This place is one of the coziest AirBnBs I’ve stayed in. It feels tucked away and remote but is less than 0.5-mi from town center, half that to the hot pools. Takoha & Simon were very friendly (including their dog, going to miss that guy), very responsive and accommodating to schedule changes, and great to talk to. When our helicopter tour was cancelled, we relaxed the entire day at the house and had a great time. Pictures capture it, but it feels so much more homey in person.
We usually don’t go for renting rooms in favor of whole houses but I’m really glad we choose Whare Rakua for Franz Josef. Strongly recommend.