This morning I had breakfast at the Great Ponsonby Arthotel, a historic Victorian villa which has been charmingly renovated.
I tucked into one of their legendary breakfasts of locally sourced free range eggs and bacon on grainy whole meal toast and happily sipped my Fair Trade organic Cuban coffee. In this tranquil haven it was hard to believe that busy Ponsonby Road was only a hop, skip and jump away.
My excuse for being there was that as I had just read Boutique Lodgings of New Zealand: The essential Guide to New Zealand’s Finest Accommodation. I thought I had better find out first hand what sort of places they are.
So who better to ask than Gerry Hill and Sally James who run the Great Ponsonby Arthotel.
As I munched, Gerry multitasked attending to those guests who were keen to know where to go and what to do for the day as well as painting a picture for me on what to look for in a boutique lodging. It was obviously a very busy life but he loves it.
“We aim to make a traveler feel special, like a guest not a battery hen,” he explained.
Here are some of the things that he feels set a Boutique lodging apart:
- It must offer something over and above the motel accommodation used by most Kiwis as it does cost more. It should strive for excellence in ambience, service and the quality of the food and be in a special location.
- Each Boutique Lodging will have its own style and reflect its local environment.
- Whereas a motel/hotel can be very impersonal, in a Boutique Lodging the hosts will go the extra mile to make their guests feel at home. The majority of the guests come from overseas so they especially value this personal contact. Often they will become friends and return.
- Hosts will be able to tell guests the kind of things they may like to see and do, and what’s on in the local area. Gerry and Sally love their Ponsonby lifestyle of food, music, art and wine and are more than happy to let guests know where the best places are to go.
After breakfast Sally took me on the grand tour. Both the garden and interior are a showcase for Gerry’s and Sally’s personal collection of art pieces which capture the Pacifica heartbeat and the creative spirit of Auckland such as tapa cloth, masks, paintings and New Zealand ceramics.
As we meandered through the garden their passion for recycling was obvious in the way bricks from the old chimney have been used to pave the courtyard, and the fences are made out of old roofing iron. The herb garden, which keeps the kitchen supplied, is fertilised by manure made in their own worm farm. Gerry and Sally’s commitment to sustainable tourism has earned them the Enviro-Gold qualmark and they are the only green boutique accommodation in Auckland.
Inside, the lounge has comfy couches, WIFI, and stacks of New Zealand DVDs. I have a sudden urge to chill out here for the day! In the bathrooms (squeaky clean of course) the eco shampoos and conditioners take pride of place. The bedrooms are spacious and on a hot summer day feel cool. There’s art on the walls and hand appliquéd Cook Island tivaevae cushions on the beds. I loved the Palm Garden studios but my favourite would have to be The Penthouse with its extensive views over the Ponsonby rooftops from the balcony. So many familiar landmarks!
While this boutique style of accommodation has long been a popular option for overseas travelers the average New Zealand family may well find that it’s beyond their holiday budget.
But having checked out the Great Ponsonby Arthotel I’m thinking that for the baby boomers an occasional stay in a boutique lodge would be a unique and relaxing experience!
Wondering where to go? Boutique Lodgings of New Zealand is a handy reference. It’s a guide to a wide range of luxury accommodation. Each entry was personally selected and reviewed because it had superior facilities, a spectacular location, superb hospitality and ambience and an ongoing commitment to sustainable tourism and business practices.
There’s lots to explore and to choose from!
More information about the Great Ponsonby Arthotel can be found at info@greatpons.co.nz
A Boutique Lodgings of New Zealand book, in its 8th edition is distributed by New Holland’ Find out more at http://www.lodgings.co.nz/