We booked relatively late for Taupō at New Year, travelling with three children and a small dog, so we feared our options would be a bit dire!
So Don's place out beyond Wairakei was a great find. It was reasonable price given the time of year, and the 15-20 mins drive from Taupō back to the farm each evening was manageable. It was made easier by the fact our wider family was hiring a big house in Taupō proper; we made that our base. Given Don's kitchen/dining/living area is shared with him, I don't think we would have want to impose our whole family, let alone guests, on him all day every day.
That said, Don made himself scarce to allow us space to enjoy our holiday. We chatted to him when we saw him about the farm but mostly, the main evidence of his existence was the great continental breakfast he put out for us every morning! We are now all firm devotees of Rose's ginger marmalade.
Don, thanks, you gave us just what we needed for a stress-free break.