New Zealand Motels and VillasThe New Zealand motels and villas we stayed are:
Oceanside Twin Towers Resort, Mount Maunganui
Stonehurst Motels and Apartments, Christchurch
Generally, self-contained often refers to accommodation that has all the normal domestic facilities of a home including bedrooms, lounge room, dining room, kitchen, bathroom, toilet and laundry. Sometimes, this can also be categorized as motels, apartments or villas for some. For me, a villa is a stand-alone big house in a landscaped and secluded property but in this case, the villas we stayed are not like that. Oh well, don’t confuse yourself with the terms. Most importantly, decide which New Zealand Motels and Apartments you like and know what you are getting for what you are paying.
Crows Nest Villa
The Bay of Islands have no shortage of New Zealand motels or New Zealand villas. Being a popular holiday destination amongst the locals and overseas visitors, you can find all kinds of New Zealand accommodations that will suit your budget and needs. Among the countless properties I searched, there is one that stands out. And it is none other than the Crows Nest Villas, Opua. Opua is 5mins drive from Paihia, the hub of this region. So what’s the selling point of Crows Nest among other New Zealand villas?  Imagine yourself waking up to a golden sunrise and magnificient views of the sparkling blue-green waters. Relax with a cup of tea at the expansive balcony and watch the sailboats pass leisurely. This place is pure luxury at an affordable price starting from $NZ280! We stayed at the Bridge Deck Villa which in my opinion, the more preferred choice to the Sails Deck Villa.
Each villa comes fully self-contained with two ensuite bedrooms, full laundry facilities and a large open concept kitchen. There are enough crockery, utensils and cutlery to throw a big party.
It is a romantic, intimate, private (not intimidating), cosy and comfortable sanctuary! Alex and myself feel so relaxed during our two nights in this luxury New Zealand accommodation.
This place has a home-away-from-
We had breakfast at the balcony in the mornings (Continental breakfast is included on the first night). We could never afford this kind of luxury in our own country… the morning breeze at its freshest! Marj Browning, the manager for these New Zealand villas is always so ready to assist if you need any help – just one phone call away. If we come back to the Bay of Islands, this will be our No.1 choice for luxury New Zealand accommodation!
Oceanside Twin Towers Resort, Mount Maunganui
Well, I’m not sure about you but I’m one person who likes to stay at a place with a breathtaking view. This feature usually comes with a hefty price tag (Alex is frowning!). But budget does play a very important part too. So for me, it’s all about a balance of good view, ideal location, great value and quality standards. For Mount Maunganui, we only did our booking only upon arrival. Knowing that it’s a shoulder season (a term used to indicate the season between non-peak and peak), it wouldn’t be too hard settling for a good one.
Mount Maunganui, commonly known as The Mount, is also well-known for its idyllic beach – Ocean Beach. I was attracted to few accommodations such as The Pavilion, Hot Spot and The Oceanside Twin Towers. These few luxury New Zealand accommodations are ideally located along the Marine Parade and near the foot of The Mount. The Pavilion is pure beachfront but we were offered a ground floor apartment for $NZ220 (we didn’t like to be too near to the road and it is quite expensive). The Oceanside Twin Towers is my preferred choice (with ocean views) but it is priced at $NZ300 for a two bedroom! This is a 5-star luxury New Zealand accommodation. I have seen many New Zealand motels and Oceanside Resort has maintained exceeding quality standards. We decided on the one bedroom suite just next to the Towers in the lodge.
It wasn’t too bad for $NZ170, given its fantastic location.
You can enjoy views of the Mount (including the sheep - see photo) and a bit of the ocean, or just hang around and watch people strolling along the streets.
Only thing is the lodge is a three level building so you may be able to hear some traffic noises. This is one of the New Zealand motels that has a fantastic location with rewarding views that you can't complain about. There are many restaurants and cafes just below the lodge if you don’t feel like going far (you can even chargeback to your room). This can’t be more convenient!
