We enjoyed 4 nights at the Blacksmith Cottage in January. It is set amongst the vineyard district and you can walk to some of the wineries. The cottage feels very private. It is bright with natural light and has a very nice garden area, patio and bbq to also enjoy. There were privacy blinds and black out blinds (which is nice to have in the bright summer!). Louise had us supplied with nice little touches to make the stay so comfortable. The Queen size bed was SO comfortable and the shower was one of the best. Nice strong pressure and nice hot water. The kitchen comes fully equipped with all you would need to prepare food. However there are so many wonderful restaurants on the island that you would be foolish not to try as many as you can!
If you have difficulty walking or with steps and/or hills, I do recommend you have a car. There is parking. We did not have a car and that did not propose any problems because we walked a lot and availed ourselves of the bus. But to take the bus you do have to walk a bit (up and down hills or stairs). You walk a comfortable winding road, or 180 stair steps. We were concerned about staying there without a car, but truly, never missed it. I would suggest a car if you have ambulatory issues or if you wish to see all of the island. You really cannot depend on buses to see everything. But that would be the case wherever you stayed.
The cottage was clean and well stocked with bath and beach towels, books and games. No laundry or TV, but we did not need that.
One of our favorite restaurants was Casita Miro and it is very close by. Anytime we had a question (and we had a few!) Louise responded immediately. If you wish to be away from the hustle and bustle of town, we highly recommend the Blacksmith Cottage. We would gladly rebook if we return to Waiheke