Hilary was very welcoming and gave me some very helpful tips about the best places to visit during my stay. The local bus (#9) runs reliably every 30 minutes from early morning until about 6pm so it is possible to enjoy a stay here without a car. As well as hiking at The Redwoods and a trip to Wai-o-Tapu, I enjoyed the chance to sit on a bench and relax while watching the activity on Lake Rotorua in the late afternoon. There is a good variety of places to eat and drink in the town including 'Brew', 1103 Tutanekai Street, the craft beer pub linked to Croucher Brewing. I also found good value coffee (NZD 2.50) made Nando's a good place to relax.