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…
Must-see hotels in North Island
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…
Rotorua
This eco-minded motel, in a fully renovated older complex near the lake, has two natural mineral-water spas and a heated outdoor swimming pool, composts…
Lake Taupo Region
Just 8km from Tūrangi on the southern fringes of Lake Taupō, Braxmere is a line of 10 spacious one-bedroom, self-contained units with only a grassy lawn…
Whanganui
This snappy-looking spaceship of a motel wins plenty of fans with its architectural angles, quality carpets and linen, and natty lime/silver/black colour…
Rotorua
Bright and sparkling, this classy hostel, purpose-built from corrugated iron and wood, is great for those wanting to get outdoors, with bike storage and…
Ngāti Ruanui Stratford Mountain House
Taranaki & Whanganui
This efficiently run lodge on the Stratford side of the big hill (15km from SH3, 3km to the Manganui Ski Area) has eight motel-style chalets, a twin room…
Whanganui
Formerly run by Ann and Dion (Anndion, get it?), this innovative, black-painted hostel continues to attract travellers with its stereo systems, huge…
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,…
Palmerston North
Destiny's 13 studios and suites pop and fizz with colours and patterns, making it stand out amongst Palmy's many safe-but-boring motels. Stylish,…
Coromandel Peninsula
Wairua Lodge is a peaceful B&B with charming hosts, nestled in the bush towards the Whitianga end of the 309 Rd. There’s a riverside swimming hole on the…
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…
Waikato & the Coromandel Peninsula
With a hilltop location fringed by native bush, Solscape’s ecofriendly accommodation includes tepees, bell tents, rammed-earth domes, railway carriages…
Rotorua
Rise far above the surrounding motel pack with these five-star apartments, built in 2018. Large studios and one- and two-bedroom apartments feature modern…
Lake Taupo Region
Famed angler Tony Hayes established Tongariro Lodge in 1982 on the Tongariro River three kilometres north of Tūrangi. Across the 9-hectare property are 10…
Waikato & the Coromandel Peninsula
Overlooking the Retaruke River 36km southwest of Owhango (take the Kaitieke turn-off 1km south of town), this ecosavvy place is actually various lodges,…
Taupo
As you drive to the very end of the street and park on top of the hill, two friendly border collie–golden retriever crosses will welcome you to Te Moenga…
Hauraki Gulf Islands
Uniquely constructed of giant logs milled on the island, Trillium Lodge is one of Great Barrier's more distinctive accommodation options. All of the six…
Kingsland & Mt Eden
Accommodation in pretty wooden villas is what Auckland's leafy inner suburbs are all about. This one has three comfortable en-suite bedrooms, a pleasantly…
Coromandel Peninsula
Four rustic but stylish private cabins with en-suite bathrooms are scattered throughout native bush at this easygoing spot. Natural wood creates a warm…
Bay of Islands & Northland
One of the country's best hostels, the Tree House has dorm rooms in the wood-lined main building and brightly painted little cottages set among the…
Wellington
True to its name, the Edgewater is a big modern house set just across the road from a little beach. It's a 15-minute drive from the city but handy for the…
The Far North
More like a family-run homestay than a backpackers hostel, this super-friendly hostel has only three bedrooms, shared bathrooms, and a separate cabin and…
Bay of Islands
A streamlike water feature flows through the centre of this modern house, set amid tropical foliage on the approach to Kerikeri. The larger of the two…
Bay of Islands & Northland
Set on a farm 6km from town and right next to Abbey Caves, Little Earth makes most other hostels look downright shabby in comparison. Forget dorm rooms…
The Far North
You'll need a car to get here, but the views from the generously proportioned deck more than justify the distance from the water. The two spacious rooms…
Bay of Islands & Northland
The rooms are spacious, luxurious and full of character in this historic homestead (1896), peacefully positioned in farmland 5km past Whangārei Falls in…
Bay of Islands & Northland
Unwind in casual style at this homey hostel with harbour views and bright dorms. Private rooms don't have their own bathroom but there are plenty of…
Bay of Islands
Located directly across the road from the wharf, it's impossible to be more central than Haka Lodge. It also scores points for its modern and colourful…
Coromandel Peninsula
It’s the combination of charming hosts and incredible views that make this B&B set on a hill overlooking Mercury Bay really worth considering. It’s…
Waikato & the Coromandel Peninsula
This laid-back hostel is right on the water, with sea views from some rooms. Other rooms are arranged around a garden courtyard or in a separate building…
Wharepuke Subtropical Accommodation
Bay of Islands
Best known for its food – Māha is located here – and lush gardens, Wharepuke also rents five self-contained one-bedroom cottages hidden among the palms…
Kauri Coast Top 10 Holiday Park
Bay of Islands & Northland
Set beside the Kaihu River, 2km from SH12, this excellent holiday park has attractive motel units and a brace of tidy cabins, with or without their own…
Bay of Islands & Northland
Luxury and ecofriendly practices combine at this B&B, nestled in regenerating native bush high above the silvery dune-fringed expanse of the Hokianga…
Bay of Islands
Offering quite astonishing views of the bay from an eyrie high above the township, Allegra has three handsome B&B rooms and a spacious self-contained…
Taupo
You’d stay at this B&B for the view from the breakfast deck alone, and the upstairs suite, with its private balcony (and king bed and double spa bath), is…
Bay of Islands
Offering comfortable, friendly, stylish budget digs in a converted motel, Seabeds is one of Paihia's best hostels. Little design touches give it a stylish…
Waiheke Island
If you're going to shell out for a luxury B&B, you expect it to be special, and that's certainly what's offered here. Each of the three guest rooms have…
The Far North
Who cares if it’s a bit bourgeois for Ahipara? These two upmarket, self-contained apartments have watery views and there’s direct access to the beach. The…
Bay of Islands
Hard to find but worth the effort, this modern bush retreat with direct beach access and kayaks to borrow has two attic rooms, a communal kitchen and…
