When we arrived at Patrick's rambling slightly cluttered home we were jet lagged and just very tired after 6 wks of strenuous travel in SE Asia. Patrick accomodated our arrival delayed by problems with our car hire. Patrick opens his kitchen to his guests and seems to enjoy when they eat together at one of his large dining tables. Our downstairs room was just as nice as described and we enjoyed sitting and recovering from jet lag just outside the room by the pool. If someone wants to stay in downtown Aukland then this property is not for you. But, if you are interested in a beautiful setting overlooking the water on the North Shore with a host who truly makes you feel at home and has a good sense of humor, then we highly recommend staying here. The house is down a long-ish driveway so we parked up on the street, which because the house is on a quiet residential street was not at all a problem. We hope to stay here again.