Must-see hotels in New Zealand

  • Pen-y-bryn Lodge

    Dunedin & Otago

    Well-travelled foodie owners have thoroughly revitalised this beautiful 1889 residence and continue to upgrade. There are two rooms in the main house but…

  • Theatre Royal Hotel

    The West Coast

    Themed around colourful figures from Kumara's past, rooms at this beautifully restored 1876 pub are reason enough to stay in town. We especially loved the…

  • XSPOT

    Hauraki Gulf Islands

    Great Barrier's most spectacular accommodation option is also one of its more remote. A 25-minute drive from Tryphena – rent a 4WD vehicle – XSPOT is a…

  • Acacia Cliffs Lodge

    Taupo

    Three of the contemporarily and artfully designed suites at this luxurious B&B, high above Acacia Bay, have the best bed views in Taupō – you'll probably…

  • Prince's Gate Hotel

    Rotorua

    This grand building constructed from NZ's most cherished wood, kauri, sits directly outside the Government Gardens’ main Prince’s Gate, and began life in…

  • Waitahanui Lodge

    Taupo

    Ten kilometres south of Taupō, these five 1920s-style beach shacks are beautifully modern inside and ideally positioned for swimming, fishing and superb…

  • Mohua Park

    Fiordland & Southland

    Situated on the edge of a peaceful 14-hectare nature reserve (7km off the highway), these four spacious self-contained cottages offer peace, quiet and…

  • Koura Lodge

    Rotorua

    Secluded on swanky Kawaha Point, this upmarket lodge features spacious rooms and suites, and a two-bedroom apartment. Decks and balconies provide lake…

  • Ruapehu Country Lodge

    Taupo & the Ruapehu Region

    Around 5km west of Ōhakune on the road to Raetihi, this B&B is the perfect combination of country elegance and classy decor. Large bedrooms have beautiful…

  • Oliver's

    Central Otago

    Oliver's fills an 1860s merchant's house and stone stables with luxurious rooms decked out with old maps, heritage furniture and claw-foot baths. Most of…

  • Poshtel

    Dunedin & Otago

    Anyone for polo? Crammed with sporty vintage collectables in themed rooms (like the Steeplechase room or the Antarctic Explorer Suite), this plush new…

  • Vicarage

    Christchurch & Canterbury

    Housed in a restored Anglican vicarage, this charming boutique hotel is a very relaxing place to stay. Named after former vicars of Geraldine, the seven…

  • The Lake

    Taupo

    Step onto the set of Mad Men at this retro-fitted boutique motel crammed with furniture from the era's signature designers. There are four one-bedroom…

  • Kiwiesque

    Napier

    Located in rural Eskdale, around 18km north of Napier, superstylish Kiwiesque overlooks apple trees and expansive vineyards. For freewheeling travellers,…

  • Franklin 38

    Ponsonby & Karangahape Rd

    Four gloriously sophisticated suites fill this spacious and sunny two-storey villa that was undoubtedly one of Ponsonby's finest homes in earlier times…

  • Lakestone Lodge

    Christchurch & Canterbury

    Daytime views from Lakestone Lodge's spectacular hilltop location include Lake Pukaki and alpine peaks, and there's a guests-only opportunity to survey…

  • Terminus Hotel

    Dunedin

    This late-Victorian building always had great bones, with its high ceilings and arched windows, but owners Steve and Antonia have worked makeover magic…

  • Fossil Bay Lodge

    Waiheke Island

    Three cabins face the main building, which houses the communal toilets, kitchen and living area, and a compact self-contained upstairs apartment. …

  • Warm Earth Cottage

    Bay of Plenty

    The ultimate in rustic romance, this rural idyll has two pretty, electricity-free cottages and a lovely lounge-library for guests. Soak in the wood-heated…

  • Camp Glenorchy

    Glenorchy

    As much a statement about sustainability as it is a fabulous place to stay, this main street 'eco retreat' offers luxurious designer-rustic cottages…

