At 3am one morning in 2017, my husband, Neill, sat bolt upright in bed.
He turned to me and said: “How would you like to live in Bali three months of the year?” 
I said: “No way. How?”
He then told me about a property on Waiheke Island he had been trying to sell for a year, which had just been taken off the market. He claimed that nobody could see its potential, sadly.
“Go on then, buy it,” I said, “but ONLY if you CAN promise me we’d live in our little slice of Bali for three months of every year.”
He promised. 

A month before we took possession, he said he couldn’t believe I hadn’t gone to see what we’d bought and that I’d better go and take a look. I said I didn’t have to because I was confident that whatever he’d bought, I was going to Bali! Every year. For a few months. He’d promised! 

I did eventually go and take a look but only the week before we moved in. Suffice to say I couldn’t talk for a week! What we’d bought was once part of a visitors’ facility. There were four wee dwellings in varying states of disrepair. One had to be properly rebuilt. Honestly, standing there and taking it all in, you’d have seen my tonsils. My jaw was on the floor. It was a renovator’s nightmare.

After it all sunk in and I could see the birds for the trees (literally), only then did it hit me that what we’d purchased was undeniably a gem. A home and income opportunity (stuff dreams are made of); hidden in amongst a lush trove of mature Nikau palms and a myriad of beautiful bird-life to boot. Shock turned to awe. 

I needn’t have been afraid. My husband’s second name is Crusoe; as in Robinson Crusoe. Neill is a total Adventurer; he dragged me off to Madagascar on our honeymoon. Twice! All I was allowed to pack was a raincoat poncho, togs, a sarong and a pair of hiking boots. He’s also a passionate Eco Warrior and into everything sustainable. I had the right guy for the job! If this wasn’t enough, he’d also invested in 18 acres on Great Barrier Island, where he wanted to build off the grid boutique accommodation. You see, our fun had only just begun. 

This property on Waiheke took us a year and a half of hard slog to complete; but with the help of our handy apprentice (then) Builder son, Josh, and with my experience as a Props Buyer in the film industry, Neill’s green fingers and ‘MacGyver’ handyman skills; we created Boho Hill Boutique Accommodation. For a year, almost two, we listed the studio and the main cottage with various online booking platforms, offering couples a unique romantic escape.

Well, the speedy success of it took our breath away...What we’ve created are seductive, light filled spaces with a feeling of absolute serenity and calmness ... an escape from the world and something truly special for guests to enjoy.