New Zealand Accommodation

Accommodation

New Zealand offers a wide range of accommodation. International quality hotels can be found in the major cities. And New Zealanders seem to have perfected the art of the top-end homestay. Hosted luxury lodges are the top-end equivalent of the bed-and-breakfast market and New Zealand has upwards of 40 internationally recognised lodges. Per capita, that's probably the highest in the world. They tend to be situated away from cities, though some are right in the heart of the major centres, and can be difficult to get to. At the very top-end, helicopter transfers and private jets help the luxury traveller move between the lodges they've chosen for their visit. Motels of a variety of standards from luxury to just adequate can be found on the approaches to most towns. There is a wide range of backpackers accommodation around the country, including a network of Youth Hostels that are members of the Youth Hostels Association (62 in 2004), as well as homestays, farmstays and similar lodgings—some in the most unlikely places. New Zealanders are also registered on hospitality exchange sites, such as CouchSurfing. The CouchSurfing organization has announced its plans to host a Collective in New Zealand for six months. For uniquely New Zealand accommodation, there are Maori homestays and tourist-catering marae stays. There are a number of commercial camping grounds around the country, as well as camping sites within all of the national parks. One way that many tourists travel around New Zealand is in a self-contained campervan, a motorised caravan or large minibus, that can be driven by anyone who holds an ordinary car driver's license. If you are travelling into the backcountry, the Department of Conservation has many backcountry huts that can be used under a permit system. Free camping is also available in many places. Unless there is a "no camping" sign it's common to find a tent or hammock pitched for the night in many picnic areas or in a grove of trees off the road. Cycle tourists especially will rarely need to pay for camping, only for showers and laundry. Multi-day camping in these areas is often frowned upon, and in conservation areas camping outside designated areas may attract a fine.