This is by far the most beautiful home my husband and I have ever stayed at. We are so glad we decided to stay at de Preaux Lodge instead of a normal hotel in Matamata. The luxury B&B and Farmstay experience was unique and definitely made our honeymoon in New Zealand much more memorable.
In the morning, we drove from Auckland to our Hobbiton tour at 1:30 pm. From Hobbiton, we drove about 10 minutes to check in at de Preaux Lodge. After parking in front of their home, Joy greeted us at the door and helped us get settled in. Their home looks like something photoshopped from an interior decorating magazine. Our first thought was, "This is a farm? OMG." The home was decorated with beautiful furniture and our room was very clean with a comfy bed. We were impressed their home has solar panels and motion lights which was especially nice when we walked through the halls at night to the bathroom.
Joy and Ian are very kind hosts who were so friendly and welcoming. I appreciate their flexibility and how they customized our farm stay to our schedule. For example, they made breakfast and gave farm tours at different times since one family wanted to leave early and we wanted to sleep in. The farm tour was so much fun. Ian gave us a ride on his tractor while feeding the cows and let us watch him while he gave a sick cow a shot of medicine. My favorite part was giving Daisy, their friendly sheep, a treat and taking a selfie with her. We learned so much from Ian during our farm tour about sustainability and being able to live off the grid. After seeing Joy's garden, we definitely want to grow our own vegetables once we get back home.
If you're planning a trip to Hobbiton or Matamata, I definitely recommend staying at de Preaux Lodge. You won't regret it. read more