Ronnie and Susan have two teenage children Jessica and Liam. Ronnie is originally from the North Island and Susan is a fourth generation Reefton girl. Susans Great grandfather Gold Mined in Blacks Point and was killed in a mine disaster leaving a young family.

Susans father was the local barber in Reefton, taking over the business from his father (Susans grandfather) when he died from T.B. in the late 1950’s.

They have one pet an aged cat called Moggy who is 16yrs old, she is quiet and stays at home.

There must be few places where the guests are invited to clean out the safe before they leave.

Reefton's heritage bed and breakfast Reef Cottage encourages it. Here, guests are able to sleep in the office and shower in the vault of what once was the stuffy premises of Patterson and Son, barristers and solicitors.  

Guesthouse owners Ronnie Standfield and Susan Barnett had no grand plans for the walk in vault they inherited when they bought the 1887 building five years ago but it has since proved to be the most popular asset of their four bedroom cottage.

At first they thought it lent itself to a walk in wardrobe but after renovations and a move up market its true worth became obvious as an en suite bathroom. The heavy steel door remains, bearing the signature "J Mann and Co, Dunedin, Fire and Burglar Proof Strong Room Doors and Safes", but the key is stored away after a prank left someone locked inside for a couple of hours while the pranksters went to the pub. Luckily the victim was not claustrophobic.

"We've only ever had one claustrophobic guest who was so bad she wouldn't even go in with the door wide open," Mr Standfield said. "Over all, though, people are impressed and some come back and ask for the Vault Room."

As well as turning a dark and dingy legal office into an airy guest house, the couple are also restoring the two adjoining heritage buildings: their Victorian style house and an old draper's shop which reopens this month as a dining room for the guest house and a cafe during the day.