Very few Category One historic NZ homesteads still stand, let alone are available for the public to stay in, so how fortunate that the new owner of Mt Vernon, built in 1882, having spent a fortune refurbishing this magnificent house, generously allows strangers to holiday here while he is away. From the moment Jo, the concierge met us, we were agog. At every turn is something beautiful to feast your eyes on - a huge library, massive Byzantine/Eastern inlaid furniture, large ceramics, luxurious heavy drapes, restored wooden floors, glorious chandeliers and lighting in the magnificent hallways and bedrooms. Each bedroom's bathroom has the most extraordinary unique plumbing - some copper, some enamel. The bed linens are all richly crisp, comforting, and well, luxurious, as are the thick, white towels. The weather wasn't kind but who cared? Jo had the homestead toasty warm, and the fire stacked with wood, ready to be lit. The kitchen's been designed by someone who knows cuisine - stocked with the best of everything - pots, ovens, bakeware, crockery, cutlery, glassware - nothing is overlooked. And who wants to leave? By day there are 30 acres to wander with orchard, gardens, woodlands of 100-plus-year-old trees, horses to greet and a nice stroll into Waipukurau. We lunched in Waipawa at Nola's (yummy) then back home for a nap. The vegetable gardens are a 'work in progress' and interesting to see the developments and work being down as this grand property slowly comes back into its own. An absolute treat to stay here.