The backyard access to the lake was so nice to have especially with the deck. We sat outside in the covered table area and enjoyed the view of the lake throughout our stay. The manual did warn of the lake flies and we did notice them getting into the house. Thankfully they didn’t bite but sometimes made the sleep uncomfortable. We would have shut all the windows as suggested but the place got a bit stuffy without the breeze. We appreciated that the kitchen was stocked with cooking utensils and ingredients such as oil, salt/pepper. The walk-in pantry was great to have! We also found that it was so nice to be close by the airport because we flew out of Rotorua to Christchurch. It was about a 10-15 min drive to the city center.