231 Best Hotels in New Zealand

Perched on the cliff overlooking the Steeples rocks offshore, this self-contained cottage (with sea views) along with a studio are great value. Hosts Wendy and Wayne have a strong local knowledge and give you the opportunity to be as pampered or as independent as you want. Wendy has a lovely garden to wander around or you can sit at the table on the cliff top and enjoy a glass of wine while watching the sunset. Lighthouse Road can be tricky to find so get instructions first.

Just 5 minutes from the airport, the Sudima has a gym and on-site restaurant including buffet dinner. Canterbury Museum, International Antarctic Centre, and Isaac Theatre Royal are nearby cultural highlights. From 6 am, a full buffet breakfast can be purchased as an extra in the room price, and there is a small à la carte menu that can be ordered from.

Simple, straightforward one-bedroom units and garden chalets in this harborside hotel offer kitchenettes and private patio areas. Amenities also thoughtfully include beach towels and shovels. The motel is well located; to reach the center of Tairua, it's a 10-minute walk around the waterfront, with views of Mount Paku along the way.

This resort complex offers much more than you would typically expect from a holiday park; it has the widest range of accommodations in the area, and they're all on the beach, about a 10-minute drive from the Mount Maunganui crowds. Choose from camping and campervan sites, cabins with shared bathrooms and kitchen, self-contained holiday units, or sleek beachfront villas just feet from the dunes. The resort is popular in peak summer holiday season (Christmas to end of January), so it's better to come another time of the year; the climate is always mild and nothing beats a good walk on the beach in winter, plus the pool is heated.

This lodge offers a range of accommodations (and prices) and is a four-minute walk from the beach. Each self-catering unit has its own BBQ. The backpacker-friendly Tatahi Cove has a large kitchen, two spacious lounges, landscaped BBQ area, and six private rooms with shared bathrooms. More private options include two-bedrooms apartments, a studio, and a cottage. The property is hidden away in park-like surroundings yet is close to the town center. It is a four-minute walk to Hahei Beach. Beach towels are complimentary.

Nestled beside an estuary, this estate features pure, simple luxury. Guests in the four purpose-built villas and suites come together for champagne each evening. Te Koi is surrounded by mature gardens. At high tide, the lawn is lapped by the sea and at low tide you can walk onto the sand flats. Full breakfast hamper included. Play some pétanque (bocce) or tennis, then relax in the solar-heated pool. 

Here you'll feel ensconced not only in luxury but also the rain forest, as the hotel has been built to fit in and not intrude on the trees—from concrete jungle to real jungle, as their mantra states. Enjoy the possum fur pillows, bathroom underfloor heating, and deliberately designed decor: the foyer is glacial-white while the dark rain-forest bar even comes with glowworms. Two-night stays are encouraged—that gives you more chance of fine weather for glacier trips, and the opportunity to try both the à la carte menu and the five-course degustation dinner. Amaia Day Spa is in the hotel, and the hot pools are just a walk down a rain-forest path away.

At this friendly, traditional B&B in the center of town, accommodation is in five rooms in the house (upstairs and downstairs) and in a cute, stand-alone cottage set in a delightful "miner's garden" behind the house. Fully cooked breakfasts are included and guests can share the lounge in the main house. The inn is named for famous Hokitika surgeon-mountaineer-conservationist, Dr. Ebenezer Teichelmann, who built the original part of the house. Hosts Frances and Brian will encourage a visit to the museum across the road, which Brian helps run.

Considered a top golf resort in New Zealand, Terrace Downs is a good place to base yourself for a vacation away from the crowds. Although not strictly in Methven, Terrace Downs is a 20-minute drive away, with spectacular views of the Rakaia Gorge and the looming presence of Mt. Hutt. Accommodations are in a series of contemporary one- to three-bedroom villas and larger fairway chalets perched on a ridge above the clubhouse and restaurant, with views from their balconies over the golf course and of the mountains.

