Garden Court Suites and Apartments, Queenstown
Oakridge Spa and Pool Resort, Wanaka
The Hermitage Hotel, Mount Cook
Fino-Casementi Scenic Circle Hotel, Christchurch
Stonehurst Motels and Apartments, Christchurch
Unlike most New Zealand hotels which provide only the standard guest rooms, the ones we stayed are also classified as apartment-style.
This means there are cooking facilities in the room and in some, full laundry facilities. These are most suitable if you intend to do your own cooking or if you are traveling with little children like us.
NORTH ISLAND
The unique feature about this small business hotel is that the rooms come with a fully-equipped kitchenette, which is why I am attracted to it.
You can choose from a deluxe room to a two bedroom apartment.
Rates for a Deluxe King Room is priced around $NZ150. The weekday rates is slightly cheaper than weekend rates.
This is the first of New Zealand hotels we stayed in Auckland.
Our room is cosy, nicely furnished with quality touches. It has a balcony that overlooks either the city or Myers Park.
Our room is on the second floor and unfortunately, it overlooks a public car park. I suppose that’s considered a ‘city’ view. So make sure you state your request clearly when checking in.
There is an outdoor heated swimming pool and gymnasium which we did not have the time to utilize.
I managed to prepare some food for Clayton in the little kitchen. We had a good sleep on the comfortable king bed.
On the overall, this is a good place to base yourself if you don’t like the hustle and bustle on city living.
It’s about 5-10 minutes walk to Queen street though it is not close walking distance to the main attractions located in the city.
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Take me back to North Island
I have been rather impressed with this suite-style hotel during my New Zealand hotel accommodation search.
Other than the full kitchen, the main attraction for me is its location at the viaduct harbour. I have wanted to stay near the waterfront.
The Sebel Suites is a new style of luxury New Zealand accommodation in the upmarket category.
Priced at $NZ200 onwards (depending on season and room choice), you can choose from the studio, executive or one bedroom suite, facing either the city or marina.
Be prepared to pay more for marina views.
We stayed in a one bedroom, marina view suite on the night returning from the Bay of Islands.
The room is spacious for the one bedroom suite. There is a designer kitchen, a cosy dining area and a comfortable living room that opens to the balcony.
Our balcony overlooks a ‘partial’ marina view.
If you like a superb view of the marina, you need to opt for the Deluxe Suite. This comes with a price too.
If you are self-driving, there is no car-waiting area at The Sebel Suites. So you would need instructions from the reception to drive to the undercover parking.
The view from our balcony
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Take me back to North Island
This is another top-class New Zealand hotel.
Knowing that we don’t have a rental car in New Zealand this time around, it is only ideal to stay somewhere in the heart of the city.
This is especially when I have saved all my shopping at my last destination.
OK – here comes my favourite of the three New Zealand hotels! The Ascott Metropolis!
This is my preferred choice of luxury New Zealand accommodation. Why?
Location, Location, Location! Right in the heart of the city yet not bothered by traffic noises.
This New Zealand hotel, more known as a luxurious serviced apartment, is tucked at Courthouse Lane, near to the shopping district of High Street and Vulcan Lane.
And if shopping is not your game, go for a gust of fresh air at Albert Park, which is just across the residence.
I like the elegance of The Ascott. The service is personalized and warm. I find the staff very helpful, attentive and friendly too (you can tell the minute you walk into the door).
We booked a high floor studio apartment facing the harbour for our last two nights in Auckland, after returning from Christchurch.
We enjoyed the views from our apartment.
Our room is stylishly furnished, spacious, cosy and comfortable. With a fully-equipped designer kitchen, we could enjoy some home-cooked dinner too.
This New Zealand hotel is perfect for families (like us), business travelers and holiday makers.
Travelling with little Clayton requires us to take short breaks in the room. The location makes it so convenient and easy.
With Albert Park next door, Alex would sometimes take Clayton out for a stroll while mummy shops leisurely (a mum’s delight!)
I must not forget to mention that The Ascott is near to many restaurants and cafes. With the Link Bus stop close by, you can visit many city attractions (hop up and down the bus, as often as you like) or just simply enjoy a city ride for free.
For those who like to do some grocery shopping in the city, Foodtown, a huge well-stocked supermarket is only 15mins walk away.
This is great if you need to do some last minute shopping for families and friends back home.