Cathedral Cove Villas, Hahei
Oops! This is another kind of New Zealand villas. But wait! This is the cheapest New Zealand villas in our entire stay in all 28 nights!
I must thank the I-Site at Tairua for their assistance in making this booking. Yep! We only made the booking on our way to Hahei. This is the only beachfront property in Hahei beach. It is ideal for you if you love the beach and sunbathing. It’s so convenient. The two storey two bedroom villa faces the ocean and the one room unit (studio) faces the garden. So how much are these New Zealand villas? We got the garden studio for only $NZ128 (yes, and it’s next to the beach!). This is good value for its ideal location. And it’s only 10mins drive to the famous Hot Water Beach.
Though it’s not luxury in the interiors like the Crows Nest, it is comfortable and clean. There’s a balcony facing the driveway.
With a simple kitchenette, I could still prepare some food for little Clayton. The villa has a shower only. The bathroom floors can get a little cold in the morning so bring your slippers! This place is luxury at its simplest. With a beautiful beach just steps behind our studio, we could just hear the rolling waves and surfing seas. This is so peaceful and calm on a low peak season. It's a fabulous place to lay back and enjoy your vacation by the lovely beach.
Check out the turquoise waters of Hahei beach, photographed just steps behind our villa! 
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Baycrest Lodge, TaupoIf you like to stay in a less touristy place than Rotorua, consider Lake Taupo. This is the advice from a friend who used to live in New Zealand. Lake Taupo is New Zealand’s largest lake. It is only an hour’s drive from Rotorua. We took a nice drive along the lake and noticed the long stretch of accommodations facing the vast sparkling waters. It is hard to imagine what is it like when all these (a lot of them) accommodations are filled up during the warm summer months! I am glad we don’t have to worry about the crowd. It is still off-peak season in mid October when we were there. Lake Taupo is not a big town thus it didn’t take us long to find our accommodation for the next two nights. So where are we staying in this holiday town? It is Baycrest Lodge, a 5-star luxury motel with a Qualmark rating. Well, so why did we choose to stay with the Baycrest Lodge since there are so many choices in this small town?  Well, consider this: Would you like to have a thermal tub in your own private courtyard?(See photo above) Wear anything you like (Or bare it in confidence cos’ no one is looking!), Relax in total privacy, star-gaze in the moonlight, sip a glass of wine, put on your favourite music… Whoa… This is precisely what’s so attractive and unique about this cosy lodge! We had a ground floor unit with a private courtyard and right here, you find this cute private thermal tub that you can fill to your requirement with 50oC thermal water extracted from the ground. Baycrest Lodge has always retained its Qualmark 5 Star resort style accreditation since its opening in 1998. Our one bedroom is comfortable and spacious (good for Clayton!) Alex loves the flat screen TV (he loves channel surfing too!) and the couch. Me? I can’t wait to hop into the thermal tub! This is a fantastic idea – my own private thermal spa!!! Having a nice place to stay makes the vacation a lot more exciting. Having a great time makes it memorable.
Alex and myself enjoyed dipping in the tub for both the nights. We were so thankful that Clayton slept early too.
The setting at the pool is lovely. Though it isn’t big, it is intimately set among native trees and shrubs. On the whole, you could easily tell that this property is well maintained by Neville (the man!) and his wife, Sandy. Either one will be around to ensure you have a pleasant and enjoyable stay. You can choose from a one bedroom to a three bedroom penthouse unit, ground floor or upper level, depending on what you like. Rates start from $NZ180. Great place. Affordable. Warm hospitality. Pleasant and natural. No wonder Baycrest has maintained its 5-star Qualmark ratings all these years! 
Glenfern Villas, Franz Josef
Do you like to travel in comfort? Sleep on nice comfy beds? Wake up to views of mountains and fresh, crisp air? Who doesn’t? I have taken great efforts to search for nice and unique accommodations in the months leading to our big trip. And I am glad that we have been blessed with a lot of nice experiences. It has been exhilarating. Visiting new places add a lot of excitement to our travel. Glenfern is one of the few villas in this region.
