Types of Accommodation
Hotels
International-style hotels are a convenient accommodation option that offer a sense of familiarity for travellers.
Easy to find and numerous in cities and on travelling routes, hotels range from familiar international chains to unique boutique hotels. Expect to find top international hotel chains in major cities, such as Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch, as well as in key resorts like Rotorua and Queenstown. On main travelling routes are a number of mid-priced chains. Secure and hassle-free, they offer a consistent standard; bathrooms are usually en suite and daily servicing or room service is usually available. Most hotel rooms have tea/coffee making facilities. Dotted around New Zealand, sometimes in surprising locations, there are also small hotels memorable for their individuality and local charm.
Scenic Hotel Group is New Zealand’s largest independently owned and operated hotel group, while Millennium Hotels & Resorts encompasses 20 Millennium, Copthorne and Kingsgate Hotels in 14 New Zealand cities. Heritage & Citylife Hotels offer superior suite-style accommodation. Kids under 14 stay and eat breakfast for free. Mainstay Hotel Group is a group of independently-owned hotels and apartments. Other international chains in New Zealand include Accor, Hilton, InterContinental, Rydges, Grand Chancellor and Holiday Inn, and Sudima.
Self-contained & Serviced
Motels are a popular New Zealand style of accommodation, offering on-site parking for vehicles and amenities that may include a kitchen.
If your clients like independence and privacy, self-contained motel units, motor lodges and motor inns may fit their accommodation needs perfectly – and they are easy to find in cities and near main driving routes. Usually they offer a choice of studio and one- or two-bedroom units. All have tea and coffee facilities and many have kitchenettes with a microwave oven. Parking is usually free and most are regularly serviced. Serviced apartments are a good option for groups. A full kitchen and laundry allows visitors to cook their own meals and do their own laundry. Apartments may offer regular servicing. Motel Association of New Zealand is a network of over 900 self-contained accommodation providers around the country. Committed to Qualmark’s quality assurance rating, Golden Chain Motels offer Blue and Gold Accommodation Passes depending on which particular Qualmark rating you need. Quest Apartments are serviced apartments in 13 locations, they have regular specials and packages.
Guest & Hosted
Bed and breakfast accommodation offers travellers a chance to experience life with a New Zealand family.
There are many establishments throughout the country, from restored historic houses to former churches, which provide unpackaged accommodation. Staying at a private home gives your clients a great insight into Kiwi culture. Bed & breakfast, home stay or country inn accommodation usually includes breakfast, as well as a private bedroom, often with tea and coffee facilities and TV. Bathrooms may be private or shared, while lounge and dining areas are usually communal. Many hosts are excellent guides keen to share their local knowledge. Rural Holidays NZ is a selection of more than 300 farm stays, country and city home stays offering an authentic New Zealand welcome.
Luxury Lodges
Often tucked away in some truly spectacular parts of the country, New Zealand’s luxury lodges offer the highest possible quality of amenities and service.
Lodge accommodation offers rooms and amenities of a premium standard. Ideal for a luxury getaway, they are set in stunning locations and often come complete with an in-house chef. Your clients will receive individual attention from staff, with personal activities planned on their behalf, and the experience will be one they never forget. The New Zealand Lodge Association is a network of top lodges.
Holiday Parks
Camping is practically a national institution in New Zealand, and there are camping grounds and holiday parks all around the country.
Apart from sites for tents and campervans, holiday parks often have backpacker and motel accommodation. Many have communal lounges and all have shared kitchen and bathroom facilities. Campsites are more basic but they’re often found in stunning natural settings and they are very cheap – sometimes even free of charge. Top 10 Holiday Parks offer budget accommodation in 49 locations around New Zealand. Some parks have cabins and motel rooms as well as powered and non-powered camping sites. Join the Top 10 Club for discounts. For back-to-basics camping, the Department of Conservation operates more than 250 camping grounds. They can be very basic but they are also inexpensive.
