Top New Zealand Hotels

We had a group of eight, so organizing eight outspoken persons (especially my four year old), was challenging. We did tour Nelson Lakes, the Marlborough Sounds, and the Abel Tasman Park (as well as Nelson itself). It is hard to think of a region in New Zealand with as many things to do.

Spent driving around for 4 days in Christchurch and Mt Hutt. The drive up Mt Hutt is not for the faint hearted. The Thai restaurant in Methven was quite nice. Some authentic Korean restuarants in city centre. The cable car experience was very nice. The sunday market was a bit dissapointing.

Can recommend Auckland Wine Trail Tours - the owner really knows his stuff. City museum well worth a couple of hours.

Rotorua was a lovely place. We were there for the Lions rugby, and we were made to feel very welcome by ALL the locals.

For a little action, I tried bungy jumping at the Kawarau Bridge, and the Shotover Jet boat ride. Both were excellent and tons of fun. Rather expensive, but worth the money. For scenery, I booked the Nomad Safari LOTR tour. There are 2 tours to choose from and both cover different locations. I asked the booking desk to recommend and the 2 people who worked there both recommended the Glenorchy area saying that they''ve been there and it''s extremely beautiful. Since we were going on a 4W drive, we expected a bumpy ride. But the ride going away from town was about 45 minutes to an hour and was on curvy roads. So if you get car sick, don''t do this tour!!! Anyway, we did stop at Glenorchy, but only because the driver needed to go to the bathroom. Was it as beautiful as the booking desk ladies said? I''ll never know because I only saw a small town restaurant and a public bathroom next to it. The major sites we stopped at was Isengard and the site where Sam cooked rabbit stew. It''s just some dried bits of land but its background sceneries of the mountains are nice. We drove by some wooded area (which may have been the forest of Lothlorien, part of the tour), but never went through it, and I don''t believe it was even mentioned. We did drive by miles of sheep farms and that was different and nice. For the money, I thought this tour was not worth it...and a waste of time. There were nice background sceneries, but you get these beautiful sceneries anywhere your head turns in Queenstown, and it''s free. Also, definitely take the gondola up to the peak for wonderful views and there''s no rush to go down. Try the luge ride, great for adults as well as kids. Nice little cafe there too. Food prices are unexpectedly reasonable as I always expect to get "robbed" when I''m at these type of tourist places. As for food, I always like a good mix of higher end restaurants and affordable restaurants. One of my favorite "affordables" is the Express Diner. I believe it''s on Shotover Street. Great wait staff, fair prices, and pretty good food. I went during low season and most of the restaurants are quite empty, except for the Express Diner. Don''t let the name fool you. It''s a few notches above the average diner in the United States.

Christchurch is a city to walk around in. The Arts and Craft Center downtown is an excellent place to buy something special. We enjoyed whale watching and the Trans Alpine although the scenery at home (Alaska) I must say is just as beautiful. Nevertheless, we found the railroad trip worthwhile especially since you don''t have to drive.

I really enjoyed visiting Dunedin. We went to Larnach castle and to Royal Albatross Colony. Both of the excursions were very interesting, and I would highly recommend the tour about the albatross.

I strongly recommend the Night Sky tour run by staff from the nearby Observatory. On a clear night with good visibility the stargazing from this little town is stunning and you need a professional guide just to find your way around the sky.

Stewart Island is a wonderful place to visit for a few days, but to get the most out of it you need to be fit and a good walker not dismayed by steep hills. Don''t miss a trip to Ulva Island to see rare NZ birds. Ruggedy Range Tours do an excellent half-day guided trip starting early in the morning when the birds are active. I saw 14 species including an owl which is supposed to be nocturnal! You can also take a trip in a semi-submersible which lasts an hour, although after twenty minutes you are unlikely to see anything you haven''t already had your fill of. To see kiwis in their natural habitat you have to go out on a small boat at night and spend a couple of hours tramping around the bush with torches-great fun if you are lucky enough to spot a kiwi but there is no guarantee of sightings. The South Sea Hotel and the Church Hill Cafe both serve a decent lunch of local seafood. I was very lucky with the weather but I don''t think I would have enjoyed myself nearly so much if it had been wet or cold. Take plenty of reading material with you because you won''t be able to buy any, except booklets on local and natural history.

