Ocean Breeze Apartment

My flights were cancelled on the day I was due to check in, which was completely out of my control, so I had to cancel. The owners wouldn't offer any kind of refund. It was a bad situation for everyone, but I thought they'd show some empathy and at least offer a partial refund. The NZD 4,100 I paid for a nine-day stay is gone, with no apparent concern from the owners. It's really sad.

The apartment has plenty of space. We had a two-bedroom place on the second floor, with two generously sized bedrooms, two bathrooms including an ensuite, and comfortable living, kitchen, and dining areas. The bed itself was comfortable, but the bedding looked old and as though it hadn't been freshly washed. The building has no lift, and the steep stairs made carrying suitcases difficult. There was also loud aircraft noise during take-offs, as the place sits right under the flight path. Chickens at a neighbouring property started crowing around 1 am, and I spotted a small lizard crawling on the floor of my room. The Wi-Fi only worked on the balcony. Management said there was just one network and couldn't help, which was a real problem since my international roaming didn't work. I'd rate it around 2.5 to 3 stars.

The pool was good, though smaller than it looked in the photo, and the ladies were lovely and provided good service. The room was fine, but one set of bedding came back dirty after it was changed. There were black marks on the underside of the doona. I'm not sure whether it was mould, but with the humidity, I wouldn't be surprised.

The ocean view from our third-floor balcony was spectacular, and the runway right behind the place made the stay extra special for me. As an avid plane watcher, I loved being able to see planes land from the lounge room. We stayed 10 nights and had a fantastic time. There were five of us, and the spacious living room fitted everyone comfortably. The kitchen had everything we needed, and staff were happy to provide anything else we asked for. The rooms were spacious, with split-system air conditioning, fully equipped wardrobes, bedside tables with lamps, and charging stations. I'd definitely recommend staying here to family and friends.