Reviews, Awards & Memberships

Had the most wonderful stay in the most luxurious setting ! From the minute we arrived Lionel and Rob and their merry fur men and babies made us feel like at home. Gracious hospitality, luxurious spacious rooms with garden views and the most peaceful sleep in the most comfortable queen bed. Lionel’s bfast of eggs Ben, has browns and homemade sour dough have me the perfect kick start to the day. Would definately recommend if your heading north and want to make an overnight luxurious pity stop 5 stars across the board

This is the most excellent place , more than 5 star.
Absolutely amazing

We had an amazing 2 day stay at.the cottage. It was the most comfortable serene , homely stay we ever did. Lionel and Rob are amazing Beautiful hosts, we felt we were staying at friends home. Lionel cooked us the most delicious organic breakfadts, Rob is a wealth of knowledge of entire of NZ . His suggestion of places to visit and his goudance was very valuable . Milly & Ian Australia 🇦🇺

This is such a special place! Rob and Lionel take such good care of you with such detail. The breakfasts are amazing AND beautifully presented. Wondering where to shop and eat dinner? They will take care of that, too. Their knowledge of the area helps you find just the right experiences. And the rooms are perfectly appointed with luxury and fun touches. We loved our stay there! We highly recommend Moon Gate Villa.

A must stay if you are anywhere nearby! Five stars is not enough for Moon Gate Villa and Lionel and Rob. We had 3 wonderful days there. Cupid’s Curl was quiet, with a very comfortable bed, plenty of room and a private space in the gorgeous garden. And the breakfast Lionel is an amazing chef. Fabulous breakfast made to order. He and Rob told us so much about Māori history, pronunciation and places to go. What a wealth of information! And such fun! They made us feel like longtime friends. We hope to get back. If you are anywhere nearby, go there. Or better yet, make a trip just for a stay there.

Not to be missed. From the moment we got out of our car we felt like we were visiting old friends. Lionel and Rob were incredible hosts. No detail was missed whether it was the accommodations or the presentation of breakfast. Just wonderful!

Exceptional Hospitality This hidden and gem and their owners deserve 6 stars. The hospitality, ambience, food, personal stories and all the unexpected extras were above and beyond. They anticipated and executed on every little thing. Truly a special place that we would wished we'd have booked longer.

Warm and welcoming hosts, a wonderful garden, and a beautiful cottage. Perfect. After finding the narrow access road, we received a warm welcome from Lionel and Rob. We spent four wonderful days at their lovely property. It was a pleasure to stay in the cottage, enjoy the beautiful garden, and always feel like we were staying with friends. Thank you so much for your hospitality, Rob & Lionel

Little paradise in Kerikeri Wonderful place to stay in the very northern part of NZL. We enjoyed our time here very much; too bad it was only for 2 days.

A paradise! Exceptionally beautifully designed spaces in a very well maintained tropical garden. The cottage in the garden offers a perfect retreat. Lionel's breakfast is a delicacy.Lionel and Rob provide their guests with very good tips for excursions and restaurants. We were really impressed and would love to come back.

Heaven on earth! American singer Belinda Carlisle once had a big hit with the song 'Heaven is a place on earth'. Now we have found this 'little piece of heaven', it is situated in Kerikeri, New-Zealand and is called 'Moon Gate Villa'. Rob does the stories, Lionel the kitchen, the excellent breakfast, the very lovely garden with the cosy little swimming pool do the rest. Thanks a lot, Rob and Lionel, keep up the good work! 🙂

Unique and highly recommended We have rarely been so warmly and well received and hosted❣️❣️
We had an almost magical time here and it was all perfect👍👍
We can wholeheartedly recommend this house and its hosts and are grateful for this wonderful stay🤩🤩
You can't get better than that

If there is paradise.... Once you have found and turned op the driveway of Moon Gate Villa, you enter a world of friendliness and calm. Well, except for the enthousiastic welcome by the menagerie of endearing pets. But the warmth of welcome by Rob and Lionel is unsurpassed. All you need to know about Kerikeri and the villa, just ask Rob and your brain is fed, while Lionel is the go-to man for your senses.
Immerse yourself in the luxury of this hidden gem, with its garden, the calm of tropical landscaping, the soothing sound of streaming water (not after 9 pm), the in-house pond with its skylight, the kingsize bed with its soft linen and all the amenities you can think of, even slippers for the poolside. And then the breakfast buffet is still to be enjoyed!
We could not have wanted more from a farewell to New Zealand.

The most exciting place to stay The villa is marvelous! The hosts Rob and Lionel are unbelievable friendly and supportive. We enjoyed every minute we were there! We should have stayed longer

Truly outstanding We spent three wonderful days at Moon Gate Villa. The setting is stunning, the food excellent and the service exceptional. A truly unforgettable stay — thank you so much, Rob and Lionel!