The self-contained villas come in one and two bedrooms. It is roomy, stylish and clean.
We like the privacy and relaxed atmosphere here (you don’t hear the helicopters!) Besides, you are rewarded with awe-inspiring views of the glaciers.
This is the awesome evening view just outside our villa. 
... and you wake up to see this! Our cosy one bedroom villa has a fully-equipped kitchen and that allows me to prepare some food for our Clayton.
It feels just like home here.
To Clayton, it's kinda fun crawling around in the great outdoors! And Alex enjoys reading all the travel brochures we collected while admiring the astounding glacier views. Rates for a one bedroom luxurious villa is priced around NZ$180. If you like to be away from the crowd, this is the place to hide away.
The Westhaven, Fox Glacier
Fox Glacier, to me, is less ‘crowded’, maybe it’s because most big adventure tour companies are located in Franz. The Westhaven is a new stylish motel that was opened in October 2002. It is hard to miss as it is at the entrance to the village along State Highway 6. We checked into our deluxe king room after a long walk to famous Lake Matheson. Our room is simple, stylish and modern. Although not as spacious as our villa in Glenfern, it is still good value. The rates for the Executive Queen Studio ranges from $NZ99 - $NZ195 and the Deluxe King Suite is priced between $NZ120 - $NZ225. You can have a choice of with the King Room or Queen Room. The deluxe king unit comes with spa bath and a spacious room for your relaxation. All rooms feature private bathrooms with shower and bath, tea/coffee making facilities, microwave, underfloor heating, electric heating, phone and internet access, and Sky television. It is comfortable and service is friendly. Our room booking includes a continental breakfast that was delivered to our room the night before.
Stonehurst Motels and Apartments, Christchurch
You will also find Stonehurst in the apartment page. This is because Stonehurst has many accommodation options to choose from. During my search, I wanted to include a mix of accommodations for our trip - economical and a little luxury. Finally, I decide that we should try something different. We couldn't afford The George, a boutique hotel that scores high on service and quality. So for a change, I settled for Stonehurst. I am certain it will all go well as Stonehurst has a few awards to its reputation.
This is a unique property that caters to all - from backpackers to families. You have the option of a dorm, a motel room or an apartment.
The rate is priced affordably at NZ$130 and it has a separate bedroom and a fully-equipped kitchen.
There is even a washing machine and a dryer in the bathroom. That's so convenient.
This is perfect for anyone who want basic comfort without burning a hole in the pocket! Besides, it is ideally situated near the Square, just two blocks to be exact. That makes one of the popular New Zealand motels. Although there isn't a view to enjoy like the Heritage Heights but you can't complain for what you are getting for that price. As an added bonus, the staff in Stonehurst is friendly and helpful. It is no wonder it has few tourism awards to its reputation.
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This is a fantastic place (highly recommended) if you have need a separate bedroom for your children or if you are two couples traveling together. 
The views are spectacular (am I repeating myself here?). We have no regrets even though we had left one bedroom unoccupied.
It reminds me of Surfers Paradise in Gold Coast Australia. Just a little smaller perhaps and less towering holiday apartments.
We had quite a nice relaxing time in the room that night. Alex had his fun in the Salt Water Pool earlier(just across the road) while Clayton and myself just laid back on the couch and enjoy some lounge music in the room.
Cathedral Cove Villas is located in Hahei Holiday Resort. This resort caters for three kinds of accommodation: Holiday Accommodation Park, Cathedral Cove Villas (self-catering) and Economy accommodation (backpackers).
That means you can park your car just outside your studio. Leave your luggage in the car boot – just hop back to the car to get you need as in when you like. 
If only it wasn’t rainy, we would take Clayton for a swim in the thermally heated pool.
Both Alex and Clayton love the porch area. 
If you prefer a more intimate village experience, you may like to explore Fox Glacier which is about an hour’s drive from Franz Josef.
