My husband and I stayed at Out in the Styx for a couple of nights mid-December 2011. Our room was a delight, very comfortable; nice bathroom. It was good to sit outdoors in the evening watching the tuis (NZ native birds) feeding in the flax plants nearby. Breakfast and dinner were superb. Real home-cooked, gourmet, plentiful. Our hosts were very... More

This lodge is excellent place to stay if you want to bird Maungatautari, one of the best birding spots on the North Island. The lodge is just a two minute drive to the entrance of the ecological island. So if you want to go listening for Kiwi at night or listening to the dawn chorus, it is really the best... More

A school trip to NZ brought us to Out in the Styx, and my initial impression was a homely guesthouse set in pretty countryside that looked not much different from the UK or Germany. The dining area was cosy (with free wi-fi - just ask Lance for the password), the outdoor seating area afforded views of the rolling countryside and... More

A scientific colleague of mine turned me on to this place, and the whole experience turned out to be the highlight of our family's trip to NZ (including three 17-23 year old sons who wanted "action"). The preserve is a really amazing chunk of native bush. We went on a stormy day and stayed pretty dry under the canopy and... More

Our birding group stayed at Out in the Styx during our three-week journey around NZ. The hospitality, rooms, and meals were all stellar. We especially enjoyed speaking directly with Lance, learning about his continued efforts at the Maungatatari Eco Sanctuary. We could hear the cries of the kiwis from our rooms douwn the hill from Maungatatari. Great place! More

18 Thumbs Up Adventure Club members stayed last Saturday night at the guesthouse and could not fault the service, rooms, food and hospitality. What a lovely place to stay. We will make this an annual event from now on. Could not fault anything - food was amazing. Very interesting talk by Lance about the Trust running the Maungatatari Park. The... More

What a fabulous setting for a group weekend away. 32 ladies enjoyed 2 nights with nibbles, breakfast and dinner served in a lovely setting with pretty gardens and a varied choice of sleeping accommodation. Marys home cooking had us all looking forward and guessing to the next meal and Lance entertained us with his whistle blowing and an insight into... More

I visited Out in the Styx with a group of students from the U.S. and we had a terrific experience. The accommodations were excellent (the hot tub under the stars in the Southern sky was very memorable); the meals were out of this world! The food was the best we ate in all of New Zealand. The hosts were helpful... More

We had a great time at Out in the Styx. The manager got to know us, the food was amazing, the rooms were clean and cute, the view was beautiful. It's the kind of place you'd want to spend a month if you had time :) More