Your best ever Wedding Anniversary gift - A celebration of your life together

We spent our wedding anniversary at this beautiful captain's cottage with our two-year-old girl.

We were looking for a child friendly place with a nice sea view. From the very first email from Armando and Marianne we realized that bay guest house is the place we were looking for. We booked it with no hesitation.

From the very first minute we enter this guest house, we felt very welcomed. The view is spectacular. And the combination of the panoramic view and lovely welcoming host made this place magical.

The food is amazing... And we didn't have to worry about our girl as lovely Marianne was accompanying her while we were having our delicious breakfast leisurely. Thanks Marianne, Armando and Sabrina. We are hoping to go back to this lovely place again... :)

Our family had the absolute thrill of staying 4 nights here over Labour Weekend. I am pleased to write this review as we were all treated like royalty from the moment we arrived until the time we left. Marianne and Armando were genuinely invested in making the special occasion I planned for our family celebration truly memorable. The Guest house was absolutely amazing - first class facilities, spacious and peaceful. As for the meals - don't bother going off site as cafes or vineyard restaurants would be hard pushed to beat what was presented to us meal after meal. We were all very sad to leave as we were treated as if we were family. This is definitely "the" place to stay in the Hawkes Bay.

My partner and I can say with confidence, this place is by far the best place we've ever stayed in. The Bay Guesthouse (Captains Suite) is truly a special place, fitted for luxurious stays and beautiful romantic getaways. From the moment we arrived, we were showered with hospitality and the most amazing views throughout. These breaktaking views were enjoyed everyday no matter what time, day and night. 

The hosts made this romantic birthday espace very special with amazingly delicious food everyday, honest and reliable information for how to spend our days, and they maintained the utmost respect of our privacy. 

I highly recommend the Bay Guesthouse to anyone lucky enough for the opportunity to stay there. In every aspect of a luxury stay considering location, service, and cleanliness, it is unbeatable. With a first-class level of hospitality and luxury, this stay is an excellent value. The location may seem like a trek but it's actually quite close to the wineries and tucked into the sheep filled hills making the drive to and from very magical. 

Thank you to the Faes Family for exceeding our expectations by taking such care and making this birthday celebration extra special.

Wow-what a weekend, it started with me contacting Marianne and Armando through their web site as I wanted to take my wife away for a weekend for her birthday. Right, from the start they came back to me promptly and offered to make Joanne a birthday cake. We even pre-arranged the menu, they were very accommodating as to me not eating seafood.

We arrived late afternoon early evening, the place is a little hard to find the first time, the GPS got us close but I suggest that you read the very well prepared and supplied directions. Driving up the drive and finally reaching the top we found ourselves looking at the Bay Guest House, a very well presented modern building with a 360-degree view to die for. And of course, Marianne and Armando were waiting for us, a quick introduction including an arm around the shoulder and we were shown around.

The place was fantastic and the photos on the web site don't do it justice. Armando brought our luggage in and refused any help from me. We were given some advice of places for dinner in Havelock North, we decided on the pizza, a little place kind of hidden away which we would have never found had we not been given directions, the crust was the best that I can remember ever having.

Next morning we woke up and headed to breakfast at the arranged time, oh my god there was that much food I wondered who else would be joining us, there was the food we wouldn't have usually had for breakfast but we had a go anyway, we ate too much but enjoyed everything we ate.

We went off for a massage and wine / local area tour before arriving back for a quick shower and then the three-course dinner.

We sat down to the dinner Marianne and Armando treated us like royalty and were joined by their daughter to help plate up our meals. Again the food was fantastic, the food we wouldn't normally eat, we were out of our comfort zone and enjoyed every minute.

We decided to sit and talk with Marianne and Armando after dinner there was no pressure and they would have gone with the flow and left us to it if that had been what we had wanted. I was interested in their story how and why New Zealand.

Sunday morning we woke up to another beautiful sunrise, then another huge breakfast this time with the added bonus of a French omelette, this I will remember for a long time, we were seen off like long lost friends. The was one of my better decision's, not only was the place, accommodation and view outstanding what really made the weekend was the interaction with Marianne and Armando.

The Bay Guest House is very unique and provides what I would say is fantastic value for money, they have pitched their pricing so that almost anyone could afford this experience.

Would I recommend the Bay Guest House, hell yes I'm just looking for an excuse to head back! Thank you for an amazing weekend Regards, Joanne and David Howard

I chose Bay Guesthouse to celebrate my husband's birthday because of the great reviews and photos on their website. It exceeded all of our expectations, and everything the reviews said was right and more.

Perfectly balancing five-star features with bespoke twists, every aspect of the guest experience at this luxe retreat has been designed and built by them to elevate and redefine luxury: from the interior design intricacies that pay homage to the hosts' background to the personalised and attentive service on hand to curate your perfect Hawke's Bay escape.

We experienced five-star sophistication perched high on the hilltop, soaking up uninterrupted vistas of the ocean and Waimarama beach from every room. We had a sumptuous breakfast spread each morning consisting of homemade bread and pastries, cured salmon, cold meats, fruit salad, selection of cheeses, French toast with caramelised banana one morning and the French omelette with camembert and bacon on another and the list goes on. What made it extra special was the pear frangipane tart they made on the morning of my husband's birthday (see photo).

In the evening, we had an intimate candlelit three-course epicurean dining experience with the best ricotta ravioli starter in tomato sauce, main course fish medley of gurnard, monkfish and salmon in the most delicious creamy white wine sauce, followed by a dessert trio of crème caramel, tiramisu and strawberry sorbet.

We also had their handpicked Paritua wines which we really enjoyed, so much so we went to the Paritua winery the next day and bought some to take home.

Most important of all was the warm welcome and hospitality of Armando and Marianne. It was like meeting wonderful old friends and sharing life experiences while being pampered by them.

Thank you for a perfect memorable getaway, and we will be back for more!

Bay Guesthouse is an incredible place with the most spectacular views in NZ and waking up with a breathtaking view like that makes it even more special.

We were looking for luxury accommodation to celebrate a birthday and found this gem that was luxury but still great value for money. The service was excellent and the hosts warm and friendly - they made the stay extra special.

They have different options for dining - informal in the comfort of your private guesthouse or a 3 course meal with wine pairings that was to die for.

The hosts were great with the kids and have loads of entertainment and games available for kids, however it would be equally nice to go there alone as a couple for a romantic getaway as you have the whole house to yourself.

Thank you again Armando and Marianne for an unforgettable experience.