there's almost not enough good that i can say about this place or our hosts (Suzanne & her sister Vicki). from the start, Suzanne was super communicative and nice. upon arrival, we were greeted by her sister, Vicki, and shown the expansive luxuries available at the Punatapu property. the pictures really don't come close to all that this place has to offer. the pool/hot-tub/sauna area was great, the incredible free-standing (professional) kitchen & laundry building was very nice, and the Arty Barn building we stayed in was super perfect. the bed was two singles pushed together, but that was no problem. the studio had a great vibe and made us feel super comfortable. again, the pictures DO NOT do it justice. i also loved seeing little Polly running around, the deer in the fenced area just to the side, and the unreal surroundings (mountains, fruit trees, little pond near the drive in, tree house, and bench at the top of the hill behind the car park). the whole place is something special.
my recommendation to anyone would be to put aside at least one or two days to enjoy this place itself. pack your other days with adventures to all the amazing local offerings, but spend a bit of time just kickin it at Punatapu.
thanks to Sue and Vicki for making our holiday firmly rest in our memories as the best one yet.