5 star + What a find, we stayed with them for 8 days this January .
We couldn’t ask for any where better to stay. Our room was a good size equipped with everything with coffee machine, fridge,
bath robes, beach towels, loungers.
Superb breakfast freshly cooked each day by your host which included friendly chat, including help finding your choice for local restaurant for dinner.
The garden is spectacular with loungers around the pool.
Staying at Moon Gate Villa made our holiday one that we will never forget.
Well done Lionel and Rob

Beautiful place...highly recommend! Lionel and Rob were such welcoming hosts!! From the pickup at the airport, to the beautiful canapes and wine, to suggestions of things to do in the area. The breakfast was wonderful and the location was right in the middle of everything. Highly recommend!!

Beautiful, Unique Property, 5 Star Service I cannot say enough great things about this beautiful unique property! The writers’ retreat was a dream room the size of a small apartment with all the amenities you can think of and just steps away from the pool. The service was five stars and breakfast was fresh, made to order, and absolutely delicious. I’m so glad we stayed with Rob and Lionel. It was just what we needed after a seven day sailing trip! It was so close to town and even the airport which made things so convenient! Lucky find and we’d stay here again in a heartbeat. Thank you!

My wife and I spent the first night of our New Zealand vacation at Moon Gate Villa, and it was the perfect start to our trip. The property is beautifully maintained, and the atmosphere is peaceful and welcoming. Our room was spacious and included a private outdoor area within the gorgeous garden. Breakfast was excellent, with personalized attention that made it feel truly special.

Rob and Lionel were exceptionally friendly and helpful throughout our stay. We highly recommend Moon Gate Villa to anyone visiting the Bay of Islands.

Fantastic Villa/B&B in Kerikeri We can't recommend this lovely place enough for your Kerikeri stay. Small and personal, clean, spacious rooms, gorgeous grounds,etc. Host/ owners are the best. And we must mention the amazing brekkie!!!

Beyond Beautiful! Lionel and Rob were excellent hosts! Every little detail was considered. A truly beautiful place, can't wait to go again!

Perfect hideaway in the bay of islands I stayed at Rob‘s and Lionel‘s place for 3 nights. I enjoyed all: the perfectly designed rooms, the house, the garden. Very spacious rooms with your own terrace overlooking the garden.

Lionel and Rob are very good hosts taking care of their guests needs.

Definitely recommend it and will come back if in the area.

Best B&B on the planet! We stayed at Moon Gate Villa for three nights at the beginning of our New Zealand vacation and it was a once in a lifetime experience. This will go down in history as one of the best accommodations we’ve ever stayed at. Don’t even get me started on the homemade to-order breakfasts each morning!!! AMAZING!

An oasis of peace and pleasure It is a great pleasure to provide a recommendation and five star award for Lionel and Rob’s wonderful Moon Gate Villa in Kerikeri after our visit there in July 2025. We have stayed with them previously but this was the first time since the COVID disruptions and it was a wonderful experience for my wife and I. The villa is set in beautifully landscaped and colourful gardens which provide a tranquil and relaxing environment. The rooms are tastefully decorated with high quality fittings in all aspects of the kitchen, sitting room and bathroom. An excellent range of toiletries is also provided. A peaceful and beautiful environment for a break. Within this lovely, luxurious setting, though, it is the hosts who really excel. Lionel was on his own for this visit and he is a perfect host, including his excellent baking and cooking. Nothing is too much trouble and the table settings and presentation were absolutely first class. The breakfast was presented as you would expect to find in an English country house and most of food was home grown or home made - delicious jams and marmalades, bread, local eggs etc. A real treat and beautifully presented and served by Lionel. We felt really spoiled and also had some entertaining and enjoyable conversations with Lionel but he was never intrusive. We also had an afternoon bubbles and canapés platter which was excellent and as enjoyable as breakfast. Moon Gate is ideally situated, just outside the town but within easy walking distance and close to the markets, vineyards and historic sites. My wife and I are already planning our trip there for next year! Dr Andrew Godfrey

Absolutely perfect - I have to admit so much better than I was expecting.
Attention to detail was impeccable.
Amazing hosts, very good communication and went above and beyond.

The stay in an atmospheric environment where care prevails: we felt very welcome! Highly recommended! We had a great time at Lionel and Rob. The building is off the road, once there you imagine yourself in paradise: the beautiful garden, the tranquility, the beautiful spacious room. Lionel and Rob give very good tips that we used to make the day and Rob also had a good tip for the return trip to Auckland. The breakfast was delicious and very complete. It was very cozy with the hosts but certainly also with the dogs and the cat.

It is a great pleasure to provide a recommendation and five star award for Lionel and Rob’s wonderful Moon Gate Villa in Kerikeri after our visit there in July 2025. …