Staying at The Heads, Omapere

The Heads hotel, Omapere.

Lorna Subritzky checks into the The Heads, Omapere.

Location: Omapere is a tiny settlement on the south shore of Hokianga Harbour, near Opononi (about 270km northwest of Auckland). When we visited, construction of The Heads was not yet finished and signage wasn't up, so it took us a while to realise we were actually staying within the grounds of the locally-owned Copthorne Hotel and Resort Hokianga. The Heads website also omits this information.

Check-in experience: As with all staff we met, those on reception were friendly and laid-back. There was no wait to check in and the hotel facilities were briefly pointed out on the way to our brand-new accommodation.

Room: Not so much a room as a private villa, with a fenced courtyard containing a table, chairs, spa pool and sun loungers, and an open-plan Scandi interior. The summer temperatures meant we didn't use the striking central fireplace that services both the bedroom and lounge. There are flat-screen TVs in each room, the mini-bar fridge is roomy, and we liked the complimentary bottled water, as well as the Nespresso (I've never seen so many coffee options). We also appreciated the walk-in wardrobe with fluffy robes and slippers. My concern about our peace being shattered by the big wedding taking place on the hotel grounds was unfounded, with the villa proving fairly soundproof. The only negative? No Wi-Fi in the rooms (although it was available elsewhere on the property). Good chance to digitally detox (or use the hotspot on mum's phone, if you're my daughter).

Views: Because The Heads is built at the rear of the property, there are no views — but it's only a few steps to the golden sands of Omapere Beach so this seems a small trade-off for relaxed privacy.

Bed: A comfortable super king with top-quality bedding, split into singles for my daughter and me.

Bathroom: An absolute show-stopper, as evidenced by a quick snap becoming my most-liked Instagram post in ages. Think double monsoon showers, dual handbasins and a luxuriously deep bath. Big tick for the separate toilet.

Toiletries: Locally made pamper products under the Forest & Bird banner.

Facilities: The Copthorne Hokianga is a beautiful old kauri villa set on manicured lawns. If you don't want to swim in the sea in front of the hotel, there's a decent sized pool, and the large deck in front of Sands Bar proved an ideal place for an afternoon cider. We ate at the hotel's Byers Restaurant, with stunning views of the harbour and sand dunes. The cuisine was local and fairly pricey but delicious.

Neighbourhood:

The Heads' location is everything. From here you can explore the harbour (the fourth largest in New Zealand) by water taxi or jetski, head to the nearby settlements of Opononi and Rawene, sandboard down the sand dunes, or head up into Waipoua, our largest kauri forest and home to the famed Tane Mahuta and the even more impressive (I think) Te Matua Ngahere. The Footprints twilight tour is highly recommended.

Ideal for:

Although my daughter and I thoroughly enjoyed our stay, The Heads is clearly designed for couples wanting to escape the rat race and it provides the best of both worlds: the privacy and solitude of a lodge, but with all the facilities of a larger hotel.