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We are planning a trip to Europe and United Kingdom in 2021. We are also open to swaps in other places. Swaps at our home can be non simultaneous or for points. Our home is spacious and contemporary, set in landscaped gardens.
Open plan living with alfresco dining and modern barbecue. Spacious living areas, lounge doubles as home theater. A television is also in the family room. The bedrooms are spacious. Main bedroom and guest room have bathrooms. The other two bedrooms share a large family bathroom. There is another toilet off the living areas. Attractive outlook down a valley. You can get glimpses of the Waikato River from the top balcony. We do have an Exercycle and a selection of children's cycles. Sometimes our 2 adult cycles are available.
Taupo boosts the largest freshwater Lake in Australasia. Famous for trout fishing and other water sports. Tongariro National Trout Center well worth a visit, sited on the Tongariro River. Several Golf courses close by. Attractions along our road include the stunning Huka Falls, (We are in walking distance of Huka Falls) The Honey Center, The Prawn farm and the exciting Jet Boat ride to Huka Falls etc. Taupo region has some of the best mountain bike trails in the world.
The tourist town of Taupo looks across to the mountains. Winter activities, ski, snowboard and have fun in the snow just an hours drive away. Summer activities Tongariro Alpine Crossing. (Voted one of the best walks in the world by Lonely Planet)
Other adventure activities sky diving, Tongariro river Rafting, bungy, Quad biking, white water rafting etc. For family activities mind Junction, Huka Prawn Farm, catch a prawn this is fun have done this with Grandchildren. The Ernest Kemp Scenic Cruises well worth doing. Taupo DeBretts Hot Springs (take a picnic) Also the AC Baths (cheaper). Lilliput Farm - an affordable family attraction. For golfers there is the Hole in One on the Lake front.
Thermal activities Orakei Korako Cave, Craters of the Moon, Tokaanu Thermal Pools etc.
Taupo well known for its various events such as The Iron Man and the Round the Lakes Cycle Race motor racing, boat racing amongst other events.
Taupo. Shop, Wine and Dine. Taupo is a shoppers dream. Numerous Cafes and Restaurants, (some award winning) and some on the Lake Front. Every Saturday there is a Farmers Market in Taupo.
Arts and crafts well represented with galleries. Don't miss visiting L'Arte Cafe, Mapara Road, gallery and garden, good food and great art.
We love being members of Love Home Swap, have met so many lovely people and enjoy the spontaniety of it. All swap to our home have been well received with lots of new friendships formed.
Great Lake Taupo web site: www.greatlaketaupo.com/
“Isabelle and Alex were welcoming and very helpful with our exchange. The house, at the foot of a mountain and beside a stream, could not have been nicer. There were five women and we had plenty of room. The spa and outdoor dining area were a real plus. The hiking trails and the beach were right there and Annecy, a bigger city on the other end of the lake, offers many activities. Thanks so much for this great opportunity. Evelyn”
“Isabelle very kindly met us at the airport and drove us to their lovely home in Doussard, a small hamlet at the southern end of Lake Annecy. We had a fantastic two weeks. The location couldn't be better for exploring the beautiful area with its stunning scenery, and their home has all the comforts you could want, including a lovely spa pool. We thoroughly recommend their home and location.”
“We loved staying at Geoff & Joyce's place; very spacious, comfortable and well-equipped. Location was perfect to enjoy activities around Taupo and within easy access of the lake and town centre.”
“One of our favourite places to visit. Fabulous hosts, amazing house and garden. Great central location, handy to Huka falls, bike rides, hot pools and Taupo town center. Geoff and Joyce many thanks again !”
“From the onset every message we received from Joyce & Geoff was very kind, considerate, welcoming & friendly. Their enormous home is like an estate, so quiet and peaceful. The up and downstairs bedrooms worked really well for our daughter's family and the two of us., as did having a media & a family room. The males could watch the Rugby World Cup games while the females watched DVDs. The location made it easy to visit the magnificent Huka Falls and all the other enjoyable places we saw during our stay. The view at tbe top of the road of Lake Taupo and the snow capped volcanoes towering into the clear blue sky beyond was spectacular. The only glitch we had was sorting out the TV system which seemed to have a mind of its own. We wholeheartedly thank Joyce & Geoff for their generosity in sharing their wonderfilled home with us & recommend them to anyone planning a holiday in Taupo. Thank you very much, Stephen & Anita ”
“We loved staying at Geoff and Joyce's house. It was beautiful and welcoming, its a fantastic location close to many activities and we only regret we could not spend any longer there! Look forward to coming back in the future Simon & Ada xx ”
“Fantastic Home near Huka falls. I would highly recommend their beautiful home. Joyce and Geoff were lovely - very helpful as we did a non- simultaneous swap. ”
“My family joined myself and two children on a week long holiday in Taupo staying at Geoff & Joyces property. The house was so warm in winter, so comfortable, modern and had large sweeping lawns and full privacy. Absolutely divine spot to stay when in Taupo or even on a holiday throughout NZ. Highly Recommend. Thank you Geoff & Joyce so much for having us!!! The house accommodated 4 adults and 5 children very easily.”
