The views from the deck and out of the master bedroom are stunning, a great place to admire the sunrise in Hawkes Bay. But the view comes with a steep price tag as well with a dangerous journey to the house. The driveway is as steep as the price per night and the width is as narrow as most small cars. So if you turn up in a large SUV, you should bring a pilot or a spotter to bring you onto the carpark.
The house is an old colonial villa, which has been beautifully restored from the inside and most likely lacks time and budget for the outside. The outdoor furniture needs urgent spruce up, as the dining table is close to collapsing permanently. The inside dining area requires TLC too, as the chair collapsed under my 8-year-old daughter, just by sitting. While roasting the dinner and removing the tray from the oven, I've burned my hand in the oven as the racks collapsed. The wall racks in the oven stay in place with the pressure produced by the trays inside. so remove the tray by 230 degrees celsius, you will experience that temperature on your skin.
The remaining furniture was great, very comfy and even good for kids.
The internet was very sketchy and slow, so bring your own 4G. Talking about bringing your own, please bring your own soaps and shampoos.
The walk to the city centre is fast and down a hill, unfortunately, you have to climb back up again at some stage.
Overall we enjoyed our stay in this old house in the middle of summer, but it might be a bit cold in winter as it is a bit draughty.