Wish this place was still around - Tauranga nightlife is so terrible. The service was good - bring…read moreit back!

Oh god, shoot me. I mean, if you're drunk and want to party, you don't have any other option,…read moreespecially if your partying goes until 2am/3am. But if you are mildly not drunk and enjoy hearing an entire song, skip Bahama Hut and just go home, I swear you'd probably have more fun. There's a cover charge here of $5 on Saturdays, which I plainly do not understand. Am I paying $5 because you expect me not to order a drink? Hell no, I need 10 drinks to enjoy myself here ffs. There are some good things about Bahama Hut. If you're used to partying in Turkey or Serbia, it may suit your tastes. It's crowded, hot, and sweaty, so you'll definitely feel like you're back in Eastern Europe. But what I can't understand, and the main problem with every place in Tauranga, is that the DJ is appalling. I mean, worst DJ ever. I mean, one of the worst DJs I've ever repeatedly gone back to. He plays about 30 seconds of every song, mashed up with whatever he's got lined up next. That would be fine if he played the best parts of those songs maybe, or if they created a new song somehow. But it's just musical ADHD. I literally cannot stand it. Just when I'm about to get into something it changes again. Barf barf barf. Whatever, I'm 29 years old. Maybe I'm just too old for this shit.

This is a neat place to go to for an after-work drink…read more The Oakroom has recently had a facelift and has a cosy feel. Rohini and Corey are great hosts and the small team of staff are always friendly, chatty and sincere. There's a gastropub style menu; food and drinks are good value. It's also a good spot for a private function with good catering options.

My friend held her 21st party here last night and when I arrived I instantly wanted to have mine…read morehere. It's a lovely looking bar I think it must be quite new because all the furniture looked that way. Not the place itself though, it was really classy but rustic with mood lighting and lots of seats which I love, too many places don't offer enough seating and everyone just has to stand around. Their outside deck area was where we spent most of our night, they had outdoor tables and stools as well as a more comfy option...the outdoor sofa. They had two tv screens which she used to display pictures all evening. The bartender was pleasant and friendly and everyone looked like they had the best night.

This is by far the most beautiful home my husband and I have ever stayed at. We are so glad we…read moredecided to stay at de Preaux Lodge instead of a normal hotel in Matamata. The luxury B&B and Farmstay experience was unique and definitely made our honeymoon in New Zealand much more memorable. In the morning, we drove from Auckland to our Hobbiton tour at 1:30 pm. From Hobbiton, we drove about 10 minutes to check in at de Preaux Lodge. After parking in front of their home, Joy greeted us at the door and helped us get settled in. Their home looks like something photoshopped from an interior decorating magazine. Our first thought was, "This is a farm? OMG." The home was decorated with beautiful furniture and our room was very clean with a comfy bed. We were impressed their home has solar panels and motion lights which was especially nice when we walked through the halls at night to the bathroom. Joy and Ian are very kind hosts who were so friendly and welcoming. I appreciate their flexibility and how they customized our farm stay to our schedule. For example, they made breakfast and gave farm tours at different times since one family wanted to leave early and we wanted to sleep in. The farm tour was so much fun. Ian gave us a ride on his tractor while feeding the cows and let us watch him while he gave a sick cow a shot of medicine. My favorite part was giving Daisy, their friendly sheep, a treat and taking a selfie with her. We learned so much from Ian during our farm tour about sustainability and being able to live off the grid. After seeing Joy's garden, we definitely want to grow our own vegetables once we get back home. If you're planning a trip to Hobbiton or Matamata, I definitely recommend staying at de Preaux Lodge. You won't regret it.

The Floating Pavillion is an event space which literally floats just off the Hobson West Marina in…read morethe Viaduct - you walk along the waterfront towards Te Wero Island/the Wynyard Crossing and the pavillion is the floating grey building on the left. It's aimed at the business launch/wedding/ball crowd, so it's well kitted out to deal with a crowd of around 300. There's two levels so space for sit down dinners on the ground floor, as well as a large dance floor up top. For our inaugural UoA Architecture/Planning ball we hired out the Floating Pavillion, and can report the night went off without a hitch - food wasn't amazing, but the space was perfectly sized and well kitted out for the occasion.

This place right here it the place to have all your events, from your wedding to your engagement…read moreparty, a meeting or even a birthday party. Everything you need is there, all you have to do is call the business, arrange a tour then let them know exactly what you want. After that you can either send them pictures of your ideas or just leave it to them and their creativity. It is a great place for any events as it is located on the waterfront, guaranteeing great views and amazing pictures to upload on to instagram hash tagging aboutthatlife!

What a fun afternoon - sun, speed, competition, and adrenaline. Our family went here on the spur…read moreof the moment and it was worth every penny. (Actually the price is very reasonable). The track sits within broader Hampton Downs speedway so there is the feeling of being part of a real road racing experience. The facilities are well run, organized, and maintained. The cars are pretty new and simple to operate; and still pretty quick. Staff are professional and knowledgeable about the process so there is very little wasted time - get out there and race. If your looking for something to do and have a need for speed - take an afternoon and go to Hampton Downs

I have been to this motorsport park a number of times as I am a keen fan of the D1NZ Drift series…read moreand I go to all of the rounds that are accessible to me. Every season they hold a round at Hampton Downs which I really enjoy as it is only 45 mins out of Auckland and is a really great place to hold a car event. It's got an amazing circuit track with lots of bends so it's perfect for drifting. It's a really versatile venue because they have a skid pan, excellent pit buildings and convention facilities and packages available. Anyone can hire the track out if they enquire and I reckon it would be the coolest work bonding day to hire the track and some cars. You can even stay the night here in one of their trackside apartments! In terms of track days they have days dedicated to motorcycles, driver training, skid days and race car only days. If you consider yourself a bit of a petrol head you should really try and get to Hampton Downs this year, it always provides a fab day out. Note: Track opening hours differ depending on Events and Track Days

Wow, went last weekend on a magic day Went to the casual…read morerestaurant and had half the menu it was so good Service was great really good vibe Bread starter is a must Loved it

We walked into the bistro ready to have a terrific dinner experience based on their website photos…read moreand the warm, inviting appearance as we walked up. The ambiance was nice and felt like a cozy ski lodge. However, the hostess wasn't exactly warm or charming. She seemed to have a bit of a control issue. When we moved one of the 2 chairs at the 4-top to another side of the table, she expressed her displeasure and stated that we had to make sure that we gave the table next to us enough space, but there was definitely enough room for a small pony to walk through. The server was pretentious. The vibe we got was that he was busy with something else and could barely be bothered to share the specials and take our order. Because we weren't getting a great vibe, we decided just to order overpriced drinks instead of drinks and overpriced food. Do NOT order the old fashioned unless you like them super sweet. My husband is a fan of old fashioneds and had never had a ridiculously sugary drink as this before. The espresso martini was okay. Definitely not worth $26 though. This place is definitely overrated.

A spontaneous, last minute trip from Auckland to Tauranga over the weekend was a great decision,…read moreespecially because of the discovery of this restaurant. I fully recommend an evening here. Their mojitos are amazing! But what blew me away was the tapas! Goat cheese balls and pork belly pieces HAVE to be had, if you're going... Service was great, quick and well presented. Atmosphere, relaxed. You won't regret the visit.