This cottage near Franz Josef was spectacular in so many ways. The views are gorgeous — the mountains, luscious plants, and oh my goodness the stars at night were worth losing sleep over just to stare out at the Milky Way. The cottage itself is lovely and comfortable. And of course the hosts, Julie and Jonathan, were friendly from the moment we reached out to arrange our stay. They are both extremely knowledgeable about the area, the plants and animals, and had loads of great suggestions for where to go and how we might spend our time there. The home cooked breakfasts made from eggs from their chickens and fruit from their garden were a great way to begin our days. We wish we had stayed longer. I cannot recommend this place more. The experience there was a highlight of our travels around New Zealand.