Hired a car for a couple of days which was brilliant as we went to a few places which would have been difficult to get to otherwise, ie Glenorchy, which has the most amazing walks around it from 1 hour to 3-4 hours. Arrowtown which is an old mining town and extremely interesting and the ski slopes ( no snow ) but very interesting. Took a coach booked through hotel to Milford Sound which was wonderful. Too much to see to think of driving and the coach Great Sights was wonderful with a great driver/commentator. We took a coach with the same company from Christchurch to Queenstown which was well worth it as the scenery was amazing. Of course the drivers know all the good places to stop for the photographers! Best meal was a restaurant called The Captain, brilliant food and service. Queenstown a wonderful experience. Recommend it to everyone.

Glenorchy (about 45 km from Queenstown) was stunning, beautiful and very much worth the drive.

A beautiful city with lots of lovely eating places, eg Dux du Lux nearly opposite the YMCA, and a wonderful market on the Sunday. The Arts Centre is ''something else'' and, of course, the Wizard is not to be missed! The tram is so handy from the YMCA to the city centre and is very cheap at $12.50 for 2 days. Can''t wait to come back!!

Dunedin is a lovely city. Would recommend Royal Albatross & Penguin Colonies. Monarch Cruises are excellent.

Do try the Twisted Hop micro brewery & pub if you like English beer!

We chose the Bayview Chateau NZ. because we decided that we were going to attempt the infamous Tonagriro crossing. This is a 17km tramp across 3 volcanoes and the hotel is situated very close by. The hotel staff helped with organising a return shuttle to and from the start and end of the crossing, the walking was up to us. 17km does not sound like a long way to walk throughout a full day, however when most of it is either straight up or down, it soon becomes more of a task. The effort however is well worth it, the views are simply spectacular, the live volcanoes beneath your feet are awesome and the bath at the end of the day is extremely welcome. Please if you visit the North Island in New Zealand take time (and good walking boots) to visit this amazing place.

Just far enough out of town that having a car was helpful for us (I''m not sure what transportation facility was available at the hotel.) We were close to, and visited, nearby winery (several times for cheese platter and wine), 18-hole golf course (NZ$125 pp plus cart fee), and a couple tourist stops (Craters of the Moon, and park). Taupo itself is a nice little town with a variety of restaurants and taverns, not to mention the lake (very beautiful.)

We hired a car from Avis which we were very pleased with and loved the flexibility it gave us to explore such a beautiful place! I''d definitely recommend NZone tandem skydiving (located in the Town Centre) - very professional and fun and it''s definitely worth buying the DVD! We also did Off Road Quad Biking, good value for money and a decent time on the quads - make sure you wear old clothes as you get very dirty!!! The gondola/luge is also quite a fun way to spend a couple of hours and see the amazing views.

The hotel is next door to the Antarctic Center. It is a good place to go. There is a bus stop in front of the hotel that you can go to downtown Christchurch. There is great shopping and food and tourist attractions. At the firehall, there is a Sept 11 memorial and they have some of the steel beams from the World Trade Center in a sculpture. Downtown is a good place to spend several hours. Buy a "day pass" when you get on the bus for $7 and you will be able to return to the Sudima whenever you want that day. I mistakenly bought a one way for $5.

The new musueum, Ta Papa is excellent, must visit. Love the quayside areas and the wondeful mix of old/not-so-new architecture. We made the mistake of not allocating enough days to ''do'' W''ton properly - by far the best, most interesting, scenic City in NZ.

We only stayed the one night,as we were moving on to Hamilton the very next morning. So no actual comment can be given about Auckland. Travelled the next day by the "Overlander" train to Hamilton. This was also a very nice experience, and a very good way of seeing the countryside of New Zealand.

