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Beautiful & Unique - The Chapel at the Olive Grove

Photo gallery for Beautiful & Unique - The Chapel at the Olive Grove

Room
Interior
Interior
Dining
There is a portable Speaker for listening to your favourite sounds

Reviews

10 out of 10
Exceptional
1 bedroom1 bathroomSleeps 2

Popular amenities

  • Kitchen
  • Free Wi-Fi
  • Air-conditioning
  • Outdoor space
  • Parking available
  • Barbecue

Rooms & beds

1 bedroom (sleeps 2)

Bedroom 1

1 Double Bed

1 bathroom

Bathroom 1

Toilet · Shower only

Spaces

Kitchenette
Garden
Dining area

About this property

Beautiful & Unique - The Chapel at the Olive Grove

As unique as you can get! This gorgeous 1870's wooden chapel has been lovingly transported and restored into perfect holiday accommodation. The space is perfectly set up as a couples getaway providing an ideal escape from day to day life.
Located just 5 minutes drive from Russell, the Chapel at the Olive Grove is close enough to town to enjoy all there is to offer and it also has a Kitchenette and BBQ for those wishing to stay in for a quiet, romantic evening together.

The chapel was built in 1875 in Kawakawa, Bay of Islands by Irish coal miners and was formerly know as St Francis Xavier catholic church.
It is listed as a Category 2 Historic building with Heritage New Zealand and is constructed of 1 inch thick rough sawn Kauri planks.
It was moved to the site on the olive grove in 2012 by a local couple after it had fallen into disrepair and was no longer in use. It has been lovingly restored and set for its new life as holiday accommodation amongst the olive trees.

Because of the high ceiling and thick wooden walls the Chapel is lovely and cool in the hot summer months and we have an airconditioner/heatpump for added comfort.

Please do note that there is no TV. There is good wireless Wifi and a portable speaker if you would like to bring your own devise and streaming services to use

COVID-19 Travel Restrictions
Should you be unable to travel for your confirmed booking due to a Covid-19 level change we will happily rebook your dates to a suitable time in the future at no extra charge and can do so as many times as needed

Add dates for prices

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House Rules

Check in after 2:00 PM

Check out before 11:00 AM

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Children

Adults only

Babies under 1 year old ok with own cot

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Events

No events allowed

Chapel is available separately as a wedding venue

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Pets

No pets allowed

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Smoking

Smoking is not permitted

Important information

You need to know

Property # 9519122
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Note from host: Chapel is available separately as a wedding venue
Host has not indicated whether there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property; consider bringing a portable detector with you on the trip
Host has not indicated whether there is a smoke detector on the property

About the area

Russell

Located in Russell, this cottage is near the beach. Russell Museum and Pompallier Mission are cultural highlights, and some of the area's activities can be experienced at Bay of Islands Marina and Paihia Wharf. Makana Chocolate Boutique and Action World are also worth visiting. Make sure you don't miss outdoor adventures like ecotours and cycling.
View more Cottages in RussellOpens in a new window
Map
Russell, Northland

What's nearby

  • Russell Christ Church - 3 min drive - 2.9 km
  • Russell Museum - 3 min drive - 3.3 km
  • Russell Beach - 3 min drive - 3.3 km
  • Long Beach - 3 min drive - 3.3 km
  • Flagstaff Hill - 5 min drive - 4.0 km

Getting around

  • Kerikeri (KKE-Bay of Islands) - 51 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪CBK Craft Bar & Kitchen - ‬22 min drive
  • ‪Charlotte's Kitchen - ‬22 min drive
  • ‪Orange Frog - ‬23 min drive
  • ‪Duke of Marlborough Hotel - ‬4 min drive
  • ‪Seaside - ‬4 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is Beautiful & Unique - The Chapel at the Olive Grove pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

How much is parking at Beautiful & Unique - The Chapel at the Olive Grove?

On-site parking is available at the property.

What time is check-in at Beautiful & Unique - The Chapel at the Olive Grove?

Check-in begins at 2:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Beautiful & Unique - The Chapel at the Olive Grove?

Checkout is at 11:00 AM.

Where is Beautiful & Unique - The Chapel at the Olive Grove located?

Situated near the beach, this cottage is 0.2 mi (0.3 km) from Bay of Islands and within 3 miles (5 km) of Russell Christ Church and Russell Museum. Pompalier House and Russell Beach are also within 3 miles (5 km).

