Dearest Rona & Colin. Thanks very much for a wonderful experience in The Lofthouse. The muffins on our arrival added a beautiful panache! The well stocked larder was also most thoughtful. Both of us looked forward to our daily dip in the hot tub accompanied by the chorus of animals, both day and nocturnal. The fresh veggies from your garden were exceptional. We are very sure we want to share this restful haven with our relatives and friends. We look forward to coming back soon. Warmest regards to both of you always. Jean & Andre DePratt. Singapore

A very comfortable house with everything we needed. Great sleep and enjoyed star gazing in the hot tub, and thank you for the privacy and the apricot shortcake! We hope to return. Marg & Dave Turner. Canterbury, NZ.

Paul and I have had the best time so far in NZ - the fact that the wonderful Lofthouse has been our 'home' for the past week has, in no small part, contributed to an amazing holiday. The Lofthouse not only met but exceeded my expectations and, although it may sound clichéd, has been a real 'home away from home'. On our return to the UK I will most definitely be adding glowing comments on the site where I found you and hope to return here someday for another visit. Many many thanks. Bonita & Paul Ridley. East Sussex, UK

Thank you so much for such a wonderful stay. The little touches like the homemade bread and cake, the board games etc were such a wonderful surprise! Our friends, Susan & Sarah (also in this book) recommended your place to us and I will certainly do the same for others. All the best. Sarah Bowman & Anuj Malhotra. SanFrancisco, USA

Thank you so much for a beautiful relaxing spot to enjoy. The Lofthouse has everything we could need or want. We loved it! The Tworows. Gisborne, NZ & Smithers, BC, Canada

Well, what can I say? It's a home away from home. Enjoyed every moment of our stay here. Thanks for the baking. The Lofthouse had everything we needed and we will be back again next year for Waka Ama 2011. Once again a big thanks to Rona & Colin. The Krone Family

Thank you, thank you for this place. We will be back when visiting Hamilton. I admire your invigorating colour sense, so uplifting and joyful, and your intense but gentle thoughtfulness. Lauren is in love with the toilet roll holder, we were obsessed with the Wasgij puzzle! So many discoveries were a joy - a guitar, clean and lovely teapot, and of course the big drawcard - the hot tub. We felt so at home here. Fantastic and peaceful for our 'couple' time too. Many thanks. Justine, Tim, Eloise & Lauren Lancaster. Ngaio, Wellington

Don't think we can add to what others have already said before, but just wanted to say thank you for a lovely stay. Kids loved the books, boardgames and animals and we all loved the hot tub, the comfy beds and gorgeous views. Will definitely get back to the internet (where we found you) and post glowing and rave reviews of your place! John, Megan, Sara & Nicholas. Brisbane, Australia.

We enjoyed our stay in your beautiful Lofthouse. Very comfortable and what a treat - hot bread for brekkie. Beautiful views from the balcony - wish our stay had been longer. Thank you. Marilyn, Renee, Cheryl & Daphney. Taupo, Mackay, Brisbane & Mooloolaba.

The Lofthouse is perfect. It was a great base for our family and we appreciated the peace, the outlook and the comfort. We will recommend it! We also went to the cafe by Lake Karapiro (Boatshed - new owners) and the coffee was very good. Thank you for a great stay. Robyn, Vic, Leo & Eva. Wellington, NZ

Hi Rona & Colin. Sad that we missed meeting you both. I love love love The Lofthouse ... definitely got more than we expected, couldn't think of anything that's not here ... miles better than what we could have got in a 5 star hotel. Loved the cedar hot tub, everything is just perfect to say the least. We've taken loads of pictures, we will surely come back, and I am telling everybody about The Lofthouse! Natasha & Mordecai

Dear Rona & Colin. We have had a wonderful stay here. Beautiful views and our own private hot tub. Thank you for your hospitality. We will definitely recommend The Lofthouse to others. Jaap, Maarten & Marion Kolpa. Zoetermeer, The Netherlands.

