Ongarue Cottage is a small guest house at 52 Ongarue Village Road, at the end of the Timber Trail cycle route in the Ruapehu district. The main cottage is a century-old house built of native timbers, with five bedrooms. Three have ensuite bathrooms, and one has a separate bathroom. Next to it is the Olive Cabin, a self-contained one-bedroom cabin with a queen bed, an ensuite and a kitchen, looking out over the olive grove. A continental breakfast is supplied, and guests can cook their own eggs when they are available. The property has a hot tub for ten, free secure parking, a room for bike storage, and free WiFi. The grounds run to nearly two hectares of gardens, orchards and grassland, with a spring-fed stream on one side and the Ongarue River on the other.
The shuttles that carry cyclists along the Timber Trail are a few minutes away, and the house can help book cycling, canoeing, trout fishing, jet boating and walks. Food is bought in Taumarunui, 20 km away, and the hosts can arrange ingredients for guests who have no car. For same-day bookings, call the owners on 027 257 9960. For a stay between rides on the trail, it is our pick in Ongarue.