We were thrilled to be entrusted with this incredible home.
The property is full of comforts and features that could only be found in an established, well-loved family home: gazillions of fruit trees smattered through the garden (citrus, avocado, pomegranate, feijoa), a swimming pool, a spa hot tub in the courtyard, multiple outdoor dining areas, oval billiard table, jukebox, well-stocked bookshelves and sweeping lawns that were perfect for our kid to play and explore. There are two large fridges with heaps of storage space in a beautifully appointed kitchen that did not leave us wanting any utensils or appliances. The tuned piano downstairs was fantastic and used almost every day, plus the digital tv and wireless printer were modern conveniences that kept us connected to the outside world. The cabin in the woods was a wonderful place for us to get away from the house and play.
Mathias and Pip made us feel at home upon arrival and have treated the four of us like family during our stay. We were unsure of how long we’d be in Hawke’s Bay or even New Zealand after the COVID-19 pandemic restricted travel. Their open communication and confidence in accommodating our needs has been so important during this very strange and uncertain time. They had an empty and well-equipped chicken coop here, and were happy for us to get chickens for it during our stay. If you’d asked us a few months ago where we’d be and what we’d be doing on March 25th, 2020, we wouldn’t have guessed that we’d be racing home before the government curfew to grab extra lidded cardboard boxes for half dozen laying hens…but it happened.
Waking up to a misty view over Havelock North and watching rabbits, pukekos and ornamental pheasants (!) was such a treat. Although it felt like we were in an isolated paradise, the town centre was less than ten minutes drive down the road and had all the essentials, and we ran and biked and walked down the road — again, terrific when in lockdown.
We are so grateful to Mathias and Pip for hosting us, helping us, and being so kind. This time would’ve been infinitely more challenging if it wasn’t for their help and we honestly couldn’t have dreamed up a better place to be locked down in during a pandemic.