After a long day of shopping and sight-seeing, just head for the 22m indoor heated lap pool and simply watch the city lights at the balcony.
This is a wonderful place to have a vacation… relax and recharge in comfort and luxury.
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Take me back to North Island
We are now at the southern end of the North Island. This is our last stop before moving on to the South Island.
If you are a minimalist, you will fall in love with this New Zealand Hotel.
This apartment-style hotel is elegant, contemporary, modern, stylish and professional.
Yes, I would readily classify it as a luxury New Zealand accommodation!
Well, when I first stepped into Bolton, I thought the setting may look a little ‘intimidating’. See, a lot of the amenities and facilities are designed with the business travelers in mind.
But I was proven wrong. We were warmly greeted at the door by the porter who helped us with all of our luggage and bags (we’ve got quite a few).
We were unloading all our stuff from our rental car as we would need to do some repacking before returning it.
After a quick check-in, we can’t wait to check out our room for the next two nights.
Alex and myself just bounced on the bed when we got into our room! This is a real super king bed! It is huge!
That’s not all! The bed cover is velvety soft and there is a very nice furry bed throw over the bed. It is so cuddly and soft – very nice!
I like the designer kitchen.
Stainless steel finishes always impresses me!
Being a graphic designer at heart, I love minimalism. I like clean lines, dark wood furniture, neutral tone and simple forms.
Our premier suite gets a lot of daylight from the expansive tempered glass windows (which is pleasant). It overlooks the park and a bit of the office building next door.
The Bolton hotel is only 5 mins stroll to Lambton Quay, the main shopping street in Wellington. So it is convenient to hop back to the hotel when you get tired from shopping or sight-seeing.
What more, you don’t need a car here. In fact, it is better not to even drive in the city if there is no necessity. Parking can be very expensive and the streets can be complicated if you are not familiar.
And if you like to cook in the designer kitchen, head for New World Metro, the city supermarket at 68 Willis Street.
The Bolton offers a few room choices: Classic Studio, Premier Studio, Classic Suite, Premier Suite, Premier Twin and Bolton Suite. Packages start from $NZ169 on a weekend night for the classic studio.
So is this another luxury new Zealand accommodation?
Well, to me, it simply is.
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Take me back to North Island
SOUTH ISLAND
We have been told by many friends about the beauty of Queenstown. Many have said it’s their favourite town. So I was looking forward to experience it myself.
Now I know why.
I was totally mesmerized by the views of The Remarkables and Lake Wakatipu.This is a charming town.
I told Alex that I would like to spend a night offering these awesome views.
My wish was granted.
After driving around the town centre, one place stood out.
It is The Heritage.
This big property sits on Queenstown hill and it’s surrounded by the majestic mountains and of course, the serene, calm Lake Wakatipu.
And in The Heritage, you can choose from hotel-style rooms to apartment-style suites (with or without kitchen), lake views or mountain views.
Or if you have a large family traveling together, go for the brand new luxurious villas (they really look so sophisticated)!
It is only 5 mins to town (when walking downhill) and yet you can feel totally relaxed and not be bothered with town noises.
We had a one bedroom suite (with kitchen) that night. The first thing Alex and myself did when we stepped into the room was to head for the balcony.
We had asked for a room with both views of the Remarkables and the Lake.
And yes, we got what we wanted!
Our room is cosy and tastefully furnished with European touches and soothing colours.
And our bed – wow! It is a 7 foot Hollywood King Size one!!!
The kitchen facilities were completed with all the utensils and crockery we needed for a nice, home-cooked dinner (we needed a break from lamb shanks and green-lipped mussels).
We had a lovely family time relaxing in our cosy and comfy room. This is what we call ‘quality time’!
The Heritage is perfect for anyone seeking a time-out session after all the adventures and fun in the day.
You can also take a swim in the indoor/outdoor pool (whichever you prefer) or tone up your body in the gym.
We had breakfast in the Mackenzies Bar and Restaurant the next morning. They served very nice breakfast buffet! Yummy! The best hotel breakfast we had in our trip!
The restaurant features roaring open fires in winter, and a sunny balcony for al fresco dining during summer. It’s a great place to dine or simply relax with friends at the bar.So what’s the highlight of this place?
For me, it would have to be the views, the alpine settings and the greens surrounding The Heritage.
