There are experiences and then there are peak experiences. This was the latter. Jon provided the warmest welcome and entertained us through the weekend, cooked for us and allowed us to help clean up afterwards (that's a good thing!) and did all of the things that make you truly feel like you are staying with an old friend. His house is beautifully appointed and nothing you see was just picked up for the sake of filling a space. Everything has some sort of meaning and every story he told us has a piece of memorabilia somewhere around his home waiting to be found.

Jon's home is warm and cosy with plenty of entertainment. While he is engaging and approachable we felt as if we could come and go as we pleased. It really was like staying somewhere that we'd known all of our lives.

Once word gets out this will become the most sought-after bed and breakfast in Ohakune. It is far from an empty and cold rental unit and is the sort of place you know that you're going to read about in Lonely Planet one day. We were overjoyed to be his first guests and we will be back again!