Located in central Nelson, on the banks of the tidal Maitai River, this hotel has everything you need for a comfortable stay, with many of the city's attractions within walking distance. Featuring an on-site restaurant and a heated outdoor pool, it also offers accessible suites on the ground floor. Book a riverfront or river view room, some of which feature spa baths and hydro massage showers.  

Perched over the edge of Tauranga Harbour, this is one of the city’s higher-end hotels. There are several guest room categories (executive rooms to a three-bedroom penthouse), and the best have over water views. All of the bathrooms have bathtubs (unusual in this region) along with heated floors. Facilities also include an infinity swimming pool. With great water views the hotel's restaurant and bar are frequented by locals and guests alike for meals or cocktails. This is also a popular conference hotel, so book well ahead.

The world's southernmost YHA hostel is in the center of Invercargill, next door to the Speight's Ale House and the main city library. The Tuatara has the usual group of bunks, twins, and double rooms, along with a few private doubles with en suite bathrooms, TVs, and stereos. An on-site café serves good coffee and breakfast, and the hostel also has two lounges, a kitchen, secure parking, a laundry, and Wi-Fi. 

Adjacent to the thermal pools, this stylish, eco-friendly, 14-unit complex offers a choice of spacious one- and two-bedroom units. Most have sunny balconies with alpine views. There's a large parking lot in front and plenty of activities right on the doorstep.

A small but stunning lodge nestled on a small peninsula beside the Pakawau Estuary, Twin Waters overlooks the surrounding hills and wetlands. Despite the very Kiwi environment outside, the lodge rooms have international themes, with names such as Shanghai, Zanzibar, Safari, and Naigani, decorated with artwork discovered on your hosts' winter travels. Rooms are stylish and elegant, with curved timber ceilings and floor-to-ceiling windows. Rates quoted include breakfast supplies, which guests can prepare at their leisure in a beautiful modern shared kitchen. Dinner can also be prearranged.

Wake up to fresh-baked bread and newly laid eggs (when chickens are laying) at this basic-but-rather-quirky backpacker lodge housed in old railway carriages and huts. It's first-come, first-served for breakfast in the station waiting room (now a communal kitchen). Some of the carriages retain old leather seating and travel posters. There are also powered campervan sites and a number of tent sites, and they are close to the Weka Pass vintage railway.

This graceful villa has one of the best waterfront locations in town. The 1905 house features native rimu-wood floors, luxurious furnishings, local artwork, and historic maritime photographs. Pure wool rugs warm the floors while heavy feather duvets warm the beds. Hospitality here is legendary; breakfast is different every day, and evening drinks and snacks are served on the sweeping veranda. One of the owners also runs a RYA sailing school (Sail Nelson) and you are welcome to set sail with him.

For unpretentious luxury near the glaciers, turn to this spacious, modern lodge-style B&B just a few minutes' drive from Franz Josef village. Rooms are spacious, with timber surroundings and a neutral color palette, some with outdoor decks. A huge open fire warms the guest lounge, which has an exceptional alpine and bush outlook. Hosts cook up a great breakfast.

You'll wake to the sound of the ocean, which is steps away across a grassy verge. The view across Waikanae Beach to the sea and beyond is more than enough of a reason to make these apartments a base if you are exploring the region. The rooms are well equipped if you prefer to shop for local produce and cook it yourself. The staff will also point you in the right direction for tours and restaurants if you need a hand.

A waterfront view is hard to ignore—even more so on the rugged Kaikōura coast—and this rather fancy apartment-style lodge is just across the road from the beach and a few minutes' walk from the town center. The suites have double spa baths, as do a few of the other rooms; three units are two stories, well-suited for families or larger parties. The apartments have good-size kitchen areas and everything for a longer stay, some with laundry.

The owners used local schist and timber from the farm buildings that once stood here to build their fine solar-powered lakeshore lodge. Cottages (two- and three-bedroom) are fully self-contained with extras such as smart TVs and free laundry use. Children are accepted for cottage stays but not in the main lodge. Lodge rooms all have en suite bathrooms and superking beds and there's a lounge with fireplace for guests to mingle.