Staying with Susan was really great, she is a very lovely host. The rooms are comfortable and offer a nice view. She even made breakfast on Sunday morning. The French market is just around the corner and the neighborhood is nice and quiet. Still, you can walk downtown in about 20-30 min, but Parnell street -- which is just 5 min walk -- offers lots of shops and restaurants too. I would definitely recommend staying with Susan when in Auckland.