Our stay with Ian and Ailsa was such a wonderful treat amidst a month of tramping and backpacking the north and south islands. I'm pretty sure it would have been a treat even if we had been staying in hotels and resorts beforehand!
We were greeted so warmly upon arrival and were happily surprised by the perfect layout of the unit. It was essentially a stand-alone apartment with a kitchenette (fully equipped with pots/pans/burner/etc), large bedroom, and full bathroom.
If we needed anything, Ian and Ailsa were just a staircase away, making it the perfect mix of privacy and sociability that is sometimes difficult to find on the road.
Ian and Ailsa provided fresh fruit on arrival, and over the course of our stay they also shared some of their dinner (delicious shakshuka!) as well as a cup of wonderful Chinese tea.
My boyfriend and I would very, very highly recommend a stay here. The location was perfect to Piha and the numerous walking paths in the area, but it was also a great place to just relax and read a good book while enjoying the peace and quiet.