I'm not sure how long it took to get from LA to Auckland. I admit crossing the International Date Line and New Zealand's Daylight Savings Time confused me. Although the Air New Zealand 747 was large and fairly comfortable even in Pacific (economy) Class (footrests, adjustable headrests, pillow, blanket, pretty good food, wine, 3 movies, etc.), it's a long flight. When we got to Auckland, we hopped on a short flight to Whangarei (pronounced fa-nga-rey-ee: "wh" is pronounced like an "f" in Mauri) where we rented a car and drove an hour and a half to Kerikeri. All in all, we probably traveled more than 20 hours to get to Villa Maria Petit Boutique Hotel. As Mieke Van Dyck, one of the hostesses told me, they are in the middle of "the wop-wops" (nowhere). Of course, that's one of the things that makes their location appealing. It was the first stop on a very busy but fabulous tour of New Zealand's spas and other attractions arranged by HOME AT FIRST. Villa Maria is one of the lodgings that participates in HOME AT FIRST's "Welcome Home" program. More about that later. I mention all this only to let you know how wonderful it was to have an en suite massage arranged in advance and waiting for me at Villa Maria after that long journey.

Villa Maria Petit Boutique Hotel in Kerikeri currently offers three separate Mediterranean–style villas named after and decorated in themes of hostesses Mieke and Catharina Van Dyck’s favorite artists: Salvador Dali, Paul Gauguin, and Toulouse Lautrec. Each villa is situated so that it has complete privacy from the other two. They each have queen and twin bedrooms, private bathroom, living/dining area, kitchen stocked with coffee and teas, and covered outdoor terraces overlooking the Kerikeri Inlet. The bathroom has a heated towel rack, hanging in the bedrooms are comfortable robes to wear, and on the dining table, a fresh floral arrangement - of Naked Lilies during my visit. These beautiful flowers grow wild all over the area and get their name from the fact they have no leaves on their stems. Another interesting fact I learned was that the insulation used in the villas is sheep's wool(!) - a common commodity in New Zealand. The Van Dycks are expanding Villa Maria by renovating a studio. They have decided to call it Hippocampe (seahorse) and are using that theme to guide the decor and color scheme (sea green, blue, yellow and white). The four poster bed just arrived after we left and the bathroom renovation should be underway soon.

I stayed in the Salvador Dali Villa. As one might expect, there were Dali prints decorating the walls. However, the real surprise was the large mural painted on the back wall of the carport. Mieke and Catharina hired a local artist to do the work and, while it took quite a while to finish. the result is terrific!

A delicious, organic, and hearty breakfast was included with our stay each morning. Lots of fresh fruit, juice, coffee and hot selections. Villa Maria is a large property and has its own small orchard that produces a variety of citrus fruit including Uglies (a type of orange). The sisters also raise goats. There is a salt water swimming pool, a sauna (soon to be upgraded), and in-room massage.

Speaking of massage, did I mention how tired I was after sitting in a plane and car for the better part of 24 hours? I was delighted when Gabriella Fischer knocked on the Dali door. She set her massage table up on the terrace in the fresh warm air and I crawled on. Gabriella proceeded to give me a massage using a custom-blended aromatherapy mix for both muscle and mental relaxation. It was most appreciated! I also think it was very helpful in preventing a major case of jet-lag. Gabriella moved to New Zealand from Germany where she had a six-year massage therapy practice. When she got to New Zealand, she found out she could practice massage therapy right away, but in order to become certified by the New Zealand Association of Therapeutic Massage Practitioners (N.Z.A.T.M.P.), she had to go back to school for a year. She chose to become certified.

Perhaps the best feature among many nice ones at Villa Maria was the opportunity to get to know Mieke and Catharina a little bit. The sisters are happy to talk about the Bay of Islands area and will help make arrangements for sailing, fishing, swimming with dolphins, kayaking, flying, horse trekking, golfing, wine tasting, dining, etc. (Click on links below for details of my experiences with the dolphin encounter, the Maori and the Waitangi National Reserve, and area restaurants.) Mieke, Catharina, and I had common interests in homeopathy, health, skin care products, and organic food. In fact, Meike went with me to visit Living Nature, a company started by a mother of 3 (who happens to be an analytical chemist and beauty therapist) that manufactures wholistic skin care and health products based on plants native to New Zealand. (Click on link below for more detail). Living Nature has plans to offer facials using its products in the future. 

Traveling in New Zealand was a real bargain at the time of my visit (March, 2001). The value of the US dollar was great compared to the New Zealand dollar ($.44NZ/$1US). For example, the cost of a 60 minute massage in your room at Villa Maria was $65NZ. That would be ~$29US! A 90 minute aromatherapy massage cost $85NZ or ~$37US! And in New Zealand, tipping is not expected. 

My only regret is that I did not have more time to spend in the beautiful Bay of Islands area and at Villa Maria. I would definitely like to return some day.

If you would like help creating your own tour of New Zealand, HOME AT FIRST can help you plan and arrange all the details. HOME AT FIRST’s  "Welcome Home" program is perfect for the independent traveler who wants to explore New Zealand on his/her own. HOME AT FIRST can help you design a unique itinerary based on your interests (spas, golf, wine, history, etc.). HOME AT FIRST packages include:

• Round trip Air New Zealand flights from Los Angeles to Auckland,

• Someone to meet you upon arrival in Auckland to provide orientation and itinerary review,

• Maps and guidebooks,

• Avis car rental,

• Flight from North Island to South Island,

• Quality accommodations with private baths in Bed & Breakfast lodgings chosen for their location, hospitality, character, and amenities. Breakfast is included each morning

Villa Maria Petit Boutique Hotel participates in HOME AT FIRST’s program.

An interview with Catharina and Mieke Van Dyck of Villa Maria Petit Boutique Hotel can be found on About's Bed and Breakfast Site.

Kia Ora!
(Maori greeting meaning Be Well, Be Healthy)

Photos copyright 2001, Julie Register
Licensed to About.com  
Flag and Map courtesy of CIA World FactBook

Villa Maria Petit Boutique Hotel's Hostesses
Catharina and Mieke Van Dyck
at the Breakfast Table

Massage Therapist Gabriella Fischer 
On Terrace of Salvador Dali Villa

Salvador Dali Villa Twin Bedroom

Salvador Dali Villa Kitchen

Hostesses Catharina Van Dyck Arranging Naked Lilies

Mural in Salvador Dali Villa Carport

Fresh Fruits for Breakfast at 
Villa Maria Petit Boutique Hotel