We had a great time staying with Pip, Finlay and Minnie, Mac (dog) and Puss Puss (cat). Animals are well behaved and friendly and Minnie is a lovely young lady for those of you worried about children and animals.
Communication with Pip prior to booking and arriving was excellent. We arrived quite late and everyone was in bed but Pip had sent us a comprehensive set of instructions which meant we had no problems settling in.
We had plenty of space and were very comfortable in the bedroom. This is the first place we have stayed at without a private bathroom but the bathroom and toilet are separate in the house and there is a compost toilet outside so even with five of us in the house there was never a problem sharing the facilities. The shower was particularly good, which was very satisfying after a long day out being active.
The kitchen has everything you need and you soon and you soon get used to the idiosyncrasies of gas hob. We cooked for ourselves most evenings but were very grateful one evening, after the exhaust fell off our hire car, when we were able to share some of Pip & Finlay's dinner, also I enjoyed sampling the wild mushrooms Finlay and Minnie had picked (Sarah isn't a fan of mushrooms).
Getting clothes washed wasn't a problem as there is inside drying rack suspended from the high ceiling if the weather wouldn't allow us to hang it on the line outside.
As for internet access you can connect a laptop to the router if want and the wifi can be turned on but does get turned off so you just need to let Pip know when you are using it. The wifi signal does reach the bedroom although in poorer weather conditions it can be quite weak.
Hawea is a great place to stay and you can get to the General Store or lake front via a footpath. The General Store is worth a visit if you want an ice cream they are big and cheap!
Most importantly Pip, Finlay and Minnie made us feel welcome in their home and we enjoyed their company.