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I don’t know if I was just feeling emotional because it was the end of our New Zealand trip or because Piha is just that special.
From the moment you start your descent into Piha it’s clear this area is stunningly beautiful. After a month in NZ, we were accustomed to gorgeous landscapes but Piha just hit differently for some reason.
Piha feels worlds away from Auckland but is literally a suburb of NZ’s largest city. I absolutely love the fact that you could live in a place like this but still carry on a “normal city work life”. Truly is the best of both worlds.
Piha is certainly not off the beaten track yet we spent 4 days in mid-December and it was incredibly quiet. I woke every morning just before sunrise and headed to the beach and had the entirety of this stunning place to myself until surfers slowly began to emerge to catch morning waves. I have tried surfing dozens of times and have never possessed the “effortlessly cool” vibe a real surfer has. Surfing is one of those incredibly beautiful things that is more lifestyle than sport. For those who do it regularly, it becomes a part of their life and and I honestly think it makes most a better person. I don’t know if it is the connection to nature or the forced disconnect from technology but having been around many lifelong surfers in my day, there is just a different energy and I think a lot of us could benefit from understanding this better.
I first stumbled upon Suzy’s place when researching places to stay for our trip on Airbnb and it stood out as one of the best Airbnb’s in Piha. Looking at the pictures and reading the reviews made it pretty clear that this was where we wanted to be.
My initial communication with Suzy was easy and it gave me the confidence to move forward with the booking.
When you book special places like this, it can sometimes be a letdown as you have built it up in your head long before arrival. But pulling through the gates and walking the pathway down to this beautiful modern home my worries faded away.
The home is not just beautiful but is well designed and built and we never felt for a moment that we overpaid for our stay. There are certainly more “affordable” options out there and this is definitely upscale accommodation but if you are comfortable spending this amount on your nightly stay then you will not be disappointed. Every time I stay in a property like this I can’t help but reminisce to my old backpacking days when I was 19 and the terrifyingly cheap places I would stay. As much as I have grown to love nicer places, those cheap crash pads will always have a place in my heart and I think everyone should experience both.
The deck steals the show without a doubt and it offers absolutely incredible views looking down over lush vegetation and Piha’s iconic Lion Rock. Morning coffees at sunrise and cocktails at sunset were an integral part of our stay.
The interior of the home was well-appointed and had ample room. There were only three of us but it could easily accommodate two couples and kids on the oversized bunks. The back yard is lush and the outdoor BBQ was perfect for dinners.
The kitchen space was modern, clean and fully functional and had everything needed.
The bedrooms were comfortable and the bathrooms were clean and beautifully appointed.
While we loved the property its self, the area around the home is equally impressive. At the end of the street is the Mercer loop which is a beautiful set of hiking trails that provide gorgeous views of untouched beaches and cliffs. I hiked both at sunset and sunrise and only saw a couple of other locals on the trails.
One thing to certainly consider is Piha has really no amenities in terms of grocery stores etc. So if you have the time and are driving make sure to hit a grocery store before getting to Piha. Stocking up so you have a few meals will make your stay more enjoyable. There are few shops and restaurants but it’s limited and when you’re staying in beautiful accommodation like this it’s nice to cook yourself a home-cooked meal and enjoy.
So long story short, we not only loved Suzy’s place but Piha in general.
The rugged black sand beaches, and powerful sea crashing against beautiful rock formations made exploring the area an amazing experience and we plan to write more in detail about Piha in a future blog.
If you want to stay in Auckland and just do a day trip to Piha, then check out our review of this Auckland Airbnb , but don’t skip Piha.
Looking for some more unique Zealand accommodation check out a few more of our favourites.
AUCKLAND | COROMANDEL | RAGLAN