The Boatshed, Waiheke Island
Murray Bevan | November 6th, 2007
Many people have not yet discovered the wonders of the small luxury hotel, and to them I am eternally grateful.
It is their naivity and lack of taste that will surely keep these little treasures of private accommodation and hospitality safe from the ruins of mass transit tourism and discount price deals all over the world.
It is with a heavy heart then, that I am about to unravel the secrets of one of the best small luxury hotels in the galaxy, that of The Boatshed on Waiheke Island, in Auckland’s Hauraki Gulf.
For the thousands of you who have read and bookmarked my RunawayNow stories, you will find that the Hauraki Gulf is a regular little getaway for me, so it was with great pleasure that I took my girlfriend (actually, it was the other way around - it was her birthday present to me) to The Boatshed on Waiheke Island for a relaxing night away from town.
From the moment we arrived, Jonathan and his team of one (or maybe two) others were perfect hosts, making us feel totally at ease and welcome in the small but perfectly formed (and decorated) Boatshed Hotel.
The cluster of small rooms are stacked next to each other, and each one looks out towards the water, with the view rolling over the greenery of nearby cliffs outside. The main room at The Boatshed sits above the main building and smaller rooms and is indeed a sight to behold. It’s no wonder it helped put The Boatshed on the cover of the Small Boutique Hotels hard-back book that was recently published.
All meals can be catered for at The Boatshed; we opted just for breakfast, which was a real taste of good, fresh, New Zealand foods, served in a continental style, followed by a cooked breakfast of my choosing and accompanied by fine coffee, fresh juice and a number of assorted goodies. That small breakfast experience was enough to make me think we should have stayed in for dinner rather than heading to the nearby Mudbrick for dinner, which was a let down.
The Boatshed is a must for any discerning traveler in the Auckland area. Even the hardened city folk should dig into their wallets and treat themselves to a night there. It’s worth every penny.
The Boatshed, Waiheke Island, Crn Tawa and Huia Street, Little Oneroa, Waiheke, Hauraki Gulf, New Zealand. + 64 (09) 372 3242; http://www.boatshed.co.nz/