Wellington''s a beautiful city. The Te Papa museum is quite an experience (and it''s free!). Our favorite restaurant was Kopi, a Malaysian place on Willis St. The Bouquet Garni across the street also had a very nice wine bar with a great selection of Kiwi vintages. The cable car to the botanical gardens is also a lovely trip on a nice day. If you take cabs be sure to take note of the company''s name--my wife left her purse in one and every company we called said that because we weren''t sure it was one of their cars that we''d have to wait for the purse to be turned in to the police. We ended up having to drive up to Auckland to get her a new passport, only for it finally to get turned in at the airport on our last day there. (Go figure. The drive up Desert Road was gorgeous, at least.)

Loved the coffee at the Yellow Rocket in Cathedral Square, and the organic Japanese food at Aiki in Colombo Street. Punting on the Avon was very nice, and the kids loved the ducks in the river gardens. The Aquarium and Kiwi House were an unexpected surprise and enjoyed by everyone, young and old.

Definitely do the luge & drive to Milford Sound. Avoid the Real Journeys tour of the Sounds. That''s a waste of money, especially since you see the same things over and over again.

Dunedin is a very nice place, visitor should plan to spend as least 2-3 days in this beautiful city.There are so much to do, to visit...The Hare hill horse-riding is very well managed. Oliver is so experienced and put so much attention to your needs. My son, who is so much a ''cityfolk'' was won over and enjoyed the riding after the first 1/2 hour. That is a very reliable and caring managed activity/service. Highly recommended to visitor to dunedin.

We drove down from Picton, where we did the Queen Charlotte track. The Queen Charlotte drive is incredibly beautiful, but SH6 is a lot longer than SH69. Interesting sharing single lane bridges with oncoming traffic and railways.

Rented a car from rentadent and drove to Paihia and back to Devenport and then to Rotorua, flew to Christchurch, rented another car and "did" the South Island for a week, flew back to Rotorua and spent the rest of the time on the North Island, staying mostly in B&Bs, which we really enjoyed tremendously. Had a great vacation in a great country!

Recommend the Little India as a very good indian restaurant and Topkapi does wonderful Kebabs, both in dowtown Christchurch where you are spoilt for choice with restaurants.

Queenstown is a "must visit" if on the south island. One of the most beautiful locations on earth, rivaling Lucerne with a lake surrounded by mountains. It is the center for "adventure" travel. It is also an expensive town, owing to both it''s desirablity and remote location. One dining surprise was Speight''s, a brew-pub associated with Speight''s ales. The beer was good (I particularly liked the Classic), and the food was both good and a bargain by local standards.

If you are a bird-watcher or just lover of nature, take Fuller''s ferry to Tiritiri Matangi. A very worthwhile day''s outing to a protected habitat.

New Zealand more than met all my expectations and I was in awe of the natural beauty of both islands. I found New Zealanders to be friendly, scrupulously honest, and very helpful. I would highly recommend the Visitors Information office for information and bookings of tours. No one should miss the Bay of Islands including the Cape Raiga area; Guthrey''s run very good tours - well informed and helpful drivers. When travelling south from Auckland, I also found the Travel Passes (various combinations of bus/train/ferry/air) to be an excellent option. I spent three wonderful weeks in NZ and plan on going back.

This was my second stay in Christchurch so I spent most of the time for a side trip to Dunedin. Joined local tours to see the Castle and widelifes and it definitely worth the money hiring the guides instead of going on your own. The tour guides were very knowledgeable and professional. Visited the Cadbury Chocolate Factory as well and like the ambience a lot.

Excellent location close to the Aotea Centre (3 mins walk) Town Hall (directly across the road) Sky Tower (5 minutes walk) and a whole range of good restaurants. About a 15 to 20 minute walk down Queen Street to the Viaduct Waterfront complex and the harbour ferries.

We ate in a restaurant called Dolce Vitae, 10 minute walk from Hotel - lovely Italian Restaurant - good food and wine. We took the Harbour Cruise - good way to see the City.

Queenstown is all about adventure. Hiking, Bungee jumping, sky diving, jet boats in the canyons, cruises, etc.... Great place for the adrenaline junkie! No visit to Queenstown is complete without a trip to the Kurawru River bridge. I did the bungee from there even though I''m terrified of heights. It is just one of those things I had to do! Am I sorry I did it?? Never! Will I do it again? Not likely! Also, take a day and at least hop on a coach and take the cruise on Milford sound. That trip is well worth it and VERY beautiful. The next time I visit Queenstown, I''ll do more of the hikes and try to plan in advance to do the big hike to Milford!

