Paihia guest house Morepork Riverside Lodge wins Bed and Breakfast Host of the Year

Morepork Riverside Lodge owners Paul and Barb Linton pictured at Omapere. The couple like to take time off to visit Northland beauty spots. Photo / Supplied

Morepork Riverside Lodge near Paihia has been named the 2019 Bed and Breakfast Host of the Year.

Barb and Paul Linton started operating their bed and breakfast in 2007 after thinking carefully about what a tourist might want to experience when visiting New Zealand.

They got it right, according to the annual awards held by the Bed & Breakfast Association New Zealand and Vision Insurance to recognise excellence in the hospitality and hosted accommodation sector.

"We enjoy providing an authentic Kiwi experience for our guests, coupled with quality, friendly accommodation, an experience that helps them understand our history and our cultures – the things that make Aotearoa New Zealand such a unique little corner of the world,'' Paul Linton said.

Their commitment to hosting guests is summed up in a recent traveller review: "There is nothing I would change about this bed & breakfast. The owners are delightful. They have thought of every little thing that a traveller might possibly want.''

Morepork Riverside Lodge is set in 1.6 hectares of native bush and gardens on the Waitangi River between Puketona and Paihia.

The Lintons say they are ''born-and-bred Kiwis and we're proud of our beautiful little country.''

He is a qualified scuba diver and her interests include New Zealand history.

They manage their property using organic principles and are the only property in Paihia to have been awarded the Gold Level in the TripAdvisor GreenLeaders® programme.

Guests can stroll through the native bush to the Waitangi River at the bottom of the garden or walk through a small olive and citrus grove to feed friendly alpacas in their paddock.

Breakfast choices include fresh fruits, cereals, breads, cheese, cold meats, homegrown, free range eggs or continental breakfast.

The three categories in the national member awards are Supreme B&B Business of the Year, this year won by Anthea and Brian Harvey, Bellbird Lodge, Kaiteriteri; Emerging B&B Business of the Year Award was Acacia Heights Gardens Lodge, Taupo, run by Heather and David Bridson; and Host of the Year, which went to Morepork Riverside Lodge.

''The Awards honour, recognise, encourage and reward our members who are the very best bed and breakfast properties in New Zealand," association president Rayma Jenkins said.