We were driving from Picton late when we realised we needed somewhere to stay in the Greymouth/Hokitiki area - we found Marty's place last minute around 6:30, and requested to book. He got back to us immediately which we really appreciated as we wanted to get on with our drive without any anxiety of where we'd be staying, but Marty wrote back very quickly saying not to worry and he'd leave the light on for us. We arrived pretty late around 11, and were welcomed by their lovely dog Ruby who was barking a lot at first which didn't bother me but I worried for waking the hosts up but then once you approach her she's as soft as anything :) what a lovely and beautiful girl!
As his instructions had said the porch light has been left on and the door unlocked so we could make ourselves at home right away. The place is very homely - everything you need is there! They provide coffee, cereal and sugar etc which is great for the morning. There is ample blankets incase you are cold but to be honest it was very cosy. The place is nice and spacious too and the bathroom was clean and tidy (and had shampoo/soap), the bed was very comfy too - both of which what we wanted after a full day of hiking/kayaking and a long drive.
The next morning I bumped into Marty's wife who was so lovely and polite - offering some eggs from their chickens and milk for our breakfast. The eggs were lovely and in the morning we enjoyed our breakfast sat on the terrace outside overlooking their beautiful garden, which feels very private and surrounded by lush hills and shrubbery, and a pond. Chickens, horses and of course lovely Ruby are around the garden which makes the atmosphere all around relaxing and so homely.
We only got to meet Marty at the end as we were leaving but he gave us some tips on where to go in town for a coffee/lunch which was great advice. We couldn't have faulted our stay at all and would recommend this to anyone looking to stay around the area - perfect if like us you are travelling down the South Island and need somewhere to stay on your way down, and particularly if you like rural, quiet and peaceful stays. Thanks again Marty! :)