My husband and I stayed 2 nights at Richard’s place. Richard was super friendly and gave us many great tips on what to do in the area. The location is great, just 5 minutes drive to the supermarket and a 30 minute drive to the car park to catch the shuttle for the Tongariro Alpine Crossing trek! There are also many other hikes you can do in the area (near the Chateau Tongariro Hotel) within driving distance. We had full access to the kitchen and were able to store our cold items in the fridge. Breakfast in the morning was wonderful with cereals, coffee, croissants, jams and spreads, and fruit. The room was spacious, clean, and comfortable. We were even able to do our wash while we were there. Richard’s dog is absolutely adorable! We would highly recommend his place to anyone visiting the area.