Backpacker Hostels
Not just for young people, backpacker hostels are popular with any traveller seeking to save money on accommodation and have more to spend on activities.
With more than 500 hostels throughout New Zealand, backpackers are spoilt for choice. Some offer only dormitories, others also have private rooms. Bed linen and laundry facilities are often available for an extra charge. Bathroom, kitchen and living areas are usually shared. Hostel chains offer discounts for members and many have activity package deals. Youth Hostels Association of New Zealand provides budget backpacker accommodation that upholds international standards, including a number of five-star hostels. A big network in 41 locations means a YHA pass takes backpackers a long way. Over 220 members around New Zealand makes Budget Backpacker Hostels of New Zealand the biggest network and the hostels are all independently owned. The BBH Club Card offers special ‘Frequent Sleeper’ rates and preferential online bookings. Nomads Hostel network offers high-quality accommodation. BASE Backpackers have high-quality budget accommodation in main centres, including deluxe BASE Sanctuary girls-only dorms.
Baches & Holiday Homes
Named for the huts often occupied by bachelors in the early days, these holiday houses were unpretentious, built magpie-style with recycled materials. Nowadays, the bach is more likely to resemble a suburban house and they are an excellent option for groups or for longer stays. Look for baches and holiday homes in beach, lake or mountain areas. www.holidayhomes.co.nz
Farm Stays
Staying on a working farm is a great experience for families. Your clients will enjoy remote rural settings and home-cooked meals, and many operators also offer farm animal activities and tours that will delight children. Some farm stays, such as Farm Helpers in NZ, offer full board in exchange for helping out on the farm.
Freedom Camping
In New Zealand freedom camping is only permitted in fully self-contained campervans with toilet, shower and grey water storage. It is vital that your clients adhere to freedom camping etiquette: only camp where it is permitted, never leave rubbish behind, don’t pollute waterways with soap, and never use the great outdoors as a toilet. For more, visit the Freedom Camping website. www.freedomcamping.org
Making the Grade
Qualmark, New Zealand tourism’s official mark of quality, makes selecting the right standard of accommodation for your clients easy with a unified star grading system applied to all types of accommodation. Properties are inspected annually to ensure they uphold the required standard of guest facilities, cleanliness and professionalism. Qualmark Enviro identifies environmentally responsible operators. www.qualmark.co.nz
A – Z Reference
Accor Hotels & Resorts www.accorhotels.com
ASURE Accommodation Group www.asurestay.com
Base Backpackers www.stayatbase.com
BBH NZ Ltd www.bbh.co.nz
Best Western www.bestwestern.co.nz
Boutique Hotels and Lodges New Zealand www.boutiquehotels.co.nz
Choice Hotels Australasia www.choicehotels.co.nz
Distinction Hotel Group www.distinctionhotels.co.nz
Essence of New Zealand’s Luxury Holiday Homes www.essencenz.com
Golden Chain Motels www.goldenchain.co.nz
Grand Hotels International www.ghihotels.com
Heritage Hotel Management Ltd www.heritagehotels.co.nz
Hilton Hotels New Zealand www.hilton.com
Holiday Parks Association www.holidayparks.co.nz
InterContinental Hotels Group www.ichotelsgroup.com
Luxury Lodges of New Zealand www.luxurylodgesofnz.co.nz
Mantra Group www.mantragroup.com.au
Millennium Hotels & Resorts www.millenniumhotels.com
Mainstay New Zealand Hotels www.mainstay.co.nz
Oaks Hotels & Resorts www.theoaksgroup.com.au
Quest Apartments Group www.questapartments.co.nz
Rydges Hotels & Resorts www.rydges.com
Scenic Hotel Group www.scenichotelgroup.co.nz
Sudima Hotels New Zealand www.sudimahotels.com
TOP 10 Holiday Parks Group www.top10.co.nz
YHA New Zealand www.yha.co.nz