This is Lake Wakatipu at dusk - photographed from our balcony
For a bedroom suite (with kitchen) with guaranteed views of the mountains and the lake, be prepared to pay around $NZ220. It’s around $NZ180 if you don’t want a kitchen. Rates may vary during peak season.
Generally, the rates at The Heritage ranges between $NZ150 - $NZ1,000.
(Our Advice: Do book your accommodation in advance during holiday season if you have a particular preference!)
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Take me back to South Island
It’s quite a norm to raise our expectations of our third (our last as well) night in Queenstown, given that we had a wonderful time in the two previous accommodations.
Our stay in Queenstown had been perfect so far. Like I mentioned earlier, you can find an apartment, a lodge, a backpacker, a motel, a B&B or a boutique accommodation in every corner of Queenstown.
It is one of the most visited place in the South Island – about 1.3 million visitors a year!
We are quite familiar with Queenstown by now – it’s not a big place after all.
We walked and drove the main street and around town many many times.
Now that we stayed in two corners of this lovely town, we decide to stay along Frankton Road.
There are a long stretch of accommodations on Frankton Road so if you are not traveling during the peak season, you can drive along here and do your shopping.
In Frankton Road we found Garden Court Apartments and Suites.
This is a big complex offering contemporary suites and apartments at reasonable prices.
We like the garden settings on this complex. It has a casual and friendly feel to it.
Garden Court offers a range of choices from studio suites to two bedroom apartments.
Although it’ along Frankton Road (a busy road leading to centre town), you don’t get the traffic noises here.
We got ourselves a one bedroom apartment (new!) and we particularly asked for one with the ‘best view’ of the lake and mountains.
Did we get what we wanted? You bet!
Our bedroom apartment is spacious and luxurious – separate bedroom, fully-equipped kitchen, Super king bed and, nice bathroom with bath and shower and a washing machine cum dryer.
It is so complete – it’s got the ‘home-away-from-home’ feeling!
And have I mentioned about the views?
You ready to hear this?
Alex and myself stepped out of the expansive balcony and lo and behold… the views were awesome! The Remarkables and Lake Wakatipu is just right before our eyes!
That night, we had another home-cooked dinner (Alex was the chef!) We enjoyed the meal thoroughly and this time, we don’t have to worry about Clayton fussing in the restaurant.
This is not the highlight. So what was it?
The Stars!
The stars were most beautiful that night. There were millions and millions of them. This must be the clearest night we ever had in our trip.
Alex and myself turned off the lights and star gazed at the balcony (in the cold).
As I’m writing this, I can just close my eyes and reflect on the tranquility and calmness of the starry, starry night.
This is almost a perfect way to say good bye to this blessed town.
Rates at Garden Court is around $NZ170 (studio suite, no kitchen); from $NZ220 (one bedroom luxury apartment); from $NZ240 - $NZ325 (two bedroom apartment).
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Take me back to South Island
About one hour scenic drive from Queenstown is Wanaka.
This is a charming little town. It is just as scenic as its famous neighbour and perhaps more intimate and less busy.
We decided to stop here for a night before making our way to Mount Cook, which will be a long drive if we don’t.
Once again, we did our little tour around town before deciding where to stay.
Wanaka have many luxury New Zealand accommodations.
We spotted a few new luxury apartments and they do come with a price tag too.
After checking out a few places, we were drawn to this big property along Cardrona road.
It is the Oakridge Pool & Spa Resort. This is a luxurious New Zealand hotel with a difference in the Cardrona Valley.
I hopped down the car to check on the rates for a night. I was impressed with the friendly service at the front desk.
The lady was so kind to show me both the studio room and the one bedroom.
We toured the complex and when I saw the 7 cute private spa pools, (overlooking the majestic Southern Alps) my decision was already made.
I think this resort has one of the best views in Wanaka.
It has this countryside setting yet so stylishly modern. The architecture of the apartments look brilliant.
There are various sorts of accommodation to choose from at The Oakridge - one or two bedroom apartments, self-contained studios, deluxe resort rooms, standard resort rooms and lodge rooms.
All rooms are new or recently refurbished and every apartment has a lovely garden and spectacular mountain views.
The resort was quiet during our time of travel so we got a really good deal for the self-contained studio.
I chose that studio particularly for the view from the deck – it’s the best!
We were very pleased with our room.
