Joya Garden & Villa Studios

Really liked this place. The host, Paulina was friendly, engaging, full of helpful suggestions for my stay in Nelson, without pushing anything. Marvelous nourishing breakfast. Beautiful old, timber panelled house. Quiet location (apart from the magnificent dawn chorus)Ten/fifteen minutes walk to centre.

Wow my whole experience here was fantastic. I received a very warm welcome from the host Paulina. She’s lovely and is really easy to chat too. When I arrived she let me know about a carnival that was happening in town that night which I immediately went to. It was great and I’d never have known if she hadn’t said - very thoughtful. The house is really special - full of character, just like the host. Room had everything I could want and was very comfortable and clean. Shared bathroom with bath and shower was excellent. Room had its own balcony too with a lovely view. Location is superb as the town was just a few minutes walk away. Parking was just down the drive - very secure and close. Breakfast in the morning was so good and thoughtfully done. Amazing. I enjoyed every second staying in this beautiful house and meeting its charming owner.

The host was friendly. The breakfast was excellent. Can't say enough about it. It was the best breakfast I had during my six- week stay in New Zealand. It included eggs, bread, fruit, cereal, yogurt, tea/coffee, and a healthy drink with fresh ginger. It's an older place about twenty minutes by foot from the center of town and the bus station up a hill. The view from the kitchen area is great, the room clean and nicely sized, and the bed comfortable.

Great value for money. I stayed in the lowest cost room - it was comfortable and had nearly everything I needed and more. The owner, Paulina, is super helpful and goes out of her way to help guests and accommodate their needs. She's a mine of information about the local area. Her breakfasts are excellent - so much choice, healthy and tasty. I don't think I've tasted a better one egg omelette (and I could have had a two egg if I wanted). The location is great - 10-15 min walk into town, close to some lovely parks, walkable to the centre of NZ.

Staying with Paulina was one of the highlights of my trip. I adored my time with her, and our conversations in the morning over breakfast. The house itself is older but well taken care of and has so much character. The garden is phenomenal, and I would do my stretches there in the evening after wonderful full days of exploring the Nelson area. My room also had a toaster oven so it was quite nice to have the option to do some falafel salad dinners in the room to save on eating out all the time.