Food Tony’s Steakhouse has good food. We would eat there again. Lots of food for the money and excellent management! New wait staff person brought dish with beans though we asked for No Beans. Dish was removed, a new one brought immediately and no charge for the new one. Only downside.... No cocktails.<br> <br> Power If you are traveling New Zealand from the US or Japan, you need a convertor for the power plugs. Borrow one from the hotel or purchase it in Auckland on Queen street near one of the Backpacker places. They''re on $2.50 NZD there. They''re $15-40 elsewhere in New Zealand and Australia!<br> <br> Things to do We just used Auckland as a starting point. I suppose there are things to see in just Auckland. The SkyTower is the highest point in the Southern Hemisphere. They have a tethered climb to the top of it you can do. A.J. Hackett has a bungy site on the Auckland Bridge. We drove up to the Bay of Islands area. Make sure you go early. From there you can swim with dolphins, whale watch, fishing, cruises, parasailing, etc. Cool place! Go early or stay overnight!<br> <br> Driving Just need a driver''s license from somewhere! We have Japan and U.S. driver''s licenses and either would have worked. The driving is on the left and roads are narrow and winding with high speed limits compared to Japan. 100 km/h on most roads. Still it takes forever to get anywhere in the North; not so much on the south island.

Downtown Christchurch ranks among the most interesting of New Zealand areas. It is very English (more English than England as they say), clean, friendly, and with good food and reasonable prices. If you stay at the Y, then foot travel is all you need.

We walked round Christchurch for the most part, taking the bus to go to the gondola. Enjoyed visiting the Cathedral for "evensong" one night. Had an excellent buffet dinner at "The Cabbage Tree".

The hotel was a minute''s walk into a great restaurant/shopping district. There were numerous cafes and restaurants with reasonable prices and great food, and lots of souvenir shops. If you have a car there are numerous spots to travel to on your own for day trips, including the Waitomo Caves. There were also lots of agencies available to contract tours through, and the hotel was also a great source of information. The Polynesian Spa was the best-pools of various temperatures to soak in that are right on the lake, and wonderful massages. Great place. I''d stay there again!

Don''t stay too long in Queenstown, it''s not a good reflection on NZ, very expensive, even the locals don''t shop there, Wanaka is just down the road and a lot nicer. If you like empty beaches Able Tasmin is the place to go, Coromandel in the North is also very beautiful with excelent beaches. If you want to find out the history of NZ Rotorua is the place.

It pays to check the internet for tours. A friend got his tour finalized before he arrived Auckland and he got the tour for half the price I paid for. I booked mine in the hotel desk. Although the tour was indeed enjoyable and interesting also professional. I sure wish I MADE my investigations in the internet. I suggest asia-hotels.com could hook up with tour operators so we can book tours thru you as well.

If you like Irish pubs, don''t miss Molly Malones/The Dubliner. The staff is very friendly and the food is outstanding, especially on those cold Wellington days. Te Papa couldn''t be any closer, and it''s well worth the visit. Wellington is a beautiful harbor-city and worth a visit, but if you''re on your way to South Island, don''t spend too much time here.

Kaikoura is a developing town and facilities for visitors are growing. It is a very small town but there are enough restaurants to satisfy every taste. The pub opening times are unpredictable in NZ they tend to determine whether to open or not by how many people are in the bar, recommend if you like a drink to purchase some from the supermarket just in case the pubs are shut when you get thirsty. The best way to get around is by car. You must go and see the whales by boat cost was $110 in Nov2003. It can get rough at sea. Erco`s is a real nice pub with its nick name, has a seafaring look as decor from the outside but is on the seafront road. Good food there, and a live band sometimes who are quite good, not too loud.

Tassman National Park is a great place to visit from this B&B.

Wonderful location, Sally Restaurant was very good.

We drove from the Caves area to Rotorua and stayed the first night at the Four Canoes Hotel. This was a most misrepresented accommodation so we spent only the one night and stayed for 2 more nights at the Lake Plaza. A very nice place and most convenient to the nearby spa. On to Auckland and great accommodations at the Crown Plaza - great food. A local Auckland city tour - excellent. On to Pahaia and would recommend the Copthorne Hotel - good food and well located so as to tour the area. Then back to Auckland and home.

