My wife and I have been spending 3 nights at Boyd and Avis' place, and the whole 3 nights turned out to be extremely pleasant. We were allowed to use their kitchen for private cooking, talked and played with the kids at nights (after our hikes). The room is equipped with a small private fridge so feel free to bring some food home. Although we were unable to meet Boyd (he was out for work), Avis was wonderful to make us as comfortable as possible, and was eager to chat with us.
As for the location, it is an easy walk to the supermarket and the I site. If you are looking for a place in Turangi (e.g. wishing to do the tongariro alpine crossing), I would strongly recommend booking this place if available. You really can't go wrong...