We call our house The Billiards Room because it was designed and built around a full-sized billiards table. This was a labour of love by a retired builder who used recycled materials to create a home with real character and charm. Modernised with style, it's a wonderful holiday home, summer and winter, still owned by the family of the builder. Even somewhere as beautiful as Queenstown, guests often prefer just to stay in. Serious.

I'm an Auckland writer with an eclectic range of interests. Nothing beats travel, which teaches me that there's a lot more connecting us on this planet than keeping us apart. Recent trips have been to India, Britain, Vietnam, South America and Italy. Since taking over this house from my parents, we've enjoyed sharing it with guests from all around the world. We also have a popular holiday home in Hawkes Bay.

Our house is close to the Queenstown airport and sits above the main road into town. We have spectacular lake and mountain views -- you can see cars snaking up the access road to the Remarkables ski-field from the kitchen window. We are close to all the main attractions as well as supermarkets and other shops.