What a lovely little hotel. We stayed one night and had a lovely stay. Our room was large and…read morecomfortable. The small kitchen was a nice bonus. The bed was very comfortable, and the shower was great! A short walk to a Woolworths and some restaurants. We're glad we booked it again on our way back to Auckland.

What a charming little motel! I didn't think "charming" and "motel" would go together in the same…read moresentence, but it does. We were recently in NZ on holiday, and we had a long drive up to the Bay of Islands, so we decided to break it up with an overnight stay just north of Auckland. The first place we reserved told us they didn't allow children (??), so we (with our toddler) had to scramble to find another place. I found the Beachcomber's website, advertising it as a boutique motel, and thought it was worth a try. We were able to book a room for that very night. Orewa is not too far north of Auckland, but there's a nice wide strip of beach and a small walkable commercial area. I'm sure it's a lovely beach getaway in the summer, but even winter was fine. This motel is a short walk from the centre and directly across from the beach park. Every room has its own personality. They seemed to be different sizes and layouts. Ours, Room 12 on the top floor, had a living/dining/kitchen area, and a bedroom in the back with ensuite. Our suite was red/white/black and the bedroom was very instagrammable. Black and white damask wallpaper, black chandelier, white tables. The living area up front had lots of seating options, funky wiry barrel-shaped tables, and a modern four-seat dining table. Room for our child's cot, too. Sliding glass doors (which we kept closed) would be lovely thrown open in summer, with the net curtain drawn to keep insects out. Probably necessary in summer - there is no central heating or air-conditioning, so we had to use a space heater from the closet (and there was a fan, for summer). A small door opened to a back outdoor walkway. The kitchen had a mini refrigerator, a microwave, sink, cooktop, kettle, glasses, utensils, plates. Large bathroom behind a barn-style door, and a generous-sized shower with a rainfall shower head. They have such a boutique vibe going on, they have surprisingly uninspired toiletries. Just dispensers hanging on the wall of the shower for shampoo and body wash, which is unfortunate, because it seems just a bit low-end for this kind of establishment. No guest elevator, at least none that I saw. Parking area is a little awkward because it's small - we parked on the end and reversed in, but if you had to park further in, getting out could be a little challenging, especially for large vehicles. Free wi-fi. Super cute! Probably my favorite accommodations the whole trip.

It's brilliant having such a wicked music venue right here on the door step. Since it opened a few…read moreyears ago there have been some top quality acts at Matakana Country Park; Highlife, America + Pat Benatar, Six60, Shihad....among many. I went to Shapeshifter and Kora and had a brilliant night. The venue itself is easily accessed; plenty of room for parking and has a good drop off zone. Security was efficient (although we did encounter one 'job smith') and it didn't take us long to get through the gates. The stage was inside a marquee and was a good size; it created a pretty intimate setting for an outdoor concert. I can't even complain about the Portaloos - I don't think we lined up for over 5mins, which is pretty good in concert terms. My only grumble would be the drink prices (but I guess you get that everywhere) we expected this though and stocked up before we came.

We had a comfortable stay. The staff were always polite. Sarah, the main cleaner for the lodge was…read morefantastic. She was always helpful and smiling. She always made sure we were taken care of. Eg: cleaning the room if needed, top up coffee or milk (if we asked), clean towels. The room was a standard room. The price was cheap for 3 people. The bed could be split into single beds if you needed. The room had a small kitchen area, dinning table. stove and fridge. We stayed in the bigger room that was designed for a person with disabilities. It was on the ground floor, had room for a wheelchair (a bit tight, but managble), or a walker and a big bathroom with a shower seat and no barriers to use facilities. There was a ramp to get to room, perfect for someone with disabilities. There is also a little courtyard and spa private spa. In walking distance there are thermal hot pools. A colorful playground with public BBQ's, a campsite, a decent size four square, a bakery, a takeaways, a bottle store (if you want a wine or some beers). There is also Craigweil rest home close if you are from out of town visiting a loved one. Will definitely recommend Parakai Springs Lodge if you want cheap accommodation close to amenities and hot pools. Sarah was fantastic and made our stay welcome.

