742franb
Google
We had 2 nights in Auckland and wanted something that was close enough to restaurants etc but wasn't in the city (as we hadn't been there before and didn't have a car). I had some specific things I was looking for in a B&B. We like staying in B&Bs preferably to hotels.This place "initially" appealed. The location wasn't really that good without a car. We had to walk down to the bus stop to get the bus to Mission Bay (or into Auckland city itself) which was the nearest town with restaurants. There was nothing within walking distance. The problem was coming back as I can't walk up steep hills etc and the house was located up one. I had told him of this but he said his wife has a heart condition and she could do it, so I figured it couldn't be too bad!! It is the middle house in a group of 3 running up a steep hillside.||||When we checked in, I had initially asked for the room downstairs but then, realising breakfast was upstairs, we decided the upstairs room might be better. The room itself was very average. There was no TV or radio. The windows had no flyscreens on (I don't know if this is the norm in NZ), and no apparent cooling - fan or air cond. There were 2 very old armchairs in the room with almost no springs left in it and very hard to get out of. There was a walk-thru wardrobe which was spacious enough to leave your bags in which was great cos there would've been nowhere else to put them. The small ensuite was also very average with a small square "enclosed" shower - it even had a plastic roof to it!! The hot water was either boiling hot or freezing cold it you attempted to adjust it.||If you wanted a comfortable chair or to watch TV you had to share with the owners (no thanks). There was a nice outside deck you could watch the passing ships etc. The house was opposite a park which seemed very popular as it was always busy and noisy with sporting events and families having BBQs and get togethers. After a very early morning arrival, we tried to get an afternoon nap but it was impossible with the heat and the noise. And the following night we were kept awake with the noise from a local band which made me ask if there was a pub close by - there wasn't apparently.||The breakfast sounded good and we were given a menu which was the same daily anyway. It was "OK" but nothing outstanding really.||||One thing that was very obvious was that the owner was an avid sailor, and the nautical theme was carried thru in anything and everything which we found "overkill" to the extreme.||I'm sorry to say that the gentleman was extremely hard to get along with. He was very opinionated (only his counted of course), and not terribly friendly. If he didn't agree with you, he shot you down in flames. I think the only time we saw him smile was when he had given us a lift into the city and said goodbye to us. The lady of the house was the opposite, thank goodness. She told me they were a 'Homestay style B&B' (which I wasn't aware of) where you share a lot of things with the hosts, so if you don't get along you have problems from the outset. I felt it was overpriced as a Homestay style of accommodation. I certainly was expecting better. Sorry!!|| When dealing with the public in general, I think you have to keep your opinions to yourself and just "go with the flow", and be pleasant to guests even if you don't want to be.