Remember those idyllic sunlit postcards from the 70s, where hazy images of sailing boats float in crystal seas and blue skies overlook pristine, vacant beaches? Postcards from little towns with more charm than sense, where the vibe meant everyone knew your name at the ferry pier and being a local actually meant something? Long since overrun and discovered, such visions are all to rare these days.

But just 30 minutes from Auckland and nestled into the heart of Waiheke island is a meeting point that after just a few months has become not just the talk of the town and country, but a certain cognoscenti that know no bounds. Welcome to a weekend at the Oyster Inn, where it feels like 1976, but with way better lighting, food and design.