TransAlpine Express from Christchurch to Greymouth was wonderful, also a day''s trip by small bus to the glaciers, except it cost $180 per person and we had to buy our own lunch. If we''d known the road to the glaciers wasn''t covered with snow, we''d have hired a car cheaper and driven ourselves. We hired a car from ABC(A Better Car) Rentals, 31 Moorhouse Ave, Christchurch for only $35 per day for a Toyota Tercel which managed the trip to Dunedin and return with no problems. They picked us up from the Hotel to take us to get the car and drove us back when we returned the car 6 days later.<BR> <BR> The Antarctic Centre right next to Christchurch airport is a definite place to see - the section where you experience the cold Antarctic winds only opened a month ago. We were speaking to a lady who was going to the real Antarctic for the 4th time and she said the centre is a very good replica of what it''s really like, so you can''t get a better recommendation than that!

There is a great coffee house up the road a few metres that was brilliant for late night lattes and cakes, we also had a main meal there and it was brilliant also for $NZ15. We did the ride on the gondola/chair lift to the mountain peak, was foggy and no real views that day, make sure you go on a clear day! We also found a flyer in the YMCA for horse riding tours. We booked on their 24hr hotline and they picked up and dropped off for $NZ50 each, consisting of a 1hr ride and brief lesson, we had never ridden horses before and found it to be excellent for the beginner. We visited Christchuch in August and found it to be cold and you need a good jacket and thermal underwear. Around the gift stores as you will notice there are huge differences in prices from store to store, we held out buying clip on kiwis and found them for $10.80 at a smaller store compared to $22 at larger stores.

Skiing options are within 45 minutes. We also booked a trip to Fiordland National Park from the hotel which was highlight of our month holiday!

Auckland is a great city. Need to go to Mt. Victoria for great view.

Auckland is a great city to visit, with countless sights and attractions. Like all of New Zealand, the city had made a real effort for tourists, so that most attractions are easy to get to and worth the admission. The only big downside about Auckland is its traffic - if you''re a beginner to left-hand driving, Auckland''s nightmarish streets and freeways are not the places to learn! Consider renting a car at the airport instead of driving around Central Auckland so that you can escape easier. I walked to most places in Central Auckland, as they are generally quite close together, including Parnell and the Auckland Museum in the Domain. Ponsonby for late night dining or partying is a short cab ride away from the centre. Devonport on the north shore, well worth a visit, can be reached by a short ferry ride from Quay Street. As for driving a car in Auckland, see the warning above. You''re probably better off using the local transit or taking an organised tour to more far-flung sights. Two of my favourite sights in Auckland, both free, are the Saturday market in the suburb of Otara and Karangahape Road. Both will give you a fascinating insight into the Polynesian influence in Auckland.

We took a tour to Rotoroa, viewed the mud pool, sheep farming, etc. Interesting trip though a little bit tired (12 hours, one day trip). We flew to Christchurch and went for an Akaroa tour, saw the smallest penguins. Cold out there. We saw the beautiful mountains covered by white snow. All in all, a beautiful country. The taxi in Auckland is really charging a rather high fare. The jumping meter really scared me, partly because of the traffic jam, it took us about 20 minutes (NZD$12) from Qantas Office at Queen''s Street to Sheraton (walking distance could be 10 minutes). That was the only time we took a taxi. The bus service to Botanic Down Centre was excellent. We got to view the city. In conclusion, a good trip to NZ.

The Auckland Museum (or War Memorial Museum) is an excellent museum, approximately 20-minute hike from the Carlton. Extensive Maori collection. Be sure to attend the Maori concert held at 11am & 1:30pm. Queen St. is the major street with lots stores & restaurants.