I don’t know how they do it but credit goes to the designer of this place.
Our studio has a fully equipped kitchen (oven, hob, dishwasher, microwave) and the toilet can even contain a washing machine and dryer!
Don’t worry, there’s still room to move about.
The open living concept is spacious! Even with the bed and fairly big sofa area, we can still feel so relaxed and comfortable.
It is one of the bigger studio room we’ve stayed so far!
Alex and myself particularly like the sofa area that opens to the outdoor deck. It is so homely. And the pool is just a stone’s throw away from our studio!
Here’s the highlight of the resort – the seven spa pools!
This is so fun! It is nice sharing a pool as a family. It’s private. The experience is definitely intimate for us – even with Clayton around!
Where else can you have your own private spa with a backdrop of the Southern Alps?
And if you feel like a swim, just hop out of your spa pool into the two large heated pools next to you. Or maybe pamper yourself with a relaxing massage in the The Sanctuary day spa.
I recommend a drink or meal at the restaurant ‘The Hub’. Take a sit outdoors if you can, you will be rewarded with the most outstanding view of the alps, I promise.
Well, if you are traveling with little ones or as a family, and you want your dollar well spent on quality accommodation, this is the place to be.
Besides, you are only 2 mins drive to town and all the restaurants and shops.
These rates are valid to 31 March 2006.2 Bedroom Apartment $ 320.00/ night (4 people)
1 Bedroom Apartment $ 240.00/ night (2 people)
Selfcontained Studio $ 200.00/ night (2 people)
Resort Room Deluxe $ 180.00/ night (2 people)
Resort Room Standard $ 140.00/ night (2 people)
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Take me back to South Island
This is our final night to enjoy the alpine views of the South Island.
Welcome to the dazzle of New Zealand’s highest mountain, Aoraki Mount Cook.
Here, there is only one New Zealand hotel that offers the best, unobstructed views of the famous Aoraki-Mount Cook.
It is The Hermitage.
We’ve been told by many of our friends that the rates at The Hermitage is quite scary. But I called before our arrival to check if there was any specials for that night.
To my delight, they were offering more than 50% discount for that night.
Without any hesitation, we confirmed our booking.
The drive to Mount Cook is one of the most scenic and memorable for us. I won’t forget the calmness and serenity of the blue-green Lake Pukaki.
It is so awesome. The color of the lake is just so beautiful.
But the most spectacular and unforgettable part of it is the drive towards the majestic Aoraki Mount Cook.
We just can’t take our eyes away from the snowy mountains – it looks like a big, gigantic backdrop right before our eyes!
The Hermitage alpine resort is made up of the main Hermitage Hotel (three wings to choose from) plus the Hermitage Motels and Chalets.
We booked a room at the Aoraki Wing (the newest of all three wings) at $NZ399 (usual price was $NZ850). The rate includes a buffet dinner and breakfast at the Alpine restaurant.
That was truly a fantastic deal! It does pay to travel during the off peak season.
The extra bonus was that we even got a room in the top three floors!
We were so excited to see why it usually cost so much to stay here.
The first thing we saw when we entered the room was the majesty and beauty of Aoraki Mount Cook through the expanded picture windows.
The views are just beyond words.
It simply surpassed all that we had seen in the last few weeks.
From the windows, the alps look so close. They look so ‘big’. I can only keep saying it is majestic!
Alex and myself stood at the window unmoved for moments.
We felt that we made another good decision for this trip – to stay at The Hermitage.
So, if you can (if you really can afford), please try to get a room here. We strongly recommend the Aoraki Wing.
The other two wings – Mount Cook and Wakefield – have great views of the mountains too. The rooms of both wings have private balconies looking out towards Aoraki Mount Cook.
Wakefield Wing is 4 storery and Mount Cook Wing is a 2 storey building.
But we sill prefer the Aoraki Wing. We like the big expansive windows in the rooms.
Besides the views, the room is very spacious with 2 Queen size beds.
The Hermitage is popular among international tourists. It is a common sight to see tour buses and tour groups at the Hermitage.
This is also why there is a well-stocked gift shop at The Hermitage. If you like to pick up a New Zealand souvenir, shopping is decent and quite good here.
So you can imagine how busy and crowded this place can be during the holiday season.
Well, I don’t think we would pay $NZ800 for a night (honestly) if there wasn’t any specials available. So what choices have you if you still want to enjoy the picturesque backdrop of Mt Cook without burning a hole in your pocket?
