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Replies: 7 - Last Post: May 6, 2012 5:45 PM Last Post By: backpackblogger

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traviata

traviata avatar

May 3, 2012 6:00 PM
Posts:  1

homestay guest

Hi !
i am going to NZ ,next july on my own.I have planned first Auckland.I am looking for a place to stay there.what i really
would llike is to have ,to rent a room at a family´s place.
Have you already had that experience,do you know where i can get some information? I have seen some but I don´t know if they are reliable.
Thanks a lot!

ranjon

ranjon avatar

May 3, 2012 6:14 PM
Posts:  2,250

1

I picked up a hitchiker once in NZ, a Polish young woman and we were not all that far from where a hitchhiker had been abducted, later found dead only the week before , this one getting safely to her deatination and she told me of an organisation I had never heard before - http://www.servas.org/

It seems to be a more formal version of hospitality clubs or couchsurfing and actually has what seems a reasonable vetting and registration system, though outcomes can also have unusual twists!

Where I dropped the girl, the owners of the house were not home and I think they had done a house swap or had some people from overseas using their house for 12 months, the owners maybe having forgotten about their Servas registration.
Anyway, the occupiers seemed like nice enough Axe murderers and I helped the Polish woman explain about Servas and they were OK for the woman to stay.

But maybe it is something you could want to look at.

westwood

westwood avatar

May 3, 2012 9:21 PM
Posts:  8,804

2

Unfortunately you cant see my spare bed for everything but the kitchen sink.

Nice_But__

Nice_But__ avatar

May 4, 2012 4:39 PM
Posts:  1,132

3

for a week? or a month? or six months?

trademe.co.nz
gumtree.com

commachameleon

commachameleon avatar

May 4, 2012 6:44 PM
Posts:  124

4

See posting above. Trademe.co.nz is Ebay+Craigslist for NZ and all the locals are using it. You are more likely to find a New Zealand host there than on gumtree. But as far as i know you cannot place bids or contact people on Trademe from outside New Zealand.

Nice_But__

Nice_But__ avatar

May 4, 2012 8:02 PM
Posts:  1,132

5

Tademe is good for short and long-term rentals. As is Gumtree.
f you just want to pass through for a week...Gumtree?
Maybe couchsurfing if you offer to cook and clean if you can stay for 7 days (the usual is 1-4 days)

Trademe will tell you when you try to sign up whether you need a nz email address, or real address, etc. You can always use a hostel address as an initial one.

westwood

westwood avatar

May 4, 2012 8:46 PM
Posts:  8,804

6

They wont care about email addresses-- its the physical address that needs to be a NZ one.

backpackblogger

backpackblogger avatar

May 6, 2012 5:45 PM
Posts:  200

7

If you don't find anything on gumtree, maybe check with the international dept. at a university? They might do placements for students and be willing to refer you to a host family. All the Auckland people I know with a room to spare aren't well connected to public transit.
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