Kathy and Rob are great hosts, very welcoming and can give you local tips. Lovely big house with plenty of sleeping options. Easily accommodated the 9 of us with 2 couples and one child. Great kitchen with everything you need. A bottle opener and a couple more rubbish bags would be nice (there wasn't a bag under the existing)
A few minor gripes:
1) WiFi was sketchy as it is beamed in from the other property. Had to reset modem to get it to work and even then only lasted a few minutes after that. This should be looked into.
2) LPG bottle ran out on first usage of BBQ. This simply required a trip next door to pick up a new bottle, but should have been checked after last guests.
These are very minor and didn't detract from the overall 5 stars.
The highlight is the sheer amount of amenities available. There's darts, table tennis, kayaks, a swimming pool (next door at the owner's property), a row boat, a trampoline, sky TV, a BBQ, fishing rods and a basketball hoop. The highlight for me was the spa out on the deck with the lovely view as a backdrop. We also had great fun taking the kayaks out on the water and a bit of fishing. It is a bit of a walk down the hill to access these and can get quite steep so a little bit of a hard walk back up if you're carrying anything.
If you are wanting to spend more time in Paihia, would be better to choose an option on the other side. That said, the car ferry is only 2 mins away, pretty affordable and just a 7 min water crossing.
Definitely a great option if you want a self contained house away from town and to relax in nature with lots of toys and equipment available.