Jacqui & David have put their heart and soul into this beautiful and stylish property. As the name rightfully says, it's a straiways to heaven in the middle of a reserved forest with a stunning view of the Opito Bay.
This property is ideally located if you wish to visit multiple places with a short drive. Places like the Rainbow Falls, The Parrot Place, The Bay of Islands are near by and conveniently accessible.
From the very first interaction, Jacqui seemed very helpful and proactive. She was relaxed about our check-in time and help us reach her place quickly.
There is no hidden aspect to the large number of stairs you have to climb before getting rewarded with your room and view. About 100 stairs to their main property where you have the option to put your heavy luggage on a tow (super helpful). But after that there is an additional 40 stairs you have to climb to reach your private cottage. The biggest disadvantage we faced is carrying the heavy luggage up to our cottage. That being said both Jacqui and David were extremely sweet and offered to help us reach the top.
The room and bathroom are brand new and very functional. There is a beautiful balcony from where you can enjoy the bay view during the day and star gaze at night. Another plus point is that you can hear wild Kiwis at night. You will be surrounded by nature only and it's truly a wonderful experience.
Even though we loved our room, the view and the amenities we felt the room was small. For those who'll be carrying more than 1 big suitcase, it will be hard to have them accessible all at once. Additionally we felt there could be at least 1 light on the balcony as at night you won't be able to go out without a torch (which they do provide).
The WiFi worked with high speed to our surprise and the room was equipped with a mini fridge and a toaster. Jacqui provided some delicious multi-grain bread, jam and Nutella for our breakfast.
The highlight of our stay was the dinner as Jacqui and David offered to make home made pizza (at a very reasonable cost). Not only we had a lovely evening with our hosts but we also got to make and enjoy our own pizzas which were better than any restaurant's.
To sum it up, Jacqui and David were excellent hosts. They made us feel at home and did everything to make our stay comfortable. We wish them all the best and would strongly recommend couples to stay at this hidden gem.