It’s true what they say about ‘the house finding you’.  Rowley Homestead found me.  At the time I was living on Waiheke Island over-looking the ocean in Onetangi.  It was heavenly but deep down I still hadn’t found what I was looking for.  The South Island wasn’t remotely on my radar either until Rowley presented itself in my inbox completely out of the blue one evening….’for sale’.

Long story short, intuition and action kicked in and I got here, went wow! and bought this little gem in Grovetown and an adventurous new life ensued. It was one of those definitive moments in life.

That was three years ago now and Rowley continues to be a labour of love on all fronts. On a daily basis I relish life in the South Island and  its folk, who are genuine, honest and authentic – real. Rowley Estate Homestead  was created purposefully around these values; for retreat, for the serenity and quiet where guests can escape the noise of the world and exhale.  The rural location, sweeping views across vineyards and mountains lend itself to rest, rejuvenation and slowing down in a natural setting.

Here at Rowley, one can actually practise doing nothing – being lazy even. You can loll about on the verandah, sip tea, wine, or just gaze out over the vines and tap into your visceral self.  It’s a lost art.  A dear friend stayed for 5 days recently and did just that.  Lucie was frazzled, burnt out from a corporate job, slogging her way through endless traffic, long days, on a treadmill and in need of a break.

Around day two she settled in – began to unwind, exhale.  There was no agenda, no demands, no people and no watching the clock. Bliss! The tension fell away and I watched the ease unfold.

I was keen for Lucie to experience this un-rushed rural life as it has a way of tapping into your soul and eventually gets under your skin. The days were languid with no fixed routine. We drank espresso and chewed the fat, cycled around country lanes, walked in the Withers, worked in the garden, a cellar door tasting here and there and took a roadie to Golden Bay and Farewell Spit. Tremendous it was.   My dear friend was blown away by the Top of the South🌾

Yeah, we sipped negronis on the verandah too – savouring the long twilights, drank our fair share of Marlborough wine by the fire and cooked delicious cuisine but collectively, this is what it’s all about when you stay at Rowley Estate🌳🌳🌳

Summer 2020…