We stayed at Phil's place for two weeks in the midst of a trip backpacking around the world. Phil is an exceptionally generous host, who went out of his way on several occasions to make sure that we felt welcome and that our needs were met. The place is a self-contained space, with a deck that overlooks the forest reserve. There is wonderful birdlife -- particularly tuis and morepork owls -- and Phil is a fount of knowledge about local flora and fauna. We loved learning about the beehives in the back of the garden.
Phil has extensive local knowledge about the area and was able to provide fantastic advice about local restaurants, cafes and hiking trails. His enthusiasm for Birkenhead was infectious and made us feel like locals.
The bed was comfortable and warm. There was space in the closets and chest of drawers for all our stuff.
There is a sink, microwave, electric frying pan, and induction heater that can take one pot -- these proved more than adequate for meal preparation and there is a grocery store about 5-10 minute walk away. It is simple to get the 931, 933 or 97 buses into central Auckland and the 966 can take you to the hip restaurants in Ponsonby.
The shower was outstanding - perfect water pressure and hot water.
It was a quiet and relaxed spot -- perfect for us!