We spent two nights at Bellbird, and absolutely loved every minute. Booking several months ahead,…read moreAnthea was able to help book us a table at a fantastic restaurant in Marahau, give us advice on hikes at Abel Tasman, and prepare us for our trip to the area. Upon arrival, Brian met us and welcomed us in, showing us around the lovely property - two separate bedrooms, a common area with kitchen, piano, TV, and sitting areas, and multiple outdoor areas overlooking the water, and one at the back for the sun. Our bedroom, the Magnolia Suite, overlooked the water and was beautiful. Comfortable bed, TV which we didn't use, large bathroom, free WiFi that is okay (nothing fast or amazing, but definitely good enough!). Breakfast each morning is incredible - a huge amount of food set up on a buffet, and then Anthea makes something special each morning. The first morning saw waffles, and the second saw eggs with salmon, both of which were fantastic. Each evening, they offer some snacks and wine, which really caps off the day, especially as you look out over the water from your location above. Really, Bellbird Lodge cannot be beat. It was our first ever stay at a B&B, and cannot complain about a single moment of it. You're so close to Kaiteriteri and Marahau, but tucked away, above, in the quiet, so it's easy to avoid the crowds. And the price? Steal of a century! Do come by - you won't regret a moment.

We had a lovely stay with Anthea and Brian. Well taken care and hospitable. It is a great location…read morewith beautiful views of the bay below. The breakfast was delicious with different options each day. They sent us messages prior to our arrival, a holiday greeting, to advise on activities to do with a discount offered, and they let us know about signing up for NZeTA which was helpful as we needed this prior to leaving.

Ridicously overpriced. Small rooms with very soft beds. Old overused towels. Poor lighting in the…read morebathroom. Slippery shower. Poor service had to ask twice for shampoo and conditioner. Noisy refrigerator. NO ICE! Nothing is close...you definitely need a car to stay there. No breakfast anywhere nearby. Staff doesn't show up until 9:30a. $50 charge for evening service if required. I've stayed in hotels worldwide this is at the bottom of my list. I will say...the rooms were clean.

Good location with view out over the water but a bit most with planes flying overhead. Near a nice…read morerunning and biking path and they rent bicycles. Very nice hotel with cute English style Cottages. Laundry was easy to do. Staff were nice and helpful. Room had a big jacuzzi and comfy bed. TV only has about 10 channels.

Nice camp with sites under tall trees, perfect in window with no leaves and I imagine great shade…read morein summer. Facilities are really clean and well maintained. Not many people here so lots of space but expect it's crowded in high season Did our laundry and the dryers need maintenance as they were very slow to dry, very little heat

Conveniently close to start of Great Walk and Water Taxi access if you're getting a ride back from…read moreone of the Coastal Track beaches. Also, very friendly, well informed from desk staff. However, very cramped sites and not very many washers, cookers, showers, etc. I would check elsewhere next time and consider parking in Marahau or Kaiteriteri for water taxi return.

The Trailways Hotel is now the Tides Hotel, along with the Tides Bar and Eatery. I was very happy…read morewith my stay here and thought the breakfasts were very good and the bar was a nice extra added convenience. I arrived in Nelson previously booked for another accommodation location that I have reviewed separately. That was a disaster, so I immediately went looking for something else. A local bar/pub (also reviewed separately) recommended The Tides, and it worked out very well for me. They were able to accommodate me for two nights at the very last minute (I mean, after 7pm, same day!) I think I lucked out that I am traveling in winter. If I had been traveling in summer, I would have been stuck with what I had. Like I said, I thought the food was good and the staff were good. I think the location is fantastic for access to downtown Nelson and also pretty good to travel around the region. Travel to Blenheim is a bit daunting, but you cannot change the topography of New Zealand and still have New Zealand! I really like the art they have all over the place. I certainly recommend it.

We went to Tides for dinner. Good location downtown with a view over the estuary. The parking was…read moreeasy. The food was OK, but nothing special. Service was a little slow and the waiter didn't know much about the menu.

A beautiful lodge located within a forest and next to a beautiful sandy beach. The restaurant is…read moredecent and I especially loved the nearby eels and glow bugs. Really cool to check out at night! One thing is that their are a ton of mosquitos and they get in quite easily to your rooms (so that kinda sucked).

This is one of the best motels we have EVER stayed in. Check…read morein was great. Very friendly Lady, who was obviously the owner. CLEAN...very clean. Well equipped kitchen with most everything and laundry machines. Coffee, cookies and a bowl of mints. Location is great...close to town, restaurants and groceries. Excellent bed and linens were very comfortable. I think this facility is very good value.

If you want to feel at home in a human hostel, please stop at the Almond Hostel !…read moreThe owner, a sweet italian woman, will welcome you with her big smile. She is really nice. The rooms might be a bit small. I was in a 6 beds dorm but we were 2 and then 3. I cannot imagine to be 6 in this room. There is quite some space to put your stuffs under the beds. The garden is peaceful and you have 2 hammocs to chill in this quiet place. If you want to cook you can use the herbs from the garden. The common room might be a bit small but is cosy. The kitchen has everything you need to cook. You can also use 2 bikes for free. The people in this hostel are there to rest and be quiet. So if you want to party it's certainly not your place to be ! The city center is 10' walk from there. I definitely recommand this place and if I ever come back in Nelson, I'll go back here.

Our eyes and minds were opened to a more thorough appreciation of the sights, sounds and history of…read morethe stunning Abel Tasman National Park and the adjoining Tonga Island Marine Reserve. As amateur birders we were thrilled to see all the species that were new to us. Stewart tailored the excursion to our interests and still had plenty of time to include lunch on the beach, walk to a waterfall, gliding thru many secluded inlets with crystal clear water and watching eagle rays swim right under us. Stewart certainly is without doubt the most knowledgeable guide we have ever had the privilege to be with. The best part is that he has the personality and ability to communicate scientific information in a form that is entertaining without being stuffy, boring or intimidating. We thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of our day and we will never forget this high point of our month in New Zealand.