of age; they agree to take responsibility for the party occupying the Property, and to notify Canopy Camping Escapes if they are not a member of the holiday party.
Ruru Room has all the facilities you need to self-cater. Just bring your own food, and prepare meals in the kitchen space. There is a gas cooktop and electric oven for cooking and you'll find all the cutlery, crockery, pots and pans that you'll need.
Dining options are few and far between, but you'll find a cafe at the Tangiaro Kiwi Retreat which is occasionally also open for dinners. There are also a couple of cafes in Colville (40 minutes away) and a broader range of options in Coromandel Town (1 hour away).
If you need to pop out for supplies, there is a small store at Colville, but otherwise, you'd be wise to ensure you bring everything you need!
Things to do
Once you arrive at Ruru Room, you won't want to leave, and nor will you need to...
Read, rest and recharge your soul. Hours can be spent relaxing on the cabin deck - watching the light change on the ocean. As night falls, listen to the ruru calling from the trees and even kiwi calling from the denser bush beyond.
In the morning, head down the path to the sea below for an early morning swim off the rocks. Bring your rod and gear and catch a snapper for lunch! There's a fish bench available behind the bathroom cabin.
If you feel the need to leave the property, a 10-minute walk back up the drive and north along the road brings you to Sandy Bay, a large gentle crescent of golden sand and tepid brine. Along the road to the south is Little Sandy Bay, best visited at high tide, with its rope swing out over the sea. From the right of way, and down a shared path, is the jetty - a good place for fishing and also a great place to park your yacht, or meet your charter boat. A helicopter can land here.
A few kilometres back up the road is Tangiaro Kiwi Retreat with over 50 wild kiwi on the property and their Kiwi Experience walks are open to the public when there is availability. Tangiaro Kiwi Retreat also offers massages which are available to day-visitors (bookings essential though!)
If you're keen to get active, a popular walk is a coastal walk between Stony and Fletcher Bays. Stony Bay is about 15 minutes drive from Ruru Room. This walk takes approximately 7 hours return, starting from Stony Bay, but there are shorter and equally spectacular iterations. Stony Bay itself is a worthy destination.
For guided local bushwalks and fishing trips – either land-based fishing or using your own boat – visit Colville Guiding or treat yourself to a horse trek - Colville Horse Treks come recommended by your hosts!
Your Hosts
The owners of Ruru Room are an artist and scientist who are based overseas. For them, Ruru Room represents the perfect synthesis of respite from their busy lives, while offering nourishment for their life pursuits. They say “our place is charged with a resounding and peaceful spirit. With its abundance of unique flora and fauna, this private eyrie is an idyll unlike any we’ve encountered”. The property is a part of the family and they have long-term plans for ecological regeneration.
They have a property manager nearby who will be your point of contact during your stay at Ruru Room if needed.
Browse the Collection
Beautiful tents surrounded by nature, quirky cabins with packets of personality and secret hideaways that offer something completely unique... Explore the other places in our collection.
