We had a good stay in Mariana’s studio. Communication was great, prompt and helpful. The studio itself was comfortable and well set up for simple cooking. We chose not to sleep in the loft and found the convertible couch comfortable for sleeping (we like a firm bed, which it is). There were no bedside tables or easy places to charge phones, which were the only minor annoyances.
The biggest downside we found was that the neighborhood, near the university, was quite dead during break in late December: very few good restaurants, cafes, or bars were open at all. And it was a long walk to the nearest decent grocery store. Auckland unfortunately seemed to be the most car-centric place we stayed in NZ. Reminded me, unhappily, of LA: perfect weather, almost nobody in the streets. Fortunately the Auckland bus system is not bad, so you can still get around without a car. Overall a fine stay, but not a place we are itching to return to or wish we’d stayed longer.