Villas Waiheke

We were greeted by a cockroach and while I understand we are in the Bush, this is not common in a “luxury” accommodation. To clarify, we did not open any windows, and just came back in from dinner and there was the cockroach. Raid is used as a plug-in in both the main area and bedroom, so you are inhaling carcinogens non-stop. The whole unit smells like bug spray because of this, and therefore we left due to feeling ill from the fumes. The pool area is covered and guests are expected to roll out the cover for use and net out bird poop and debris. Not very luxurious… Leaves and debris are everywhere in the pool so it’s unusable. Doors are squeaky so they wake up whoever you are with when opened. You can hear the guests in the “villa” next door talking. Customer service was terrible. After calling twice (no answer the first time) to inform Milagros of the cockroach and wanting to leave early, we were told that we were basically a bother and calling was for emergencies only. They did a bottle of wine for my birthday, but I left it for them to use for another guest. Asked for a partial refund for the days we did not stay, and was met with rudeness and no understanding or hospitality. So disappointing! Not the type of customer service you would expect from a business that says they are “luxury accommodations.”

We spent four nights here, and will certainly return. The villas, were clean, comfortable and very well-equipped. Even my idiosyncratic request for a teapot was granted. We love peace and this spot is away from the crowd, yet close to everything beautiful Waiheke has to offer.

Villas Waiheke are an oasis of calm in the centre of Waiheke, off the Onetangi straight. Despite the driveway running parallel to the grassy runway, we did not see or hear a single plane taking off or landing during our two-night stay. There were a couple of helicopters going in or out, but they didn’t disturb us. The villas were designed and built by a builder/interior designer couple, and it shows. The kitchen is fully set up with a dish drawer, microwave and a two-element ceramic hob. The bed and other furniture were very comfortable, the shower had the option of a standard head or rain head and there was a washer/dryer combo in the hot water cupboard. There are five villas, and all have a private deck with views of the sea and the Ecozip platform on the nearby hill. There is a heat pump in the living area and a panel heater in the bedroom. The pool was heated to 30 degrees and the spa pool was a comfortable temperature. The gardens are beautifully kept and there are numerous birds (and a few rabbits on the driveway). The manager Vicky was excellent. She organised all our bookings – rental car, Ecozip, wine tour, meals out, and everything worked like clockwork. I can thoroughly recommend staying here.