What's so good about this place? The beachfront location, the peace and the thirst-quenching views. It's Qualmark four star-plus rated.
And the bad? If you'd rather not stay in someone's home, choose the two garden rooms in a separate dwelling in the property. We had no mobile phone coverage but there was free wi-fi.
What's in the neighbourhood? The great outdoors - Punakaiki's famous pancake rocks are 30 km to the north - and a rich seam of coal and gold mining heritage.
The bed? A comfy king.
A room with a view? On a clear day the sunset lingers over the Tasman and you might just be able to see Australia, if you squint a bit.
Enjoying the views from the deck at Breakers Boutique Accommodation. Photo / Supplied
The grounds? A hectare of gardens, bush and lawn, leading down to a sweeping beach with rock pools to explore at low tide.
The bathroom? Our en suite (with shower) was huge and gleaming, with a big ocean vista. "The loo with a view," Jan called it.
Toiletries? Custom-made May Chang toiletries in big help-yourself bottles, rather than miniatures and sachets.
Noise? Thundering surf. That's it.
Food? A generous continental and cooked breakfast, with plenty of fresh fruit. I had a delicious eggs benny with salmon on a potato cake.
Perfect for? A stopover on a West Coast road trip.
Would I return? Definitely. The kids want to move in here.
CHECKLIST
Breakers Boutique Accommodation is at 1367 State Highway 6, Runanga. Phone: 03 762 7743.
