New Zealand



The Langham Hotel

Auckland



This is the 5 star, elegant hotel, located at the edge of the CBD on top of a hill.  It is a short walk down to the CBD, but  the hotel provides a free shuttle every 30 minutes that will take you down near the harbour.  We would recommend to walk down the hill to Queen Street and the harbour and catch the shuttle back to the hotel if you don't feel up to the fairly steep uphill walk.



Beds in the hotel are comfortable, the towels and toilet accessories plentiful, the rooms clean and the service was also great.  From the porter who greets you a the entrance through to the reception staff, concierge and housekeeping, we only encountered nothing but courteous and professional service New Zealand is famous for.

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The hotel itself need to undergo a makeover as we feel it has been stuck back in the 80s ornately patterned carpet, brown walls, orange wood and dated furniture in the rooms.   The only exception is the fantastic spa and swimming pool that are very modern and exactly what you need to finish your day.



The food is quite expensive at the hotel, but a short walk downhill and you have a huge variety of international cuisine on hand.  We can guarantee that you will be spoilt for choice.



The valet parking is also quite expensive, at 40NZD per day.



Overall, great hotel to stay in, mostly because it's great service and the spa centre.





Hilton (also known as Kawarau Hotel)

Queenstown



Very nice, new hotel close to the airport but quite far away from the city centre.  Don't get fooled thou, it is located on the shore of the Lake Whakatipu and surrounding is peaceful and very quiet.  If you have a car, it is about 10-15 minutes drive to the centre or you can catch the water taxi which stops right in front of the hotel.  The water taxi takes approx 7-8 mins to get into town ($10 one way or $15 return for the day) and there is a public bus which takes approx 15-20 mins to get into town ($7 one way or $8 return for the day). 



The rooms are big and spacious with it's own balcony and many rooms have views of the lake itself.  We loved heated floors in the bathroom, which was a great feature especially when it gets a little bit cold.  The room also has a cozy fireplace which add a romantic mood to the room.



The gym was quite well equipped and swimming pool was also nice.  It was free when we were there, but we read few reviews where customers complained that they have to pay 20NZD to use these facilities.



Overall, if you want a good night sleep, this is the hotel to stay in.





Pukekura Motor Lodge

New Plymouth



Pukekura Motor Lodge is right up the alley with the big hotels for less money.  The minute we walked in the reception, we were welcomed by Karen who was very helpful with tips and hints for the photography locations around the area.  She took time to explain and was very courteous.  

The rooms are modern, cosy and clean with comfortable king size bed and new fixtures.  

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You get free wi-fi and can watch about 50 channels on TV (if that's what you came here for:-).  We really liked small features like soap in the bathroom, tea facilities and minibar which are normally found at the 4-5 star hotels. We really couldn't fault this beautiful lodge.  

 

Overall we felt very comfortable and welcome here.  We definitely recommend this lodge if you are staying in New Plymouth.



Top 10 Holiday Park

Hot Water Beach, Coromandel



We stayed at the luxury cabin and it was very nice experience.  As soon as you open the door, the fresh smell of the wood overcomes you.  These cabins are new, with new beds and fresh towels.  Although very small, they are comfortable, have a mini fridge, TV and small table with two chairs inside.  The cabins don't have toilets but the common showers and toilets are clean and only a minute away from the cabin.  



The holiday park has got a great location - just a short scenic stroll down to hot water beach and a short drive to Hahei and Cathedral Cove. It has nice landscaping, large green lots and beautiful natural surroundings. The kitchen was well stocked with quality appliances and cookware to the clean and comfortable washrooms.



Great place for camping or staying in one of their new cabins.



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