James' house Is a grand old Edwardian residence, just a 3-minute walk on level ground from the Devonport ferry. The location is truly ideal, being opposite a beautiful park of giant trees, and close to the sea; 100 metres from one end of the local cafe and restaurant strip; and just 300 metres from the supermarket. The shopping centre is quiet and very quaint, and visitors shouldn't miss the charming old cinema there, and the food offerings at nearby Corelli's cafe. We could have eaten there every night!
James has only one guest room, and guests have the use of the entire lower floor of the house, including the kitchen, loungeroom and pool area. The guest bedroom is enormous, with a queen-sized bed l would rate as 'firm'. There's a private ensuite bathroom attached, with an excellent shower, and a claw-foot bath also, if you're so inclined.
The pool is set in a delightful subtropical garden oasis, with almost-ripe bananas growing alongside the pool! The pool was immaculately clean and warm enough to swim in in mid-January. We had a half-hour swim most afternoons.
Host James is an intelligent, cultured person, easygoing and thoughtful. Even though he was home on holidays himself, we saw and heard little of James, and so we felt like we had the house pretty-much all to ourselves for the week that we were there.
As the ferry to Auckland CBD is just $15 return, and with most ferries calling in at Devonport on their way to the islands in Hauraki Gulf, we found Devonport to be an ideal location to base ourselves while we explored the attractions of the Auckland area. We definitely look forward to returning to James' place again in the future.