It is good that there are cheaper alternatives in this complex. They are the Hermitage Motels and Chalets and The Aoraki Alpine Lodge.
Rates for the motels and chalets start from $NZ220. The 32 Motels offer quality self-contained accommodation, and are located approximately 800 metres from The Hermitage.
The Motel Studio Units (one room) have one queen-size bed.Whereas the Motel Family Units (two room), have one queen-size bed & double fold out sofa bed in the lounge, plus a separate bedroom with either one queen or two single beds. Most importantly, all units have mountain views!
You can also use all hotel facilities and if you don’t drive, a complimentary shuttle service runs on demand from the motels and chalets to The Hermitage 24 hours a day.
Not keen on motels? What about the chalets then?
There are 18 Chalets (were modernized during winter 2004) that offer self-contained accommodation, and are located approximately 200 metres from The Hermitage.
Yes, the views from the chalets are just as stunning!
I did a walk around the chalet complex and it has a casual, cosy and homely feel to it.
Great for those who love to be close to nature. Just step out of your front door and you get to breathe in the crisp, fresh mountain air.
All chalets have one queen-size bed and 2 single beds in an open plan design that can comfortably accommodate up to four people.
This is highly recommended for families or if you are traveling with a group of friends! It can be a fun-filled experience.
I think the motels and chalets offer fantastic value as the rates even include a Continental Breakfast in the Hermitage Coffee shop and a NZD $10.00 Food & Beverage voucher per person in any of the Hermitage outlets. All units provide a great level of comfort with an outside patio area, a fully equipped kitchen Sky television channels, international direct dial telephones, private bathrooms and toiletries.
The Aoraki Alpine Lodge is newly built and caters to the budget conscious traveler. There are bed dorms, 8 twins/doubles/triples/family rooms and 2 kitchenette rooms with tv, patio, wheel chair access and mountain views.
The Hermitage also owns & operates the Glencoe Lodge, which currently caters for tour groups and is not available to independent travellers.
With these options and choices, I recommend you stay at least one night in the Mount Cook complex to marvel at the wonders of New Zealand’s tallest mountain.
This is one experience you won’t regret.
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Take me back to South Island
We have come to almost the end of our South Island expedition. It has been great so far.
Our last two nights in the South Island were spent in Fino-Casementi All-Suites Hotel. It is managed by Scenic Circle, a very big hotel group in New Zealand.
It was a long and hard decision, simply because I wanted the last accommodation to be as memorable as the rest. I was afraid to make a wrong decision.
Ever felt this way when you are put in charge of an itinerary for the family?
We finally settle for Scenic Circle Fino-Casementi All-Suites New Zealand Hotel, which was going at a special rate during our time of travel.
Fino-Casementi All Suites hotel is located centrally near Victoria Square and few minutes to the city by foot. It is opposite the Town Hall and just next door to the convention centre and the casino.
In terms of its premium location, I give it a thumbs-up. Moreover, the rates for our two bedroom suite was very reasonable (though we were expecting only a one bedroom).
I could tell when I first stepped into the hotel that it was once an elegant and sophisticated building. The colours and architecture has a Mediterranean style to it though I sense that there is a need for some minor upgrading to the finishes.
Our suite is very spacious. It is finely furnished and has its own private balcony. Both our two bedrooms are reasonably spacious too.
Being close to the convention centre, I guess this New Zealand hotel must be very popular on certain months and seasons. I must admit that I was not totally impressed with my bedroom.
I think it would be nice if the walls be repainted and a new set of bed covers be replaced. Perhaps my expectations may have been raised after being spoilt by all the nice, cosy apartments we have stayed in Queenstown.
Thankfully the apartment is basically quite clean. The fully equipped kitchen is roomy and there is even a washing machine and dryer in the room. It is only good for small loads though.
There is a balcony in each apartment and unfortunately, ours faces the road so there isn’t much of a view. Try to avoid the lower floors (if you can) if your apartment faces the busy road or you may be bothered with traffic noises during the day.
And again, you may be too busy exploring Christchurch and its surroundings in the day!
On the overall, this New Zealand hotel is a good find if the hotel is running some specials. Otherwise, you may be able to get a better alternative if a full rate is quoted.
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Take me back to South Island
