My mother and I were overwhelmed by the superb accommodation (eg Sky sports for the rugby world cup) and the excellence of service provided by our host Frances. 5 star plus. Highly recommended. More

You really have to experience a stay at Oceanspray Homestay to understand it's charm and the unbelievable generosity of Francis who runs it. Situated right by the Ocean with beautiful views, more homely than most homes and with an amazing host, this spot really is a gem. If you're in that neck of the woods, don't miss out on staying... More

My husband, our one-year-old son and myself went travelling for two months this northern winter and this was the nicest place we stayed at. We only stayed one night, but it felt like we were part of the family and we really want to go back and stay for a couple of weeks. You will not be disappointed with this... More

We were travelling to Whakatane for strawberry-picking at Julian's Berry Farm and chose to stay along Ohope beach. We stayed in a lovely cottage with 2 rooms. Frances had thoughtfully packed her fridge with everything we needed - from wholemeal, white bread to precooked bacon. There were many books, magazines, CDs and videos and the kids enjoyed playing with the... More

I had booked this Homestay for two nights and ended up adding an extra night I enjoyed it so much! I was given the cottage on the property which consisted of a lounge room/ full kitchen, a queen room, a twin room, bathroom, toilet and laundry. The kitchen was fully stocked and Frances (upon hearing I am vegan), had provided... More

This is a gem of a place. We had the 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom downstairs apartment and it was perfect. Clean, well appointed, quiet, our own area outside, use of the gorgeous area upstairs on the deck, the beautiful long ohope beach just steps away over the dunes, but, best of all, the amazing hospitality of Frances and John. The... More

We stayed at Ocean Spray for 1 night this weekend. We were very impressed with the apartment and delighted to find all the provisions for a substantial breakfast waiting for us. Frances has thought of everything, lots of little treats like choccies, a bottle of wine and even a decanter of Port!! The bathroom was well stocked with towels, lotions... More

May 2008. Victoria, Australia. Having recently returned from a very pleasant trip to New Zealand, I must sing the praises of B&B accommodation there generally. In particular we enjoyed a stay at Oceanspray Homestay at Ohope Beach - a short drive from Whakatane in the Bay of Plenty. We (two people) had the sole use of the downstairs self-contained apartment,... More

My wife and I stayed at the OceanSpray for one night as part of our honeymoon. We had the downstairs apartment which had three bedrooms, and a common area that included a kitchen. The rooms were clean and well maintained. The hosts, Frances and John, work hard to maintain a home like feel. The shelves contained a wonderful collection of... More