After our weekend on the Barrier (that’s Great Barrier Island in the Hauraki Gulf to youse off-shore types) I feel duty bound to share the wonders of our chosen ‘spoil yourself’ destination: Mount Saint Paul Lodge. Seriously luxurious, with unbelievable food, in delectably literary surroundings. There were books everywhere, including the most comprehensive and well-used shelf of cookbooks I’ve ever seen.

Our room (huge) with ‘emperor’ sized bed (never heard of it either, and no idea where they got the sheets) had not one but two balconies with long, long views of deserted white beach and wild surf (that's it, above). We ate: sashimi so fresh it was very nearly flapping and so thin you could spit through it, with wasabi; olive and feta tarts with onion jam, fresh-caught crayfish bisque, hapuka steaks with herb cream, lamb shanks, incredibly delicate coconut panna cotta with fresh macerated raspberries, dark bitter chocolate mousse with little globs of meringue on top.

We talked with our delightful hosts, Trish and Ivan, of matters of import. Trish is off to Provence in June to cook for publisher Jonathan Cape, at the villa where he’ll be entertaining authors all the long Mediterranean summer. Tom Wolfe will be the first visitor. Good lord. And all this luxury, both cranial and culinary, was delectably set off by the extremely no-frills background of the wild Great Barrier, bush, beach and wacky locals. It was almost like being at home here in sunny Laingholm but the food was … rather better. Chris does need quite a bit more practice, unfortunately.

Another literary watering hole that I noticed in a mag (this month’s Next magazine) whilst lolling in a huge wicker armchair with my G&T at sunset was ‘The Booklovers’ B&B’, which is 123 Pirie Street in Wellington and is run by Jane Tolerton, a writer of some repute herself.

It looks rather yummy, a huge Victorian villa with books everywhere and lots of old furniture and china. And as Jane says, ‘a self-selecting name’ means she’s quite likely to get on well with her guests. I noticed in one of the pictures in the article there were, next to some marmalade toast and tea, Kelly Ana Morey’s two books, Bloom and Grace is Gone (reviews pending right here). Nice work, stylist.

The fantastic Book Council has more info on the Booklovers B&B here, but you’d need to email Jane on booklovers@xtra.co.nz.