Room check: Breakers Boutique Accommodation, Runanga

The beachfront Breakers Boutique Accommodation is 14km north of Greymouth. Photo / Supplied

Bronwyn Sell stays at a family-friendly place with dramatic ocean views near Greymouth.

Location? Beside a beach along the dramatic Punakaiki coastline, a 14km drive north of Greymouth on SH6.

Check-in experience? No starched receptionists behind gleaming counters here. When we pulled in, owners Jan and Steve were working on their garden, with dogs Nico and Ziggy bounding about.

Room? We split our family between the upstairs Breakwater and Breakthrough rooms, each with an en suite bathroom and deck access. The Breakwater Room also had a sitting area, and there's a shared guest lounge.

Price? $215-$365 per room per night (up to two people).

What's so good about this place? The beachfront location, the peace and the thirst-quenching views. It's Qualmark four star-plus rated.

And the bad? If you'd rather not stay in someone's home, choose the two garden rooms in a separate dwelling in the property. We had no mobile phone coverage but there was free wi-fi.

What's in the neighbourhood? The great outdoors - Punakaiki's famous pancake rocks are 30 km to the north - and a rich seam of coal and gold mining heritage.

The bed? A comfy king.

A room with a view? On a clear day the sunset lingers over the Tasman and you might just be able to see Australia, if you squint a bit.

Enjoying the views from the deck at Breakers Boutique Accommodation. Photo / Supplied

The grounds? A hectare of gardens, bush and lawn, leading down to a sweeping beach with rock pools to explore at low tide.

The bathroom? Our en suite (with shower) was huge and gleaming, with a big ocean vista. "The loo with a view," Jan called it.

Toiletries? Custom-made May Chang toiletries in big help-yourself bottles, rather than miniatures and sachets.

Noise? Thundering surf. That's it.

Food? A generous continental and cooked breakfast, with plenty of fresh fruit. I had a delicious eggs benny with salmon on a potato cake.

Perfect for? A stopover on a West Coast road trip.

Would I return? Definitely. The kids want to move in here.

CHECKLIST

Breakers Boutique Accommodation is at 1367 State Highway 6, Runanga. Phone: 03 762 7743.