What Accomodation During Your Stay?

To help travelers, the Department of Tourism has invented the Qualmark certification. Hotels and tour operators receive a grade between one to five stars. Of course, this star-rating system is equivalent or close to the European standards.

Hotels, B&Bs, lodges, backpackers and camping ...

If you feel lost, do not panic, I will review any kind of accommodation, and you will only have to make your choice.

Moreover, you don't have to use the same solution of accommodation all the time. It is possible to alternate B&Bs, lodges and hotels during the same stay, and this is even recommended. You could also build your trip around freedom camping solutions, then book few hotel rooms to spend better nights with a real bed from time to time.

The average price of a three-star B&B room oscillates between $100 and $130 during the high season. Outside this period of high demand, you can hope to find discounts up to 30%. It is even possible to rent a room the very same day if you search for the “Vacancy” signposts well-placed in front of the houses.

The majority of the hosts rent rooms of their children who have finally left home. Let me reassure you right away, you are not going to spend your night in a room decorated with a teenager's posters! The comfort is usually equivalent to the one you can expect of a good hotel, but with more charm.

Some B&Bs only offers a bathroom to share with other guests, but the private bathrooms are far more common. The country is vast and many owners prefer to build home extensions to improve the comfort of their visitors.

You will have the chance to meet authentic Kiwis. I will not give you the list of all the nice attention they have with their guests, but one thing is certain: you will be pleasantly surprised by their kindness.

Usually, your host will open a good bottle of wine to get acquainted.

Do not worry, even if New Zealanders often speak with a strong accent,you will understand them easily and if you are passionate by Rugby competitions you will spend a very good time.

This is also a great opportunity to get free advice like address of the best restaurant in town.

Feel free also to discuss your itinerary, it is rare to leave without useful recommendations. Other travelers are sometimes present, and it is not rare to improvise a barbecue with new friends.

As the name says so, the breakfast is, of course, included in the deal. Your host will ask you your tastes the day before, and you will usually have the choice between continental or English breakfasts.

It remains to clarify the difference between a B&B and a guest house. If you want to share a family meal and improve your English, the guest house and immersive experience that you should definitely try once.

Also known as Motorcamp, these campsites are among the best in the world.. Usually installed in splendid locations, they are equipped to host tents, caravans and any kind of camper-vans. The shower stalls are part of the standard equipment, which sometimes includes a swimming pool. At the risk to disappoint those who hoped to save money, I recall that private campgrounds are paying. It costs about $16 per adult and you will be charged even more if you want to connect your vehicle to a power supply.

Two chains stand out upon others: the TOP 10 campsites are present throughout the country with around fifty locations.

A $40 card allows a 10% discount per night. The direct competitor, Holiday Parks, offers less standardized locations but a bit more authentic.

Amazingly one can find on-site bungalows and single rooms to rent at rates that are not particularly attractive... Expect $60 to $120 for a small bungalow. This may delight some campers after several nights under the stars, but at nearly the same cost, a B&B seems more appropriate to me.

Unlike the majority of countries, New Zealand still allows the “Freedom Camping” but under conditions.

Do not imagine that you will be able to plant your tent or park your camper van wherever you want!

Freedom camping has a bad reputation in some regions of the country. Cities like Queenstown , Wanaka or Rotorua have already banned the practice for several years. It is also systematically forbidden to camp near the main-tourist areas.

The volunteers who maintain the trails are fed up of having to pick up toilet paper and garbage all along the forest paths. An improvised camping in a private property without the consent of its owner is the best way to get a fine. If in doubt, and to avoid a $200 fine to pay immediately, it is recommended seeking advice at the nearest iSite. The staff will indicate you the areas where Freedom camping is allowed (they know that people who seek permission are rarely the dirty ones).

Rankers website will help you to locate allowed locations (there is even a dedicated smartphone application). In any case, it is imperative to use public toilets when available, and you must leave the place as clean (if not even more) as you found it on your arrival. By complying these conditions, you'll save money during your stay.

The DOC campsites provide an excellent compromise between Holiday Parks and the Freedom camping.

I personally consider that these camping grounds are among the most interesting if one is not too demanding in terms of comfort.

The entry fee is fixed to $ 7 7 $ per person.

Inquire before parking there because it is not always possible to make fire, and showers or toilets are not always available. Of course, you must agree to leave the place in perfect condition!

The scenery is almost invariably exceptional. I recommend the campsites of the Abel Tasman Park,, even if they are only accessible on foot. They are located along the beach, in a true paradise landscape.

It is fairly easy to feel lost with so many hotel appellations that exist in New Zealand.