Thank you so much Rona & Colin for making our wedding and Full Monty stay so memorable. The food was beautiful and to enjoy a homecooked surprise meal and dessert every night was a special treat. Eternally grateful for everything! Mariella & Excel. Hamilton, NZ

What a wonderful place. The perfect place to relax after 24 hours flying. Thank you so much. We will be back soon. Fondest regards. Ewan, Jayne & Jessica. Wales, UK.

A great relaxing escape from the hurly-burly - we didn't want to go anywhere. Wish we could have stayed longer .... next time! Jo & Owen. Otorohanga, NZ.

Colin & Rona - we have had a great last day in New Zealand, so many thanks. Gerald & Younge Jak. India

So much better than any motel ... funky, clean, warm and inviting. The hot tub being such a bonus. Thank you Colin and Rona. Lil. Taupo, NZ.

Pizza, wine and hot tub - perfect! Les & Cynthia. NZ.

Colin & Rona - Thanks so much for an amazing stay. The Lofthouse is wonderful and the hot tub is awesome. The views are amazing! We will definitely come back ... it was worth the trip! Amy & Richie. Wellington, NZ

As soon as we arrived The Lofthouse felt like a second home. Very welcoming and just oozed relaxation! Sitting in the hot tub looking at the stars surrounded by silence, not a bad way to spend the evening! Adrian & Rachael. Rotorua, NZ

Colin & Rona have hosted a terrific place to stay for our honeymoon. We are from the United States and stayed in Australia and here. This has been our favourite place to stay - very homely and relaxing. The Lofthouse will always be a warm memory in our hearts. We would definitely like to visit again If we can ever bear the loooooong plane trip over! Well, we are off to the airport, sadly. Your friends, Aaron & Jill. Big Rapids, Michigan, USA

Thank you for sharing this beautiful Lofthouse of yours. The stars in the sky at night whilst soaking in the hot tub fill me with awe and wonder ... I couldn't help exclaiming ... wow, wow, wow! You guys are beautiful and precious. I hope to come back here and visit you again one day. Much love and blessings. Helen Batley. Yorkshire, England

Thanks heaps for this marvellous place you have. We've had a great short stay and hope to make it longer next time. You are such warm and kind people and that surely makes the stay even nicer. Bless you both. Sarah Lake. Auckland, NZ

Thank you for providing us with the perfect end to our wonderful holiday in New Zealand. We have stayed in a variety of places on our travels, but none of them are a patch on The Lofthouse. It is so unlike us to spend our time just chilling out and relaxing, but we have had a lovely three days doing just that here - it was just what we needed before the 24 hour flight this evening. Thank you so much for your hospitality, the muffins, the homemade bread and the recommendation of The Woodbox - it was wonderful! Best wishes to you all. We hope to return one day in the not too distant future. Natalie & Joe. London, England

Thank you for the wonderful chocolate brownie! We have had a lovely time and you are right - the stars from the hot tub are spectacular! Lovely break, very peaceful and we are so relaxed and Chris is all rested for his rowing race today. Amazing weekend and wonderful accommodation. We will be back and will definitely spread the word. Thank you very much. Anna & Chris. Auckland, NZ

Thanks a lot! Incredible country, incredible people. Quiet and wonderful. Manuel & Carmen. Madrid, Spain.

Another year, another golf tournament for Matt (with the usual rain!). Another two glorious days of solitude for me with another uni assignment done in peace and quiet with the beautiful views and the thought of a glass of wine in your hot tub the only distraction! See you next year. Matt & Elizabeth Birchall. Auckland, NZ

We have loved it again and all my crew are really happy here. Thanks for the baking and we really appreciate everything about this place. Rachel, Brian, Cam, Kendall & Larni Janes. Murapara, NZ

To think that people have stayed here before us - you wouldn't think so, the cleanliness is outstanding! Mum and I loved our stay here. Thank you both very much. We will be back again. Such a beautiful spot! Sarina & Basia. Mount Maunganui & Hawkes Bay, NZ

Dear Rona & Colin. Thank you for your superb hospitality. The Lofthouse is really cute and it is great how you have thought of all those little things you don't realise you need until you need them! We've had a fantastic time (especially in the hot tub with its great views). Look forward to coming back again. Marie, Clare, Kala & Rosini. From all over, NZ!

