This is a quaint and quiet one-room bach/cabin in a scenic setting. The cabin is surrounded by native bush, including large beech trees. I saw grey warblers and a fantail, and heard tui and a morepork. I provide additional details re this cabin because some details aren’t clear in the description and because some of those details in turn might incorrectly be assumed by many Airbnb members.
Water. The ad notes that the accommodation doesn’t provide hot water. Not stated is that the accommodation may also not provide running cold water (it did not for us). The accommodation did have a water spigot and a sink (viewable in a photo) and so, on some occasions may have running cold water; potential guests who wish for running cold water may want to enquire specifically as to whether such is available. Still water at room temperature was supplied in three multi-litre plastic containers.
Food. The owner graciously supplied fresh eggs, bread, milk and butter. The cabin provided other food supplies but these were of questionable value. I preferred oil to butter and so checked the ‘best used by’ dates on three containers of oil; they were 2016, 2017 and 2018 (ie all past our 2019 accommodation date).
Electricity. This important topic is covered in a single sentence and so should probably be emphasized. The phrase “lighting and stereo powered by solar powered batteries” in the description should probably be amended with the word “only”, as in “with electricity provided _only_ for lighting and stereo”. I was told that I might use a USB port on a stereo/radio to charge phones. I found what seemed to be a vehicle radio with USB port and antenna but, despite being connected to a wall outlet, could not get it to work. Why the cabin came with an electric toaster, power strip and two or more electrical outlets was not clear.
No lock to the accommodation. The accommodation has only one entry from the outside. However, this entry was not lockable when we visited. I was told that the absence of a lockable door was fine because the cabin was remote and difficult to access. Regardless, some guests might feel more comfortable if they could lock the door to their accommodation.
Hike to cabin is strenuous. The ad says “There is a hike to the cabin” and “a short hike up to the cabin.” However, more should be said. The potential user should know that the “hike” is both uphill and very steep. You will not want to undertake this hike, especially with luggage, unless you are at least moderately fit. The walk will take 5 to 10 minutes if you are fit, and more if you aren’t. If you simply aren’t fit, then you should probably avoid this accommodation. The track to the cabin looked to be largely or entirely clay. Hence, I will guess that the track may not be passable by foot following rain.
Cooking facilities. Cooking facilities consist of a barbecue and one-burner stove; both worked fine. Both are outdoors and exposed to the elements. Hence, if you don’t want to cook in the rain, you might want to book this accommodation only if rain is not pending.
Bathroom/outhouse: the ad correctly states that the bathroom is an outhouse. However, more should be said. The path to the outhouse is quite uneven, and so is unsuitable for guests who have poor vision or who are unsteady on their feet. The outhouse itself is primitive, without a toilet roll holder (and, in our case, without a toilet roll), the seat is uninstalled and so moves freely, the roof contains two holes, and the outhouse itself is enclosed on only three sides. Hence, potential guests might want to avoid booking the cabin when rain is pending, and especially when rain is expected from the direction from which the outhouse is not enclosed.
Beds. The ad states beds are both in a bedroom and in a common space. This seems misleading: The accommodation comprises only one room; there is no separate bedroom. Beds consist of a double or queen bed, a couch that presumably folds out into a bed (we did not attempt this), and two mattresses on the floor of a loft that is accessed via a ladder. If you are approaching 180 cm/70 inches and plan to sleep in the loft with your feet pointing toward the entry to the loft (as I did), you will have very little or no head space (the accommodation is an A-frame); you could get more head space by moving the mattress/es toward the hole to the floor below. The mattresses in the loft were not supplied with a full set of bedding but were supplied with sleeping bags. We were not told if the sleeping bags had been laundered subsequent to the last guest; those who wish to use the loft and use laundered bedding will want to enquire ahead of time whether the sleeping bags have been laundered—or bring their own bedding.
Despite the accurate focus on solitude and setting, traffic noise from below the cabin was sometimes audible.
Interactions with the host were friendly.
In summary, the property is, as claimed, secluded, off grid and generally quiet. I hope the above comments are helpful additions to the Airbnb description.