GEM Homestay Apartment: Long-term / Unserviced

We're a very social family of five with children aged 12, 14 and 16. After returning from a year back-baking around Asia, Europe and the UK, we now enjoy greeting guests from all over the world. We welcome solo adventurers, couples & business travellers. And we especially welcome families with children. We happily share our books, toys, games, trampoline, bikes & scooters with families who stay with us. *** In the event that bookings are genuinely disrupted by Covid-19 level changes, we will endeavour to refund any nights that are affected (less any fees charged by Airbnb.) ***We require vaccine passes for all guests 12 years old and over*** *** This listing is heavily discounted for long-term stays and is self-service only. We provide one week's breakfast provisions, a change of linen and cleaning supplies for guests to use during their stay. *** The maximum number of adults that we can accommodate for a long-term stay is 4 because we do not have continuous hot water. Showers need to be staggered for larger groups. *** Please check out our other listing if you are looking for short-term accommodation. Please note: This is our family home complete with a busy 'family'. We have three friendly, energetic children aged 12, 14 and 16 who love to help host our guests. Our home includes a generous 2 bedroom self-contained apartment on the ground floor beneath our family bedrooms and bathrooms. The apartment includes a: * Large family bedroom with 3 king single beds. * Double bedroom with a king bed. * Living area with kitchenette, dining table & couch. * Separate toilet. * Separate bathroom with shower & washing machine. Both bedrooms have drawers and the double room has a wardrobe for hanging clothes. Each room also has a desk and desk lamp, a heater, electric blankets and night lights, as well as blinds and blackout curtains for extra comfort. One bedroom also has a TV with Chromecast so you can watch your favourite Netflix or Youtube shows. We have a port-a-cot, highchair and baby bath available on request. The kitchenette has a small fridge and oven, a microwave, elements, electric frypan, toaster, jug, coffee maker, toasted sandwich press, rice cooker, egg cooker, crockery, cutlery and glasses. Because we don't have a vented extraction fan we ask that you don't cook strong-smelling food such as curries or fish dishes. There is a hairdryer and hair straighteners in the bathroom. We have a DVD player and selection of DVD's available for guests to enjoy. Parking - unfortunately, we have limited parking up our driveway so there may be times when guests need to park on the road. Our apartment is self-contained and has its own entrance. Guests have access to 2 private bedrooms, as well as a private guest living room, bathroom and toilet. The bedrooms, bathroom and toilets all have locks for guest privacy. There is a washing line and small courtyard outside the apartment which guests are welcome to use. Our section is not fully fenced, but children are welcome to play on the grass, trampoline or on our driveway as long as they supervised by a parent. Please note: We can take no responsibility for any injuries that occur while children are playing on our property. We're a very sociable family who love to get to know our guests. We work from home and we homeschool our 3 children so we have plenty of time to help you find your way around our city. We can also help with advice about housing, schools and services if you are moving to New Zealand. You're welcome to enjoy the privacy of your apartment and you're also very welcome to join us in our family lounge for a chat and a drink too. We love to walk! So, feel free to join us for a stroll along the Waiwhetu Stream or for a more energetic hike along the hills behind our home. If you're travelling with children our home is ideal. We're happy to share our books, games, toys, DVDs, bikes and scooters. And, of course, your children are welcome to run around and play with our children too. Our home is located in a quiet, tree lined, residential street. As well as being very near the beautiful Waiwhetu stream, we also have convenient access to some of Lower Hutt's best walking and bike trails. At the end of our street there is a selection of shops including bakeries, convenience stores, fast food outlets, gift stores, two cafes, a florist, a greengrocer, a mechanic, and a beauty salon. There is also a local school playground and a Baptist church. And, you’ll also find bus stops for the 130 bus at the end of our street. At the end of our street, there are bus stops for the 130 bus to Waterloo railway station, central Lower Hutt, Queensgate shopping centre, the War Memorial Library and Jackson St Petone. This bus will take you to the Lighthouse movie theatre and many restaurants in Lower Hutt and Petone, as well as the Dowse Art Museum and Huia or Naenae swimming pools. A flat 10-15 minute walk or 2 minute drive will take you to Epuni railway station. From there you can take a train to Wellington (22 min) or Upper Hutt (23 min). A flat 15-20 minute walk or 3 minute drive will take you to Waterloo shopping centre and Waterloo railway station. From there you can catch a train to Wellington or Upper Hutt, or you can also catch a train to the Wairarapa (1hr 15min). A flat 20-25 minute walk or 5 minute drive will take you to Hutt Hospital and Boulcott Hospital. A flat 30 minute walk or 5 minute drive will take you to Queensgate shopping centre and central Lower hutt. Also nearby - 10 minutes drive to the Wainuiomata Mountain Bike Park. 15 minutes drive to Upper Hutt. 15 minutes drive to the Interislander Ferry Terminal. 20 minutes to Central Wellington. 20 minutes drive to Day's Bay and Eastbourne. 1 hour drive to the Kapiti Coast or the Wairarapa. Please note: our apartment is located below our family bedrooms and bathrooms, so noise can travel between the two levels. We do our best to keep this to a minimum, but there may be times when you can hear us moving around upstairs.