We have had an awesome relaxing weekend and are leaving with our batteries fully recharged! The privacy that you have achieved here is outstanding, the setting is perfect and everything we have needed has been available for us. Full Monty home-cooking is outstanding too! Will definitely look forward to this being an annual event. Thank you. Donald & Vanessa. NZ.

Best accommodation in New Zealand! You have put together a wonderful homely place and we can't wait to come back and stay for longer! Charl & Claire. NZ.

Thank you for all the little extras that make The Lofthouse stand out by a mile. A perfect surprise from Gareth. Thanks for the golf clubs too! I'll be persuading my dad to take the long trip over to visit and stay here. Kate & Gareth. Exeter, Devon, UK

What a gorgeous, relaxing, homely, comfortable place to holiday in ... all the special little touches - home made feijoa cake and lemonade, comfortable beds, interesting books, videos and DVDs. True kiwi hospitality! Thank you so much Rona & Colin, we hope to come and stay again and will certainly be spreading the word to all our friends. Erica, Gaelle & Maia. Waiheke Island, NZ.

Thank you so much for providing us with such a wonderful home away from home. Never before have we felt so relaxed and comfortable while away for a weekend! We enjoyed absolutely every minute of it - the cold bubbles and apricot slice on arrival, the hot tub, the amazing views, the chocolates on our pillows, the comfortable bed, even the cosy warm duvets and blankets to snuggle up in! What a wonderful place - we don't want to leave. But will look forward to coming back again. From Jodi & Matt. Tauranga, NZ. PS. We forgot to mention the feijoa danishes delivered to our doorstep. Yum. Thank you so much!

What a pleasure to return. The Lofthouse is a slice of heaven for us. Complete rest and it didn't worry us what the weather did! Thank you Rona for the yummy feijoa and almond friands. We shall return and thank you for letting us share such a wonderful piece of New Zealand. Penny & Frith. Tauranga, NZ

'Girls' week away". We have been doing this for 13 years now and this was one of the highlights. The perfect location and wonderful hosts made our stay special and we will recommend to others. Thanks very much. Carolyn, Susan, Carol & Marcia from 'The Naki'. Taranaki, NZ.

Just a wonderful place. Peace and quiet. Spa just perfect. Pity it rained, but still wonderful. Tina, Gary, Katie & Pat. Cooks Beach, NZ

Thank you for such a wonderful stay! Eeverything was perfect. Out of all the places we have visited in this beautiful country, this was our favourite! We will be back soon. Your genuine kindness and wonderful hospitality made this a holiday we will never forget. Such a breathtakingly beautiful place to celebrate our first Easter in NZ. Thank you for that, and for the delicious goodies you baked for us. We felt so spoiled! The kids had a great time playing and feeding the horse and donkey. Brody will miss his 'new buddy' Colin. Thank you again for your friendliness and wonderful Lofthouse and hot tub. Sincerely. Kristy, Jason, Christian & Baby Brody. Tauranga, NZ. (by way of Outer Banks, North Carolina, USA).

Back once again. You spoil us so much we just can't resist! We loved the cooking class and those fantastic Two Tarts! The prune and chocolate cake recipe we have to have please, and we devoured the homemade bread with our BBQ last night. Thanks you so much, once again ... until next time. Rupert & Jill Friend. Auckland, NZ

Your reputation had preceded our visit to such an extent that we felt it could not possibly be exceeded - but we were wrong. You surpassed everything we had expected. A truly pleasurable time away with Rupert & Jill. Oh, and by the way, the roasted tomatoes you sent over complemented our meal last night beautifully. We will be back! Simon & Christine Friend. Wellington, NZ

Wonderful hospitality - we leave well rested. Rona has thought of everything, we appreciated all the home comforts. Great food on our Full Monty package! Might have to visit again! Thanks. PS. The 'new track' on Maunga was great! Kevin, Antoinette & Helen. Christchurch, NZ.

