Napier
Located in rural Eskdale, around 18km north of Napier, superstylish Kiwiesque overlooks apple trees and expansive vineyards. For freewheeling travellers,…
Must-see hotels in The East Coast
East Cape
Up on the hill behind town, the 15-bed Stranded in Paradise scores points for show-stopping views and eco loos. There are two tricky loft dorm rooms, a…
Hastings & Around
Set in the Tuki Tuki Hills with vineyard and bay views, Millar Road is architecturally heaven-sent. Two plush villas (each sleeps four) and a stylish…
Napier
This grand Victorian villa (1890) is queen of all she surveys...which is most of the town and a fair bit of the ocean. Heritage-meets-contemporary rooms…
Gisborne
An uptown motel on a quiet backstreet, Ahi Kaa is just a short, sandy-footed stroll across the road from Waikanae Beach. Fancy linen, tasteful bathrooms,…
Napier
Less a campground and more an entire suburb of holidaymakers, this complex is top dog on the Napier camping scene. It’s the closest campsite to town (2…
East Cape
Effervescent new owners have breathed life back into this ol' motel at remote Lottin Point, a wiggly 4km detour off the highway. Two accommodation blocks…
Napier
Navigate yourself towards Navigate for 26 snazzy apartment-style units over three levels, with funky furnishings, nifty perforated-metal balconies and sea…
East Cape
Affable Anaura Bay Motor Camp is all about the location – right on the beachfront by the little stream where Captain Cook once stocked up with water…
Hastings & Around
Flashy, three-story Porters is all natural timber, marble and glitz, with lifestyle mags scattered about the lobby. It's all very Havelock North (you…
Hastings & Around
Modern two-bedroom cottages, all with little kitchens, are the mainstays at this versatile spot among the fields, around 1km north of Havelock North. A…
Napier
The Art Deco Masonic is the heart of the old town, with its accommodation, restaurants and bars taking up most of a city block. A much-needed refurb has…
Napier
Unlike the majority of NZ motels, this one is owner-operated (the staff actually own the building) so maintenance and service top the list of priorities…
East Cape
A farmy enclave where the lambs gambol, the dog wags its tail and the chooks roam free. Sleeping options include a classic 1917 farmhouse (sleeps 12) with…
Gisborne
A short wander across the river from town, this rambling, mustard-coloured 1925 charmer houses a well-kept hostel. The rooms are large and comfy (even the…
Hastings & Around
Four renovated lodge rooms join forces with a stand-alone cottage, fruit trees and a duck-filled lake at this immaculate property, around 3km from…
Gisborne
Beyond lovingly tended lawns and flowerbeds, this good-looking 1920s villa (yes, it's green) offers a bright guest room with a private bathroom adjacent…
Napier
From high on Bluff Hill, make your way down a long driveway past a jasmine-hung fence to this cosy little wooden cabin for two. Dutch owners have infused…
Hastings & Around
A two-minute walk to the beach and almost equidistant from Hastings, Napier and Havelock, these three tasteful kitchen cottages encircle a courtyard…
Napier
Inside this Victorian seafront earthquake survivor (1906) are three richly coloured themed rooms (Chinese, Indian and Turkish), decorated with a…
East Cape
Right on the eastern shore of the lake, this place has Swiss-looking chalets, fishers' cabins and campsites, most with watery views, plus an on-site shop…
Napier
The conversion of this 1932 Ahuriri pub into a ritzy apartment-style hotel must have broken a few fishers' hearts. The new wing features muted tones, nice…
Gisborne
The wandering business traveller's hotel of choice in Gisborne, Portside offers three levels of sassy two-bedroom apartments, right by the river mouth…
Hastings & Around
Not so much off the beaten track as just beside it, these three woody self-contained cottages are handy to Havelock North and a good option if you're…
Criterion Art Deco Backpackers
Napier
The owners have spent a lot of money sprucing up this 1st-floor, ruby-red city-centre hostel – Napier’s best Spanish Mission specimen – which has a beaut…
Napier
Looking like a mini UN HQ by the sea, the refurbished, curvalicious, six-storey Te Pania has instant retro appeal. Rooms are far from retro, however, with…
Gisborne
With super street appeal on the main drag (500m into town), the vaguely alpine (and just a bit Mad Men) Teal boasts a solid offering of tidy, family…
East Cape
Overlooking Hicks Bay, this wee self-contained weatherboard cottage is a delight, with room for two and breakfast eggs from the chooks next door. There's…
East Cape
The GDC operates a handful of designated 'summer camping' sites between Te Araroa and Gisborne from the end of September to early April. Apply for a…
Hastings & Around
The same family has tilled this land since 1885, but the attitude here is very forward-thinking. The talkative owner cuts carbon emissions with solar…
East Cape
About 7km north of Te Kaha, magical Waikawa B&B sits on a private rocky cove with views of the sunset and Whakaari (White Island). The artful buildings…
Hastings & Around
A five-minute drive from Hastings, this heritage home (1885) – surrounded by leafy gardens, a tennis court, a swimming pool and a short golf course – has…
East Cape
Knockout views distract from the mildly barracks-like ambience at this 50-something-year-old motel, squatting high above Hicks Bay. The clean, old…
Hastings & Around
This central-city, 1st-floor option is a fairly fruity affair, with settled-in orchard workers paying weekly rates. There's a little deck, a decent…
Napier
One street back from the foreshore, Archie’s is a shipshape modern hostel filling an old office building. It's a quiet and secure arrangement with…
Hawke's Bay
About 6km north of Tikokino, this grand 1890 Cornish homestead has enjoyed a faithful room-by-room renovation with floral wallpaper, period furnishings,…
Napier
Formerly an actual stables, this is an atmospheric, laid-back place to get off your horse, with hippie vibes, a barbecue courtyard, murals and saddles…
East Cape
There’s a shabby charm to the 1930s faux-Tudor Tolaga Inn, which offers basic, clean rooms. Downstairs is a blokey bar and the more refined Uawa cafe …
East Cape
Tolaga Bay Holiday Park is right next to the very long Tolaga Bay wharf. The stiff ocean breeze tousles Norfolk Island pines as open lawns bask in the…
Gisborne
The contemporary Emerald revolves around its swimming-pool area, and the hotel is a reasonable regional New Zealand impersonation of a foxy international…