I was only in Auckland for a short stop over of two days. The first day I took a walking tour of Auckland and found the Sky Tower to be a great help in locating the many other points of interest and it helped to get a better prospective of the city. I took a one day tour up to the Bay of Islands and even though there were only two of us going on the tour it was not canceled or rescheduled. I booked the tour at the suggestion of the bell captain. The whole day was one ongoing event after another. The tour included the approx 4 hour bus trip up the coast, lunch, tour attractions, and a boat trip out to the different islands and then back. The bus was waiting for us and then it was back to the hotel. It was all first rate and well worth the time and money.

Beautiful, low-key city to begin a tour of south island; don''t miss new Christchurch Art Gallery--stunning architecture, friendly staff, and a fine, varied collection; the Arts Centre nearby combines working studios of craftspeople and artists along with shops, cafes, and restaurants amid the rambling stone towers and courtyards of the (relocated) U of Canterbury(1874); had a thumping good sandwich platter(huge portions) at The Bog on Cashel St, along with delish pumpkin soup & some trad fiddle pickin--a great comfy pub!

The Angkor restaurant on Dixon street is awesome, would recommend dining there (Cambodian cuisine). The Novotel is in a good location to the main shopping area Lambton Quay and Willis St and an easy 10-15 min walk to the restaurants and night clubs, taxi''s are reasonably priced and are easy enough to get. The Westpac Trust sports stadium is also within easy walking distance as is Parliament.

Auckland has maintained wonderful flora and funa, there natural environment is best and city is ok.

That place is wonderful and I think that everybody must be travel to there.

A most delightful city with so much to do and see but I had very little time in doing it. City and country is vast. This can cause problems if one is not aware of the time taken to travel from one place to another.

Dux de Lux was a very good restaurant and the Coffee house was excellent for breakfast and snacks, I recommend the pancakes!!

Restaurants recommended: Thai Chili & Angus (steak house) both on Albert Street.

Hotel restaurant was fine.

Auckland...lots to do...bustling city but still harbour, outdoor lifestyle. Recommend the Sky Tower, Kelly Tartons, multiplex cinema and entertainment centre, excellent, Victoria Street market. Public transport good but Sky Tower etc within walking distance. Would recommend car hire to really get most from area. Beautiful countryside 30 mins drive away. Rainbow''s End theme park etc for kids.

New World shopping centre in town has a cold St Pierre''s sushi counter. The trip on the number 28 bus out to the Gondilar is a good day out.

Fantastic views from lake facing rooms.

Auckland is full of Japanese, Korean and Chinese people and foods! It is very cheap compared to London and found very fresh good foods everywhere!

The airbus was great to travel between the city and the airport. A sailing trip is a must. I did mine with Pride of Auckland. The area looks lovely even from the sea.

Very central location for strolling around Christchurch.

I recommend restaurant is Angus Steak House.

Unfortunately only had an overnight stay, but did go for a morning walk around Cathedral square.

Would recommend going to the Bay of Islands and south. The gysers and more. Tour company well organized. Both are long days but wonderful

I booked my flight from Auckland to Wellington while I was in Auckland. There were cheap flights on offer in the newspaper. It was cheaper than going by train as I had first planned to do.

Viaduct Harbour, a place to visit.

Central location, handy to transport, cafes, shopping, events centres. You can walk to all these places as the hotel is on the main street.

Te Papa Museum is excellent and I especially enjoyed the Lord of the Rings exhibit. Zibibbo offered great drinks and a friendly bartender (Kylie--a man). Great town to visit for a night or two.

Auckland is a beautiful city. We were able to walk to just about everyting. We rented a car one day and drove around the peninsula - beautiful!!

Queenstown and Milford sound are great! Don''t spend to much time in Christchurch! To much to see in the south!

We thought Auckland is one of the worst places in New Zealand, but maybe it was due to the (rainy) weather.

Enjoyed Aukland. Although we only spend 1 night there. We loved NZ in general...it was beautiful.

Recommended restaurants in AKL are the Sakura, a Japanese Restaurant inside Carlton Hotel and the Cin Cin on Quay Street.

Auckland is a beautiful city with lots happening, especially around the waterfront area.

We had a car, but the staff were very helpful with directions, recommendations, etc.

Tauranga, mount Manganoui, great place to start our New Zealand experience.

Everybody should go the the Albatrosses and the Yellow-Eyed Penguins on Taiaroa Head.

