Tiny House in the Sky

Enjoy modern comfort in this cozy private guesthouse. Perched atop a one-car garage, its position high above a quiet residential street gives this tiny house a very private feel. Large double glazed windows on three sides and a spacious private deck provide sweeping views of Otago Harbour & Peninsula, walking distance from the city centre. The space Newly constructed in 2019 and nestled among towering tree ferns, with an expansive view (both from the deck and from the bedroom) of harbour and peninsula. Designed by owner-architect Valeri, experience the high ceilings and tall windows of a traditional New Zealand villa without the cold drafts and faulty plumbing that plague the century-old versions of this grand old style. When you arrive, a short flight of stairs behind the garage leads to your private deck and keypad entrance to the guesthouse. The kitchenette nestled behind the entrance door is equipped with microwave/convection oven, toaster, fridge, electric induction hotplate, stainless steel cookware, electric jug/kettle, and a digital meat thermometer. A gas barbecue is available for the exclusive use of guests on the covered portion of the deck. A full bathroom with privacy lock features a full-sized bathtub w/shower with high pressure hot water. In keeping with our "old but new" design concept, the walls and ceiling of the bathroom were hand-plastered by an artisan with "Relay," a high-tech plaster (also used in airport runways!) that is increasingly being adopted in high end residential architecture overseas. We believe our "tiny house" represents the first residential use of Relay in New Zealand. The double bed on the main floor features an Ecosa medium-firm mattress; there is also a second double bed available in the wee loft above the bathroom. Both beds are doubles, so approximately 190cm (6' 3") long by 135cm (4' 5") wide. The platform (2.4m above the main floor) is accessed via a 70 degree ladder that can be stowed against the wall when a second bed is not required. (Note: some guest reviews in 2019 and early 2020 mention an unpleasant "sag" in the antique bed; while many guests loved the softness of that old bed, enough people found it uncomfortable that we replaced with a more modern style in February 2022). A child-sized mattress (70cm x 130cm) is also available upon request and can be used either in the loft or on the floor of the main bedroom (in which case it can be slipped under the main-floor bed during the day). Energy efficiency: All windows are double glazed and tightly sealed, but can be opened if you prefer fresh air. A Meltem energy recovery unit is installed in the wall above the loft maintaining a trickle flow of fresh air into the unit, removing moisture while retaining heat. A high efficiency heat pump will keep you warm in winter and doubles as AC if you have the good fortune of visiting on one of Dunedin's rare hot summer days. Walls/ceiling/floor have been insulated to a high standard, facilitated by 150mm framing depth in wall/roof timber. We have also installed a Showerex energy drain in the garage below the tiny house. This device acts as a passive heat exchanger, transferring heat from draining shower water to incoming cold water. Secure WiFi is provided to guests free of charge (gigabit fibre connection w/unlimited data). Other things to note Please note that some navigation apps will direct you to the backside of our property, where there is no parking or vehicle access. Shortly before your arrival date we will send you a link with directions to our place. The ladder is heavy and awkward to move! We ask that guests request in advance the configuration they prefer. In general we will place the ladder stowed in the vertical (unusable) position for groups comprising one or two guests, and in the 70-degree (usable) position for groups of three or more. If you prefer a configuration other than this (for example, you know someone in your party of 2 will want to sleep "upstairs"!), please let us know in advance of your arrival and we'll make the change. The tiny house is located in a very quiet neighbourhood. If you have visitors during your stay who are not part of your booking, we kindly ask that they leave by 9:00pm. We try to be good neighbours, and hope that our guests will do the same. As cooking space is limited in the tiny house, we ask that "messy" cooking (e.g., frying or simmering without a lid) be done outside on the covered portion of the deck. There is a powerpoint next to the BBQ for this purpose. There is no television in the tiny house. There are no laundry facilities available in the tiny house. For guests who book extended stays we can usually arrange for you to use the washer/dryer up in the main house.