This is a little bit of a surprise in the very quiet and dated Parakai neighbourhood, a…read morecontemporary development, that is totally needed in the area. I stayed here for a night over the weekend, to escape the rush of the city and enjoy some quiet time. This was a wonderful first time experience, the property I would say has been functioning for less than a year, as it all was very new and fresh. I loved the well planned and designed rooms, with kitchenette, bathroom along with a jacuzzi bath and out on the balcony your very own spa bath with thermal water. Located on a suburban street across the road from a small commercial thermal pool, the west setting sun in the winter afternoon was sublime. Take a five minute walk to the main village shops, where you can purchase groceries and any items you might have forgotten to bring. Before I arrived, my partner and I had to pop into the mineral park motel near by and pre pay the accommodation at the office and pick up keys, however this might just be a present occurrence, as at the lodge I could see that a reception area was in place but at the time not in use. The Premier rooms are the bigger of the two choices, with a super king bed and the thermal outdoor private pools, located on the downstairs block, whilst the upstairs rooms have smaller beds and only the indoor jacuzzi bath. For forty dollars extra I would always recommend the premier room. A wonderful relaxed spot, do explore and check it out.

I'm more of a Whitcoulls girl myself but i've got to admit this dinky little Paper Plus has got a…read moregood selection, from books to stationery and office supplies. Expect generic and (relatively) cheap and you'll be good to go.

Good food , lovely company, the service was shockingly bad …read more Won't be going again -ever.

In general, we really enjoyed our meal at the stables in early June…read more Initial service was slow, we were shown to our table but no one came to us for the next 10 minutes. However once our orders got taken, everything went smoothly after that. We probably over-ordered the amount of food for a family of five. The portions for the mains are very generous, so entrees may not be needed. We ordered four sharing plates as entrees and probably only needed two. The real star of the dinner though was a side dish - the Sticky Kumara was absolutely delicious - we will definitely be ordering that again when we next go back! Other Entrees ordered included falafel, meatballs and calamari. Main dishes ordered included the fish of the day, beef burger, beer battered fish and chips, and a Caesar salad. The food was fine (good hearty tasty fare, not exciting but done well), and the portions were very generous so value for money was very good. We really like our night out at The Stables and we will be sure to return....

Self contained motel accommodation with great sea views. Excellent lawn and gravel area for parking…read morecaravan or motor home. Costs $20 per night for a self contained van which includes water, power and free wifi. For $40 per van you can also use all the bathroom amenities. Nice views of the sea. Very clean and well laid out. Friendly welcome. Highly recommend!! Close to lots of interesting sights, wineries and small towns like smart Matakana. We stayed on a windy wet night and it was a perfect place to recharge!

If you're after a restaurant rather than a takeaway from up the road, Long Bay Regional Park has…read morejust the one choice - Long Bay Restaurant. The restaurant is down the southern end of the park, and location-wise you won't find many better - it's right on the beach front with a view over the North Shore's longest golden beach. On a sunny day it's absolutely divine. The layout of the restaurant makes the most of the view with extensive decking and umbrellas - perfect for al fresco dining. I've enjoyed some terrific mochas here as well as particularly good big breakfast. The waitresses were also particularly lovely - service with a smile! In all very good, but don't always expect a table - it's a popular wedding reception venue.

Long Bay is an incredibly popular beach - don't even try and go here over the Christmas/New Year's…read moretime on a hot day, as you're likely to spend an unpleasant amount of time getting into the park. That's why it's a bit surprising this place is the only place to get food at the beach, and it's definitely more of a restaurant than a takeaway/cafe - although they do have an icecream outlet which does a roaring trade. I came here for a work lunch, and it was a great place for that - the dining room isn't huge, but big enough to accommodate a couple of large groups without feeling like you're sitting on each other's laps. This is one of the best located restaurants in Auckland in terms of views, and unfortunately like many places that have spectacular views, the food struggles to match this. It could have been because we were having a set menu, but the food was just fine rather than being outstanding. Nevertheless, I'd definitely give it another go - it would be a magic place for a romantic dinner.

We only stayed here one night as we were passing through Dunedin. Great location right in the…read morecenter of town and in walking distance to restaurants, bars, shops and parks. The room felt like our own private apartment and was very spacious, clean and comfy. The front desk was very pleasant and ready to help with any questions or suggestions. Big jet tub in the bathroom was also a plus. The hotel is tucked back a bit on the street so we missed the driveway entrance the first time coming into town. Would definitely stay here again if we came back.

Bluestone on George is a wonderful boutique hotel. It is very modern, clean, and well appointed…read more Easy walking distance to restaurants. Owners and front desk attendant were very friendly and helpful. You will not be disappointed!