Do brekkie right at Surf City Lodge

The Gisborne lifestyle tempted Barry and Ros Thomas, originally from Auckland, to move to Gisborne. They had a (simple) grand plan: run a small B&B from their two-storeyed Inner Kaiti Californian bungalow with time to pop out for a surf and maybe the odd fishing trip. Things haven’t worked out quite as expected, and it can all be traced back to Barry’s cooking. He thinks it was the croissants that ended his retirement — as word of his pastry skills spread, bookings for Surf City Lodge began flooding in.

Are croissants part of a genius marketing strategy? After all, Barry was once a marketing and sales lecturer at AUT— one of many roles during his varied career.

There are four rooms to choose from at Surf City Lodge and breakfast is not only included, but is a highlight of the stay.

139 Rutene Road, Inner Kaiti, (06) 868 3900, surfcitylodge.co.nz