For example, what difference is there between a Hotel and Lodge? I'll help you to see more clearly.

Please note that the word “Hotel” in itself is quite ambiguous! Outside the big cities, it may refer to a bar room!

There is nothing wrong with that, but it is something you should remember before booking if you travel with your family.

For hotels (in the traditional sense this time), the quality is generally very good if not excellent.

Large chains such as Hilton, Hyatt and Sheraton are also present in large cities but they are quite expensive.

To save money, it is better to spot independent hotels or those belonging to smaller chains, like Scenic Circle or Millennium. The pricing is logically indexed on the season and number of stars.

You can expect to pay between $90 à $180 per person for a three-star room. The price rises to $140 or even 200 $ for a night in a four-star hotel, and, of course, even more for a palace.

They are sometimes confused with the Beds & Breakfasts, but the Lodges are not always a luxury variant. They are often old colonial mansions or beautiful homes with a certain cachet. The service quality is similar to what you would expect from a good hotel. This does not mean that you can book a night with your eyes closed, but you can expect a high quality service most of the time, at a reasonable price if you book far in advance.

The nightly rate is a little higher than in a B & B and the first prices are around $120 per person. There are even luxury lodges (like the famous Huka Lodge frequented by royalty) at $1000 per night.

I particularly recommend motels if you plan to stay several days at the same location. Their main advantage is to offer a fully equipped kitchen. After several days while having lunch on the go, it's nice to be able to prepare real meals with fresh produces.

Of course, the motel is not the best aesthetic experience one can expect in New Zealand.

However, it is an affordable solution with prices ranging from $80 to $100 and the apartments are usually very well maintained and cleaned daily.

Beware of school holidays because this kind of accommodation is mostly targeting families with children (not a honeymoon choice...).

See our article about the best times to travel to New Zealand before booking your holiday!

Sometimes called “Hotel” outside major cities, the bar rooms allow small budget's travelers to spend nights at rock-bottom prices. Do not expect great luxury for a $50 located above a bar... Toilets and bathrooms are almost always located outside of the room, and you may have to share them with other guests.

The ladies might not feel safe if they travel by themselves, but honestly, the only real concern is the noise level. Fortunately, the Kiwis are early-bird and the bar room may prove to be a very good deal if you avoid booking for the weekends. Off season, you might even hope to pay only $25 per night!

The Backpackers offer dormitories and basic rooms (single or double), but sometimes it is also granted to plant a tent on a land dedicated for this purpose.

For $20 à $35 one can get a standard dormitory bed for the night.

The private rooms price (if existing) fluctuates between $50 and $130 but this solution is mostly (only?) interesting for the couples of travelers (note that many landowners will accept bookings in advance only if they are done by a credit card).

In addition to toilet blocks, washing machines and showers, you will find a TV area, a kitchen and a dining room where you can meet other travelers from all over the world and of every age (but to be honest, young students still represents 90% of the backpacker's customers).

YHA and BBH are the two main Backpackers franchises. The fidelity card costs about $40 and gives the right to a rebate of $4 per night. Needless to say, if you choose this option, it will take you at least ten nights before the deal proves to be profitable. But this is an option to consider...

The difference in term of quality between YHA and BBH is not easy to establish. BBH is more a collection of independent backpackers, while YHA has its own standardized buildings. But most of the time, the location will weigh the most in the balance when you have to choose between one or another.

The main opponent of the B & B is the camper-van with a booking starting at about $100 per day during the high season (but cheaper the rest of the year). If you are hesitant, ask yourself if you are looking for comfort or autonomy. But if you have never driven a motorhome before, the car is probably the best option if you do not feel comfortable with the simple idea to drive on the left side of the road.

I am a strong supporter of the B & B philosophy because it allows to meet local Kiwis.

The people of New Zealand have a reputation for being particularly warm with strangers.

A recent survey has confirmed this good news, by ranking the country at the second place among the most welcoming in the entire world!

If you favour contact, campsites which gather foreigners and Kiwis around a barbecue are highly recommended.

Here again, it depends on what you expect from your stay. But this is certainly a great way to practice English and make friends.

The choice of the accommodation is, of course, related to youre budget, and my recent article on this subject should be useful if you plan a trip to New Zealand.

And if you are still hesitating between the rental of a car or a motorhome, I will give you my opinion and some advice in our special guide dedicated to the transport solutions in New Zealand.

Returning from their trip, tourists note the accommodation 8.5 out of 10 on average, which is quite revealing concerning the level of service one can expect in New Zealand.

By the way, please remember to give us your feedback, we will consider it for our next articles to come.