XSPOT Holiday Apartment for 2 | Aotea-Great Barrier Island - XSPOT Holiday Apartment for 2 | Aotea/Great Barrier Island 421 Schooner Bay Road

Een geweldig mooie locatie. Schitterend uitzicht en erg gastvrij. Ik heb er al 4 keer gelogeerd. Dat zegt al genoeg denk ik. Het eiland is prachtig en zeker de moeite waard. Je kan er heerlijk wandelen en fietsen en natuurlijk surfen, zwemmen en zonnen op de stille witte stranden.

Always amazing.

Views are incredible

One of the best experiences of my considerably long life - saw a pod of dolphins playing in the bay below the house, Bryde's whales blowing their tops and rolling on the surface of the ocean, and myriads of stars, seen with a telescope and a knowledgeable expert who as well as facts, shared the legends surrounding the different star clusters over a cup of hot chocolate.

Paradise!!

X Spot is the perfect getaway. With magnificent clifftop views of the Hauraki Gulf and Coromandel Peninsula, including native birds and other wildlife by day and all the stars and planets after dark. Very peaceful and comfortable. Friendly hosts. Highly recommended.

Dreams do come true When we walked into XSPOT for the last two weeks of our nine week NZ journey, I knew we were in the right place. Perched high on a cliff overlooking the Hauraki Gulf with floor to ceiling glass windows, the sky and water are the show. What is outside is also inside – here is solitude- so peaceful, so relaxing, so romantic - what an amazing perspective! What an experiment it will be living in such surroundings. We are back home now and as I reflect on our experience, I don’t know what my favorite part of XSPOT is: living in comfort while in the embrace of nature? Opening the bedroom door to the great room and my eyes looking immediately out to the grand seascape with Little Barrier Island in the distance, observing this mornings’ light over water and land? Perching myself on the grass near the cliff edge and observing the movement of water and clouds and listening to the water lapping below? Sitting on the adirondack chair on the deck with my morning coffee listening to the crickets, watching the flax plants quiver in the breeze and the wax eye birds flit about? Being startled by the flap of the gannet wings as they approach over the roof before I can see them and watching their grace and beauty as they go into a free fall dive in the water? Wondering and watching what will this sky look like when sunshine turns to starshine? Our evening with Hilde, our host here at XSPOT and owner of “Good Heavens Dark Sky Experience”, sitting on the deck, listening, learning and laughing as the stardome captures our undivided attention and fills us up with wonder? Spotting the planet Venus just after dusk and enjoying a magnificent sunset? My eyes scanning the sky to find the first pop out stars of the night? Is it the intimacy and connection with the natural world that I long for that is satisfied gazing into the night in the arms of my love? Will I ever forget waking up at night, lying in bed and gazing at the stars? Oh YES, it is all of the above! And I could go on but I don’t want to go overboard here. Our stay at XSPOT was an extraordinary experience. We thank Hilde and Roger for offering this lodging, for maintaining it so well and for Hilde’s excellent communication before our trip as well as welcoming us and sharing tips and information about Great Barrier and living off-the-grid, and also helping us to experience bioluminescence. If you love spectacular views, beautifully designed indoor/outdoor living and clean comfortable accommodation with friendly, helpful but not intrusive hosts, then this is the perfect place. Tips: Be sure to hire a good 4WD, print off the directions on the XSPOT website before your first visit and arrive in day light. Bring food for several days as you may not want to leave!

The Xspot is certainly one of the best places to stay on Great Barrier Island. The self contained apartment is well equipped for a very comfortable stay and the panoramic sea views leave you gasping with awe. You really feel like you're a king of your own castle! On top of that, you get a fantastic host in Hilde. We (my wife, 4yo son and I) stayed there for 14 days late Nov - Early Dec 2019. Hilde went out of her way to make sure we were comfortable, she even brought toys over for my son to play with and was so patient with him, taking him to feed the chickens, water the vegetable garden and just being a fabulous host! My son absolutely adored her! One of the many highlights of this trip, was the Good Heavens Stargazing tour that Hilde conducted on the patio. An absolute must-do if you visit GBI. Stargazing, soaking in the sea views, enjoying life off the grid, cuddling up with Pooky, the resident tabby, listening to birdsong, inhaling the sweet smell of manuka...we will definitely visit GBI again and we will definitely stay at XSPOT again! Thank you Hilde, Roger, Pooky and Xspot for making our stay, HEAVENLY!