Fodor's Expert Review Arcadia Lodge

This B&B, perched over Matauwhi Bay a few minutes' walk from town, had been supported for more than 100 years by whale vertebrae, which served as the backbones of this turn-of-the-20th-century home. One of the "backbones" of the house now sits in the lounge. Two spacious suites off the large guest lounge and dining area both have brass beds, sunrooms, and their own decks. Another three rooms are upstairs. The Tautoru Room has its own entrance, with a deck and a view of the bay where you can watch the boats coming and going from the Russell Boat Club (the club's bar is a good place to meet locals). Wake up with an appetite; breakfast is always good and varies depending on what you might have requested or what the hosts have in mind to delight you.