Must-see hotels in 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…

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…

Brimming with character, D&D occupies a labyrinthine 1920s heritage building with bright feature walls and fancy timberwork. Upstairs rooms are the pick:…

Sleek and snazzy, Waterfront is the place to stay if the boss is paying. Within walking distance of the major sites, the minimalist studios are pretty…

A high-class hotel from top to tail – ‘nice’ is the understatement of the decade. In fact it's New Plymouth’s oldest timber building (1870, ask to see the…

About 5km west of the town centre and 1km from Paritutu Rock is this charismatic, three-room B&B with friendly owners. Aside from serving one of the best…

Metrotel is just a handful of years old, but there are hints of history in its original 1920s warehouse walls. Rooms are simple and slick – all glass,…

The 15 en-suite rooms upstairs at this former pub are stylishly fitted out with NZ art, patterned cushions and flamingo wallpaper for extra flair (one of…

Opposite the racecourse and a short roll downhill into town, low-slung BK’s has 18 ground-floor units and oceans of parking. Rooms are comfortable and…

Poised on a bluff with grassy lawns and pohutukawa trees, Belt Road has a brilliant outlook over the shimmering (and often tempestuous) Tasman Sea. The…

This quiet motel is just 200m from Fitzroy Beach and has been thoroughly redeemed with a major overhaul and extension. Highlights include a calming colour…

Opened in 2011, the handsome, corporate Dawson is a sharp-looking, two-storey number – all white, red and black inside – with sea and mountain views from…

Down a steep driveway a few minutes' drive south of town (en route to Mt Taranaki), the local YHA does its best to transcend its rest-home origins and…

A tidy BBH hostel in a glade with chirping birds and a bubbling stream (with monster Egmont eels!). Mixed dorms in the main lodge. The smaller pinewood…

Upstairs at the old Royal Hotel (Queen Liz once stayed here!), welcoming Ariki offers downtown hostelling with retro carpets, a roomy lounge with well…

Sequestered in Fitzroy, 3.5km east of town and a seven-minute walk from the beach, this quaint, family-run Top 10 feels a bit like a school camp, with a…

Just 4km from town, this elevated B&B makes for a peaceful and affordable base. The hosts have a background in tourism and are happy to share tips…

This charming B&B consists of two immaculate bedrooms and a studio apartment. With the main house dating back to the late 1800s and two lounge areas,…

With an outdoor furniture setting for each room and photos of Taranaki sights on the walls, this smart and contemporary motel is our pick along this main…