I highly recommend Ruth's place. She is one of those hosts who think of everything to make your stay as perfect as possible. Our beds were super comfortable and the room very quiet. She provided us with a variety of items for snacking and for breakfast the next morning along with hot beverages any time we wanted. You can easily walk to downtown Kaikoura from Ruth's place and she has tons of brochures of local things to do. An added benefit to your room is the view of a beautifully well tended garden. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Ruth's place to anyone!