Hi guys
We are heading to Auckland for first time, looking for tips to book hotel/ accommodation
Preferably with meal especially breakfast
have one 6yo and one infant
Just adding a bit of info for picky ones:
We have no family there no car booked yet, just wanted to get some opinions, should we go for hotel or airbnb , where should I book the hotel, booking.com?
Cheers
Just Auckland , for a week
Will you have a car? Are you visiting relatives? You probably don't want to spend an entire week in Auckland…
Haven’t book a car yet, no family, just for vacation, at the moment plan is to stay there the whole week, we gonna have a 3 month old baby by then so prefer to just stay somewhere and relax and have a look around a bit
With the baby I'd get a serviced apartment or house somewhere. Something with separate bedrooms.
A week in AKL is a long time though. There's heaps to see in NZ but AKL doesn't have a week in it (IMO).
@Aminn: There's heaps to see outside the city. Maybe rough out an itinerary before you go? Just because I thought the place was boring doesn't mean you will.
I usually rent through rentalcars.com. Not the cheapest but reliable and you can change your booking easily.
@Aminn: Let me share what I plan for outside Auckland (price is per adult, not sure about children)
* Hamilton Garden
* Matamata Hobbiton Movie Set & Farm Tours $99 (book in advanced)
* Blue Spring Putaruru
* Agrodome Farm Show $49
* Te Puia $59 - Maori cultures and geothermal
This plan is only between Auckland and Rotorua, as I only have limited time in north island, you can get as south as Wellington if you have a week in north island only.
@Aminn: I'd have to agree with that comment. As much as I didn't want to look like a dick by suggesting you should get out of the city, you really should get out of the city 😂 went to nz earlier this year for 2 weeks, landed in Auckland and headed east straight away, didn't even stay in Auckland (airport is out of town so you're already partway there)
Go to Hobbiton!
@foxmulder: Blue springs is beautiful, however, is closed due to slips at present ( and for some time this year) . i'd say check again closer to your visit.
in terms of accommodation , airbnb in the suburbs is good if having a car to get around. northern suburbs have easy access to beaches if that is what you/kids like. more centrally, Newmarket is good for public transport access to CBD, shops, cafe. Ponsonby/Freemans bay if good coffee, food are important to you.
Haven’t book a car yet, no family, just for vacation, at the moment plan is to stay there the whole week, we gonna have a 3 month old baby by then so prefer to just stay somewhere and relax and have a look around a bit
I'd rather spend a week in Queenstown and drive around the area.
Have booked the flight already. 🤷♂️
Love the info coming in after the initial post that has changed the requirements.
Ozb the custom booking aggregator, read your thoughts and finding you the best accommodation😉
Google is the biggest aggregator of data.
A week maybe good to spend driving around north Island. As you come from Auckland, you will back to Auckland. Two booking sites seems to have great car rental rate: Rad and Aviz but both requires to return to the same place. I tune in as I'm going to NZ in March.
Awesome, tnx for that, what site you suggest to book for hotel/ accommodation
I haven't booked yet, but airbnb could be an option or just hotel. I booked my flight with trip.com, most likely I will do the same with the hotel, but let's see what others has to say. Could also use booking.com, both sites can be comboed with CashRewards for cashbacks.
Tnx
We stayed at Imagine Beach Road Hotel in Auckland, good location.
Just be aware that everything is expensive there!
Tnx, yeah I heard that thats why im looking for some tips here 😁
It's a holiday. Just spend the $$ and have the memories
Well said, I dont mind spending, just trying to have a proper plan
@Aminn: We travelled a lot with the kids (I worked for an airline). Some of our best memories are travel related. I can still remember the townhouse we stayed in in Freemantle 20 years ago with our 4yo and 6 month old and the great time we had.
Auckland is a harbour city so instead of always driving catch a ferry to Devonport & spend a day there, very pretty place. Another ferry takes you to Waiheke Island. To me Auckland is a smaller version of Sydney, maybe just walk around or get public transport & stay in the CBD.
Agree so much with comment above. The ferries are great and will take you lots of interesting places. Waiheke Island is a must do, plan to spend a day visiting the wineries… there's a hop on hop off bus.
Awesome, I will definitely check that, I do prefer to not drive as much as possible when im on Holiday,
Stay in the CBD. Take a day trip to Waiheke, take the bus around or a tour , lot of wineries there.
Tnx
Stayed at the Quest near Victoria park in November, not too busy there, nice park, and a New World 400m up the road. Nice rooms, little kitchenette. Had a good stay there.
Tnx Nixon
Tnx, done 👍🏻
Couple of other tips, assume you'll be hiring a car so get the Gaspy app for fuel prices. Stores like PakNSave and New World give you a fuel discount when spending at least $1 too so always get your receipt. Mobil had an app for fuel discounts too, and there was another AA Smartfuel one that Countdown (Woolies) used but I think it's getting canned before you arrive anyway.
Closer to time, you may want to get a Kogan prepaid starter SIM. $5 for 15GB and unlimited call/txts for 30 days. The catch is you have to have the SIM delivered to an NZ address so might need to sort out with your first stay.
Just do it with enough time, didn't work out for me but maybe the circumstances. Ordered one about 2 weeks before, first stay was an AirBNB but was in rural Matamata and didn't arrive before we did (host contacted me about a week after saying it had arrived) but Kogan refunded me anyway. Managed with a freebie 3GB data only SIM from Flexiroam instead, didn't really need to make calls and plenty of WiFi everywhere to save data (only went through about 800mb, mainly for Maps and looking up a bit of stuff while out and about)
Now I've just got $1300 odd of AirNZ credit to try and sell after having to change plans because of the late snow season. Not too sure of best way to do it safely yet.
Wow thanks for that
Hey there, getting closer to the date, Ive got a few more questions
Im thinking to rent a car, we are staying in a hotel in CBD, which chargeS 69$ per night for carpark, any suggestions for car park? Its just a bit too much
Woah, that's crazy. Sorry can't help there, didn't park in the CBD.
How far are the nearest 24hr public carparks? Surely the night rates would be less than that.
I think I can find free overnight carpark but not sure what to do during the day
Are you only going to Auckland, or elsewhere in NZ after?