Radfords on the Lake is owned by Te Anau locals Kerri and Steve James.
Sharing Fiordland’s beautiful environment and unique experiences with our guests is our passion – we love helping our guests to experience the absolute best of this region with luxurious accommodation and top-notch customer service. Our Radfords on the Lake team are committed to providing an experience that’s second-to-none.
In 2013, Radfords won the AA Tourism Supreme Host of the Year Award and in 2015 AWS Fiordland Operator of the Year Award, 2016 Finalists for Hospitality NZ Excellence in Customer Service and Accommodation Host of the Year.
Steve runs the farm in conjunction with his agricultural contracting business. He has been involved in the farming sector all his life. The farm is located seven km from Te Anau; it has a mix of 3,000 stock units comprising of sheep, deer and cattle running on 273 hectares. Day tours of our farm are a popular guest add-on and are available by prior arrangement.
Kerri manages and runs Radford’s on the Lake, in collaboration with her daughter Shelley and mother Phyllis who keep the gardens and grounds to an impeccable standard – it really is a family affair!
We are Qualmark Rated 5-Star with a Gold Sustainability Award. Qualmark is New Zealand’s official mark of quality; Radfords on the Lake has met or scored above industry best practice standards to be recipients of these awards.
Our passion for the environment
Kaitiakitanga is a Maori term that means guardianship of the land. We never take our stunning environment for granted and are committed to preserving our ‘slice of paradise’ here in Fiordland – we do everything we can to reduce our footprint on the environment.
We support the wider Fiordland environment through the following initiatives
- We are long-time, committed sponsors of the Antipodes Islands Parakeets (Kakariki), who live nearby in the Te Anau Bird Sanctuary – only a 20 minute stroll from Radfords on the Lake! See them in action here
- We are silver sponsors of the Fiordland Trails Trust, which recently created the Lake2Lake cycle trail linking Lake Te Anau with Lake Manapouri
- All proceeds from DVD hire is donated back to the Te Anau Bird Sanctuary
Within Radfords on the Lake itself, we reduce our environmental footprint via
- Being proactive with recycling, including donating goods from our apartments to the local church’s second hand store whenever anything is updated
- Wherever possible, buying locally and buying in bulk to reduce packaging and freight
- We compost everything, and have a worm farm where our kitchen scraps go
- All of our units have been re-lined with polystyrene to contain heat, reducing the energy resources we consume
- Our bikes are free-to-use for guests, reducing the need for motor vehicles to explore locally
- We are proudly 99% chemical free and use natural cleaning products
- We use colour-coded microfibre cloths for each different cleaning purpose – reducing waste
The Tiaki Promise
The Tiaki Promise is a nation-wide commitment from both visitors and locals to care for New Zealand, for now and for future generations. It encompasses three elements: Caring for land, sea and nature by treading lightly and leaving no trace. Travelling safely, by showing care and consideration for all. And finally – respecting culture by travelling with an open heart and mind. We encourage our visitors to embrace the Tiaki Promise as we do ourselves within the Radfords team.
Embodying the meaning of Manaakitanga – our ‘Southern Hospitality’
In Maori culture, Manaakitanga is a traditional value that is central to society, and inspires the way that travellers are made to feel welcome. As “born and bred” Southland locals, Kerri and Steve are extremely proud to host our guests in beautiful Fiordland, and aim to embody this value in everything that they do – from recommending the best things to do in the region, to going over and above to ensure your stay is truly top-notch. This is reflected in TripAdvisor reviews for Radfords on the Lake.
Discovering the very best of Fiordland
From our three Great Walks to Milford Sound, Doubtful Sound and ancient glow worm caves, Fiordland is unlike anywhere else on earth and is one of New Zealand’s most spectacular places to visit. We’ve crafted a range of packages that help guests make the most of this special place – all packages use the very best operators in the region.
Explore Fiordland from Above!
“When a place is so special it’s been awarded World Heritage status, seeing it from the air is an absolute Must-Do.”
Southern Lake Helicopters, based on the edge of Te Anau Lake, just minutes from Radfords, offer a once-in-a-lifetime experience for visitors to the region. From their spectacular Milford Sound scenic flight to landing in a hanging valley in Doubtful Sound, a scenic flight makes an unforgettable addition to your New Zealand vacation.
Our Environmental Promise
We are committed to preserving our beautiful surroundings and reducing our footprint on the environment.
