Not every host becomes a part of the reason you visit a foreign country, town, city etc. However, Colleen, her home and family were just that for us in Hamilton. My girlfriend and I stayed one night at Colleen's in the midst of our 5 day road trip around the north island of New Zealand. Communicating with Colleen through Airbnb was a breeze, arriving in the evening was a little challenging since it was dark on the road leading up to the house (not at all a problem if you read the directions and look at the pictures Colleen provides). Colleen gave us an incredibly warm welcome, showing us to our room which was spacious and regal. She humored us with her references to our stay, being just like the show, Downtown Abbey and also gave us a brief background of the house, namely, the Japanese style bath/washroom. After enjoying a nice sleep, we found Colleen readying breakfasts for her several guests. When it was our turn, she continued to tell us about her fascinating and intriguing life story, her and her family's 20 years in Japan, as well as some of the catastrophes that her family experienced in Japan's recent years. Colleen delightfully helped us plan our activities for the day and gave us several options. Before making our way down to Lake Taupo that evening, we visited the Hamilton Gardens, the Kiwi House in Otorohanga and the Glow Worms in Wiatomo (which she gave us a shortcut to). Before leaving Collen's lovely home, she brought us around to her side yard where she introduced us to all of her wonderful animals: goats, horses, sheep, chickens, ducks, pigs and I'm sure I'm forgetting others. They all had personalities and were such a joy feeding and petting.

Overall, Colleen's home goes above and beyond a simple BnB experience. It is a stay that may very easily become a highlight if not one of the main reasons you visit Hamilton.