Reviews

10

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
Learn moreOpens in a new window
Rating 10 - Excellent. 16 out of 16 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 0 out of 16 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 16 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 16 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 16 reviews

10/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Amenities

10/10

Property conditions & facilities

10/10

Check-in

9.8/10

Communication

10/10

Location

10/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

Verified

10/10 Excellent

William B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Everything was great about the chapel.Clean, quiet, great location.
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Paul L.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Fantastic location

So peaceful, beautifully done, stylish and modern inside. Fantastic location close to everything, very tranquil and relaxing. We loved it here.
Stayed 9 nights in Dec 2022
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Kristi F.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Amazing place!

What a great find for us. It was exactly what we were looking for as we were visiting for a friend’s wedding. We would definitely highly recommend this place!
Stayed 5 nights in Jan 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Zoe F.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Perfect little chapel!

Such a beautiful space, everything was spotlessly clean, little kitchen has everything you need and we loved using the BBQ and enjoying the grounds around the chapel. Highly recommend !
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Ursula B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Thanks so much

Lovely place
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Diane

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities, communication
Charming former church in an idyllic setting. A lovely place to unwind and listen to the many varieties of birds in the area. We also got to see several new species to us. The kitchen was perfect for making simple meals. And it's just a 5 min. drive from Russell where there are a number of activities to engage in ( good restaurants, museums, short ferry ride to Pahia, several walking trails, etc.). I would definitely return to this place.
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

grant r.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Fantastic

Absolutely bliss
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Brian M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Stars. Bird Life. Quiet.

Simplicity personified.
Stayed 5 nights in Jan 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Garth W.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Cute Little Church

A very unique style of accommodation, a very well restored 1875 chapel converted to a compact accommodation space. Small kitchen, but adequate for your needs. Nice outdoor area overlooking two ponds, heaps of bird life. Overall, a great place to stay.
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Kevin H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, location, listing accuracy

Lovely place

Gorgeous location and place. Perfect for a couple’s getaway. Hard to communicate with property owner/manager owing to need to create an account with the VRBO platform which we didn’t want to do. And there was no other option.
Stayed 5 nights in Jan 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Elizabeth C.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Historic & peaceful

A peaceful special place to stay. Relocated into a beautiful location
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2022
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Brydie H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Recommend and would stay again

I loved staying at the Chapel, it was very private and quiet apart from the occasional sounds of birds outside. The heat pump made it nice and warm in winter. It had everything I needed and it was a nice distance between the ferry and Russell. I wondered whether it would feel weird staying in a former church but it only gave off good vibes. Definitely would recommend and stay again.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2021
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Albert B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Very unique

My partner and I had a perfect stay in this beautiful place. Bad weather on the first day but happened that sleeping in a chapel on a stormy night is quite an extraordinary experience :) This is more than a unique place. This is memories. Highly recommended
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2021
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Debbie R.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great location for our 25th wedding anniversary

Just wonderful so peaceful, just what was needed. The owners have done an awsome job. We will def visit again
Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2021
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Solenn L.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Exactly as per the photos

Very lovely place. Super quiet. Very handy location at equidistant from the car ferry and Russell. Hassle-free check in/check out process. Highly recommend
Stayed 4 nights in Jan 2021
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Andrew S.

Stayed 4 nights in Feb 2026

About the host

Hosted by Bay of Islands Hideaways

Host profile image

Hi I'm Kelly and I run Bay of Islands Hideaways. My husband and I have 3 young children and are lucky enough to call the Bay of Islands our home. I firmly believe when travelling that you truly get to know and appreciate a place so much more when you can stay and experience life like a local. Because of this I love the opportunities that holiday home rentals can provide for both myself and those staying in the houses I look after.
I take care of several properties in the area and get great enjoyment from meeting new people from all over the world and sharing in their experiences of our beautiful area.
As a family we love to get outside as much as possible. Whether its pottering around home in our garden, heading out to the beach or getting out on the water for some fishing

Why they chose this property

Russell just has everything you could possibly need for a great time away. There are world class restaurants right on the waterfront with a to die for view of the sunset nearly every evening. There are wonderful activities and attractions all within easy reach with historic places such as Christs church and Pompallier house right in town and out in the bay dolphin watching, sailing and islands tours leaving every day

What makes this property unique

Its not everyday you get to stay and experience a small piece of Historic New Zealand. The thick Kauri boards provide excellent insulation for cooling in summer and warmth in winter. The layout is just so romantic but also spacious meaning that even though it is just for 2 people there is plenty of space to move around.

Languages:

English

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