Muriel and Evan have a wonderful home. The location could not be more beautiful, right in the middle of (rapidly) regenerating bush. The space is surprisingly large, with a nice shower, comfortable bed, large living space, and a wonderful deck, on which we spent a very enjoyable morning drinking coffee and listening to the birds. The entire place is filled with beautiful mosaics that Muriel makes, including the tiles in the garden walk.
The property feels extremely remote, although it is actually a fairly short drive to Whitianga, with a lunch cafe/art gallery even closer. It is also very close to a series of long, beautiful, completely deserted beaches (at least on a weekday in late November). They've got you covered with beach towels, and a spade if you decide to head south to hot water beach.
As hosts, Muriel and Evan are as nice as could be. They are warm, funny, enthusiastic, and a pleasure to talk to. They've been in the area for quite a while, so if you can spend some time talking to them about their experience of the area, it's definitely worth doing.
Overall this was just a fantastic experience for us, and we can't wait to go back.