  • Te Anau Lodge

    Te Anau

    In a sea of functional but fusty motels, Te Anau's former Sisters of Mercy Convent distinguishes itself with unique history. The place oozes comfort and…

  • Onuku Farm Hostel

    Banks Peninsula

    Set on a working farm 6km south of Akaroa, this blissfully isolated backpackers has a grassy camping area, simple, tidy rooms in a farmhouse and …

  • One Burgess Hill

    New Plymouth

    Completely exceeding motel expectations, lovely One Burgess Hill is a complex of 15 stylish units on a green hillside, about 5km south of central New…

  • Earthstead

    Waikato & the Coromandel Peninsula

    In a rural setting a short drive south of Cambridge, Earthstead has two units – Earth House and Cob Cottage – constructed using ecofriendly and…

  • Millbrook Resort

    Queenstown & Wanaka

    Further from Arrowtown in aesthetics than kilometres, this massive manicured resort is a town unto itself. Rooms range from studios to luxury homes…

  • Island View Holiday Park

    Bay of Plenty

    Beach life comes no simpler than at this chilled-out holiday park. Cabins open onto shared decks with barbecues and their own toilet blocks, meaning that…

  • Ahu Ahu Beach Villas

    Taranaki & Whanganui

    Set on a knoll overlooking the ocean (pricey on the pocket but with priceless views), these luxury, architecturally designed villas are superbly eccentric…

  • Eden’s Edge Lodge

    Nelson Region

    Surrounded by farmland, this friendly lodge's facilities include attractive, comfy, en-suite rooms and relaxed communal areas. A do-it-yourself breakfast…

  • City Centre B&B

    Hamilton

    At the quiet riverside end of a central city street (five minutes’ walk from the action on Victoria and Hood Sts), this sparkling self-contained cottage…

  • QT Wellington

    Wellington

    Formerly known as ‘Museum Hotel de Wheels’ (to make way for Te Papa, it was rolled here from its original location 120m away), this five-storey, art…

  • Eco Villa

    Christchurch

    There are only eight rooms in this beautifully renovated villa, each individually decorated with luxe fittings and muted colours. The lovely shared lounge…

  • King & Queen Hotel Suites

    New Plymouth

    This regal hotel occupies the corner of King and Queen Sts (get it?) in the cool West End Precinct (great bars and eats). Run by unerringly professional…

  • Ara Roa

    Bay of Islands & Northland

    This collection of five different architecturally striking properties dotted around a coastal peninsula ranges from the two-bedroom Te Huia – with sunset…

  • Slope Point Accommodation

    Fiordland & Southland

    In the midst of a working farm 4km north of Slope Point, this family-run accommodation plunges you into the rhythms of rural life: calf-feeding time,…

  • Kahoe Farms Hostel

    The Far North

    On SH10, 10km north of the turn-off to Whangaroa, this hostel has a deservedly great reputation – for its comfortable accommodation, bucolic setting and…

  • Waiheke Dreams

    Waiheke Island

    Dream a little dream of a luxurious, modern, spacious, open-plan two-bedroom house on the crest of a hill with unsurpassed views over Oneroa Bay and the…

  • Ascot Parnell

    Parnell & Newmarket

    The Ascot's three luxurious bedrooms share a spacious apartment in a modern mid-rise block. You're in no danger of stumbling into the owners' private…

  • City Cottages

    Wellington

    These two tiny 1880 cottages squat amid a precious historic precinct at the top of Cuba St. These days they're self-contained one-bedroom affairs,…

  • Ohtel

    Wellington

    Ever feel like you've walked into a design magazine? This bijou hotel has 10 individually decorated rooms over four levels, with immersive NZ scenes…

  • Arcadia Lodge

    Bay of Islands

    The characterful rooms of this 1890 hillside house are kitted out with interesting antiques and fine linen, while the breakfast is worth staying for alone…