Homestay and backpacker accommodation in Peel Forest
The heartbeat of our homestay comes from our Christian world-view which aims to give guests a friendly, warm welcome in our beautiful environment. This is your chance to unwind and recharge. We can be a convenient stop-over between the Mackenzie country and
Your Homestay Hosts
Steve and Jenny Deans are your hosts here at Peel Forest Homestays. We celebrated our 28th wedding anniversary earlier this year and, having lived our married life in the district, have a good knowledge of the local walks, history and places of interest.
We have lived in this house for 17 years and have raised both our children here. Esther, 27, has a BA in English Literature, has taught English in, and travelled extensively throughout Korea, and Asia. She is now teaching at Hutt Valley High School Wellington. Our son John, 22, is in the army as a vehicle mechanic .
We are very fortunate to be surrounded by many of Austen Deans works of art and they hang in all the bedrooms, as well as in the kitchen and lounge. Jenny’s brother, Lindsay Crooks, was a well known
We are a welcoming, open family and love to provide hospitality and a home for people, treating all our guests as friends. So if you need accommodation in
Our house was built in 1951 by Steve’s parents. It started off as a single storied design-winning house but soon a second story was added as the 4 sons became 7. Steve’s father, Austen Deans, remembered the pleasure he and his brother had sleeping on an open balcony so built one for his sons, all of whom have slept out there during their growing up years. This balcony overlooks our large green lawn, the bush and up onto Little Mt. Peel.
Wood pigeons can be seen doing their sun dives and several years in a row a bellbird nested in the grapevine that winds itself along the rail. The dawn chorus is magnificent. We have 4 single beds and one double bed on the balcony for guests to use.
Inside there is also one queen-size double bedroom, with views through the bush out onto the plains, one small single room and downstairs there is a twin room and another single room.
We also have a self-contained bunkhouse twenty metres from the house, whose veranda looks up onto the mountains and spectacular sunsets. This rustic and cosy room contains 5 single beds 1 double, a large table and a small kitchenette. 
We can provide meals for all our house guests or they can use the house or bunkroom kitchens themselves.