“Absolutely perfect in every way. Joyce and Geoff are fantastic hosts. Their home is beautiful, well located. With the most delicious tomatoes, strawberry, and fresh herbs. Easy drive to Rotorua, Wahi Beach, Napier, or sit back and enjoy the thermal pools in Taupo. ”
“This was our second time staying at Geoff and Joyce's home, and it was just as wonderful! Such a comfortable place, with plenty of space for an Easter gathering with other friends. Once again, the drift trike was a huge hit with the kids...not to mention exploring around the property. And what a joy to eat from the garden! This time we enjoyed courgettes, carrots, leeks, tomatoes, beans, turnips, herbs and pears...lovely! Thank you for another magic weekend :-) ”
“Great place to spend some relaxing time and explore the area. The home is very beautiful and the pictures do not do it justice. The private acreage is lovely with gardens and foliage surrounding it. You can do an easy walk from the house through redwood forests to Huka Falls. Thanks so much for sharing your home with us! Donna and Doug”
“In my son's words 'this is a palace!' We had a wonderful time in this fabulous and immaculate home just outside Taupo centre. Our hosts were warm and helpful and lovely to deal with. The garden was immaculate and provided endless entertainment for the kids along with lots of lovely strawberries! Thank you so much!”
“What a fabulous experience! We had such a great time staying in Geoff and Joyce's place. It's just a wonderful slice of NZ paradise. We loved getting to know them, and the house is a gem -- plenty of space, well fitted out with everything you need, super comfortable, an amazing kitchen, and an even more amazing vege garden and orchard. What a joy to pick fresh food, cook it up, and eat outside with a beautiful view over the property, across the bush and down towards the Waikato river. The kids loved all the books, not to mention the dress ups and great assortment of bikes and trikes in the garage. Although Jay will never be the same after seeing a Man Shed like this one! Thank you Geoff and Joyce :-) ”
“We stayed in Joyce and Geoff's home at the end of Jan, beginning of Feb 2017. There were 8 adults and one 8 month old baby. It is an absolutely beautiful, comfortable, clean, peaceful and airy house. It had everything you needed and more, great gardens, fruit and vegetables that we were able to use and lovely different places to sit both inside and outside. We were able to cook on their state of the art BBQ and enjoyed our dinners outside every night. Joyce had a cot and high chair for the baby which was very useful. Joyce and Geoff were great at communicating with us and met us when we arrived which was brilliant. We visited some local sites such as Hukka Falls, geothermal pool and the beautiful Lake Taupo and we loved the house and the gardens and felt very much at home there. We all have lovely memories of our stay in Joyce and Geoff's home and look forward to welcoming them to our home in Ireland. Thank you very much Joyce and Geoff. ”
“What a wonderful stay, plenty of information about the area, great garden and vegetable plot which we were invited to enjoy, lovely location for town and the Huka Falls, everything was perfect and to meet Geoff and Joyce on our last night was delightful over a few drinks, then to see them again when they visited our house in York was lovely.”
“What an exchange ! Because we became friends with Geoff and Joyce when they visited England in 2015, it was more of a reunion than a house swap. They are the perfect hosts and we loved staying in their home. As others have said, the house and gardens are fabulous. We did so much (most things that other people have mentioned, except for the bungy jump and sky dive). You can also take a walk along the shores of Lake Taupo ending with a picnic or a delicious ice-cream on Hot Springs Beach. There is a lovely Saturday market in Taupo itself. Travelling down from Auckland we visited the geysers and village at Rotorua and on our way back we included Waitomo Glowworm Caves ( a magical experience) and Hobbiton of Lord of the Rings fame (great but quite expensive). We enjoyed it all. We hope to see you again, Geoff and Joyce. You know you are always welcome to stay with us in the UK. Thank you for everything. Best wishes, Gill and Tony. ”
“Thank you Geoff and Joyce for such a wonderful stay! The contact throughout the booking process was impeccable, and it was so lovely to meet you both when we arrived. Thank you for sharing your home and opening it up for our use. We will never forget the time we had there and will always be thankful for the way you made us feel so comfortable and even teach Dan how to fly cast! The house is very large and brilliantly set out. The kitchen is fully equipped and a joy to cook in. The favourite room of course was the adults Home Theatre Room where we could relax in front of the large screen, watch sports and movies and warm up in front of the fire! Loads of space for the kids to run around, and vegetables a plenty in the beautifully landscaped gardens. We recommend this home to anybody who wants a great Kiwi holiday and spend some great time in Taupo! Enjoy your travels and we look forward to your stay at our place in Koh Samui. The Prince family”
“AMAZING HOUSE .AN ABSOLUTE PLEASURE”
3 things they loved about the trip
“It was a pleasure to stay in Taupo in your beautiful home .It was very relaxing to sit in your lovely garden with a glass of NZ wine at the end of the day and look at the mountains. The weather was perfect. Taupo has so much to offer Thermal springs , the beautiful lake , trout fishing , fantastic cafes , Huka Falls , the river cruises , jet boating on the river ,bungy jumping . Would highly recommend to anyone not to miss coming to this beautiful town and to stay in this lovely home. Would love to come back soon as the neighbours would love to catch up to you both again Thanks again Joyce and Geoff . ”
“Beautiful home, sprawling gardens - just a wonderful swap experience!”
3 things they loved about the trip
“All the attractions of this part of NZ - thermal springs, beautiful walks, lakeside beaches, cruising on the lake, climbing an active volcano (big bragging rights for the kids!), caves with glow worms, Rotorua, and also shopping in Taupo. Taupo is also really kid-friendly with an excellent playground/park, lovely safe beaches, the much loved "Lion Express" mini train. New Years Eve was a highlight with a children's party and fireworks. We thoroughly enjoyed this holiday! ”
We are Retired Dairy Farmers who enjoy travelling and motor homing around our beautiful country. We are both involved in our local motor home assn.
We have done numerous house swaps and have started point swapping. We are happy to do non simultaneous swaps as we have a motor home. The bonus of house swapping is all the lovely people we meet. Many of these become friends.
Geoff is a keen fly fisherman and also spends time in our large garden. We both enjoy photography. Joyce is a member of the local Cake Decorating Club and also belongs to an art group. For exercise Joyce attends Zumba classes. We both enjoy cycling.
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