Tara Wrigley and Guillaume Gignoux have listed their off-grid Raglan property at 380 Whaanga Road featuring the award-winning Airbnb rentals known as The Love Bus and The Treehouse, with a deadline closing date set for August 28. According to the property listings and owner statements provided to OneRoof, the couple decided to sell the retreat to gain more freedom and spend time visiting Gignoux’s family in France, after running the popular destination for years as a family business.
Raglan Off-Grid Retreat and Airbnb Origins
What started as a way to make ends meet has grown into one of the country’s most popular Airbnbs, according to Tara Wrigley. In 2012, Wrigley and her partner Guillaume Gignoux built an off-grid four-bedroom, two-bathroom family home with a pool when expecting their first child together. Needing extra income to help survive out there, they placed their house-bus parked on the property onto Airbnb in 2015 to test the market, as described to OneRoof. The bus quickly shifted from a couple of nights a week to back-to-back daily bookings.
A few years later, the couple built a treehouse on the property with the help of a woofer from England who had construction experience. Guests access the loft bedroom of The Treehouse by climbing an indoor ladder. In 2017, the couple expanded further by purchasing the neighboring block featuring a small cottage, creating a third rental known as The Love Nest. All three properties include a sea view, a bathroom, and an outdoor bath on the deck. The main house utilizes a wetback fireplace to heat water in winter, while the sun heats it in summer.
Popularity, Guest Experience, and Awards
The unique accommodations regularly feature in Airbnb’s top 10 New Zealand properties, and The Love Bus received Airbnb’s Best Unique Stay award in 2023. Nightly rates across the three properties range from $150 to $300. Wrigley noted that visitors span a wide financial spectrum, arriving in everything from cheap small cars to $200,000 BMWs, alongside a large number of Australian travelers incorporating the stay into dream trips.
A primary selling point for guests is the complete absence of mobile service and internet access. According to Wrigley, visitors value the opportunity to disconnect from external distractions and focus on romantic getaways or personal reconnection, with many returning year after year.
Reasons for Sale and Market Details
With two of Wrigley’s children having left home and their daughter now attending high school in Hamilton, the couple reached what Wrigley described to OneRoof as a “heart-wrenching decision” to sell. Managing the accommodations required a significant time commitment, and the family now seeks the freedom to pursue other activities, such as extended travel to France. Wrigley noted that transitioning to an off-grid lifestyle required a learning curve, explaining that it took time to adapt to running the home without sacrificing everyday comforts.
Bayleys listing agent Mark Frost is handling the sale of the property, which carries a government capital value (RV) of $2.232 million. Wrigley stated that the retreat is ideally suited for nature lovers or individuals seeking a lifestyle change coupled with a consistent income stream. The deadline sale closes on August 28.
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