This is THE PLACE to stay at if you're planning on hiking the Tongariro Alpine crossing or just in town to explore. Richard really goes above and beyond to make his guests feel welcomed into his home and prepared for the hike. Not only did he show me YouTube vid about the hike, but he also went over my packing list and what to expect to make sure I was fully prepared for the hike. His home is approximately 20 min drive to the Ketetahi car park and a 3 min drive to the supermarket/24 hr gas station. The house has a vintage feel that makes it easy for anyone to fall in love with. The breakfast spread is very impressive as well. He even let me use his washer and offered wine to celebrate finishing the hike! There is absolutely nothing but good things to say about this airbnb experience.