Thank you so much for the baking and highly pleasant surroundings. We'll be in contact for future bookings. Gill & Margot. Dunedin, NZ

Loved your little house - everything here so beautifully done - lovely colours and the bathroom floor is great! We didn't want to disturb you this morning, but thank you so much for a lovely stay. We loved our time here, nice to meet you, and look forward to seeing you again - maybe for Maadi. Gretchen, Kevin & Barb. Hawkes Bay, NZ

Dear Colin & Rona. Staying here has been like stepping inside a painting! What a zany imagination you have. We loved the views, the hot tub under the stars and the colours. Thanks for the delicious chocolate muffins! Heather & Florence Rogers. Auckland, NZ

Sublime is the word that springs to mind! From the moment we stepped inside and found our note and plate of home-baking, we knew we were going to enjoy our stay. It's just been absolutely awesome and just what we needed!! Thank you Colin & Rona for such a wonderful weekend. We'll be back. Penny & Frith. Tauranga, NZ

We arrived very tired but oh what a sound sleep we all had. Next day we arrived back to peace and serenity after a full-on day at competitions with crowds of people. My daughter enjoyed just relaxing in the hot tub as she was a bit sore from Waka Ama (well worth the pain!). Glad to meet Colin before we left. The lemon cordial and peanut slice were yum yum yum. Will be back this time next year. See you then. Helen, Darin & Whanau. Nelson, NZ

Thank you for your superb hospitality. You have thought of everything. Wonderful place. We will be back. Your muffins are to die for :o). Regards. Hasith & Shalini. Auckland, NZ

We loved this place. The Lofthouse is SO comfortable, relaxing and beautiful. The views are amazing. I wish I had the opportunity to spend more time here just enjoying this place. It is without a doubt one of the loveliest places we've ever stayed in all our travels. Thanks so much for your hospitality and we definitely hope to come back. Susan Yoo & Sarah Cocoma. SanFrancisco, CA, USA

After a worry of getting our huge boat to the top of the drive - I can now say we worked out how and your drive is boat-proof!!! How lovely to find the home-made scones and personally addressed note plus all the extras provided ie. wash powder, kitchen condiments etc. Thank you. Our children enjoyed the hot tub and we enjoyed The Lofthouse - perfect after a day on the lake. Thank you for the kind welcome and easy assistance during our booking process and our stay. All the best for 2009! Kind regards. Barry & Tracey Tordoff-Woodman. Ashburton, NZ.

Thank you Rona & Colin for creating such a peaceful, idyllic spot. Thank you also for all the thought that has gone into it and for all the things here to rejuvinate two tired bodies!! The little things that you have done and provided mean such a lot including the gorgeous muffins and salads. Pete wants me to say that it was a horrible, awful, disgusting place to stay so that no-one wants to come ... leaving the bookings wide open so we can return anytime! And he's now addicted to womens' magazines! Many thanks again. Irene & Pete. Mount Maunganui, NZ

Words cannon describe The Lofthouse and our stay here. It is simply 'an experience'. Thanks Colin and Rona for letting us stay. We absolutely loved it. What a great way for us to start our 10th year of marriage. All the best. Kevin & Cleopha. Auckland, NZ

Rona & Colin. Thank you for such a wonderful stay. The Lofthouse exceeded our expectations. We wish we had wonderful places like this in South Africa. All the best. Andrew, Roslyn & Jared Shipton. Pretoria, South Africa

What a find! Everything wonderful. Lovely hosts and well thought out facilities. A+++. We will be back for sure. Thank you all. The Price Family. Palmerston North, NZ

Fantastic mothers' retreat! We all thoroughly enjoyed the peace and quiet. You have a lovely place here and we look forward to another visit. The treats were amazing ... products of The Two Tarts no doubt? Would love the recipe! Went down very nicely with the wine. Many thanks. Faye & The Gals. Auckland, NZ.

Rona - This was just the break we needed. Thank you so much. The "Full Monty" package served up with total privacy will be remembered for years to come. All the best. Rebecca & Mark. Tauranga. NZ.

Hilly is now three years old, so this is the third visit to The Lofthouse - and eighteen more ahead! The family is growing so we'll be coming here for a long time yet. Shane & Antoinette Stevenson. Kerikeri, NZ.