Stayed a couple of nights in the apartment during summer.
Pros: the place is spacious and private, the loft bed is cute, there is a little kitchen and a large fridge so it's easy to self-cater, and Russell is much nicer than the kitschy Paihia across the water. The hosts run yacht tours so you can do a tour of the very pretty Bay of Islands with them if you want to.
Cons: maybe because it's below the main house, it was a bit musty and both my partner and I found ourselves sneezing and had to keep the doors and windows open. Probably some people wouldn't even notice, but if you're easily allergic, take antihistamines just in case.