Seemingly addicted to the Americas Cup, the new harbour is the centre of nightlife. Auckland has a wide range of designer shops. Internet cafes are easy to find and are cheap. Visit Rotorua, you can do it in a day, but stay overnight and take advantage of the natural spring and mud baths.

Christchurch is fantastic! They are extremely tourist-oriented. Lots of credit go to the Information centre. We can book almost anything, everything under the sun/moon! It is just so convenient for free and easy tour. <BR><BR> The weather is cool and I like it a lot. Except the weather wasn''t suitable for us to take the hot-air balloon. Imagine our flight was cancelled three times!! How disappointed we were but at the same time we were glad the operator put SAFETY as the very first priority to us! Thanks for that!

Spend maybe a day or two in Christchurch, then head over to Queenstown. It''s a short 45-minute flight. Queenstown is more beautiful with many more things to do, especially for the adventurous.

I never have time to anything much in Auckland except work and business dinners. I can highly recommend Meccano Restaurant. I would suggest travellers are aware of the difference in the street cabs and the corporate cabs and always use the cab company suggested by the hotel.

Auckland is nice city. Tony''s restaurant deserves a recommendation, friendly staff good food.

Nice city, clean and safe.

I think that the following is a point worth making: This was my first time to visit New Zealand (I live in Florida, USA). I absolutely was not looking for a big city environment, and had no idea that was what I would get when I went to Auckland (I had limited time planning for this trip). I took a couple of the ferries leading to some of the nearby islands for the purposes of hiking/getting away from the city. I got around by walking (everything that I was interested in doing was located nearby). The one restaurant that I would recommend is the one located on top of the tower (this is a rotating restaurant that gives excellent views of the city). Anyhow, I wound up leaving Auckland on the 10th or the 11th, to go to other places further south on the North Island. I really wish that the other accommodations that I had were as impressive as the Carlton.

In Auckland take the time to catch the ferry to Waiheke island (30 mins). When there, hire a car very cheaply for as little as an hour. Avery beautiful place with lots of sandy bays. Another must is the Auckland museum. Very interesting and demonstrations of Maori dancing songs and war rituals. If you like food on the go, sample a kebab from Kebabs on Queens on Queen street.

Auckland is a beautiful big city, but it tends to shut down pretty early in the evening (in the CBD anyway).

Hotel is in the heart of downtown Auckland, New Zealand with easy walking access to the Sky Tower and downtown shopping. Bush and Beach tour was marvelous, if you go on the Bay of Islands tour, be sure to do the Cape Brett portion or you will really miss out on the full experience. The buffet in the Sky Tower was great - lots of food choices, reasonably priced. Good bus service available to major tourist sights, including the museum.

Used a car but had the hotel been closer to buses, would have used them more frequently than I did. Most dramatic city and not for those who are unfit physically.

I recommend the buffe restaurant in SKYCITY.

Rotorua is a great location at any time of the year, and is one of the best Holiday destinations in New Zealand.

Recommend tour to Antarctic Centre and Willowbank. Gondola ride and evening meal a must for sights over the city. Everyone we met in Christchurch was friendly and helpful, especially the ''characters'' on the city trams.

Christchurch is a great place to base a New South Island holiday!

Fantastic restaurant/cafe - Capers. (only for breakfast/brunch/lunch) Walk in Redwood Forest worth doing.

You must go to Prego on Ponsamby if you like Itarian. (Pls check the spell of the street) One of the best in the town as far as I can find. You definitely need the reservation. It was Tuesday my wife and I went but it was full at the time of 7:00pm. Another famous italian I forgot the name was burnt down last year.

All pick ups were done at hotel for conducted bus tours. Places like Rotorua, Waitomo caves, Waihiki islands and the local sight seeing are must for every tourists. Arrangements are excellannt for such tours.

Auckland was a nice city, but after going to Christchurch, I''d go south if I return to NZ again.

If you take the Hotel Bus from the Auckland Aiport, take in mind that the Hyatt is the last hotel of the itinerary and you can stay on the bus 50/60 minutes before to reach the hotel. The only other option is the taxi.

I am only ever in Auckland on business so do not get to see much of the city. The hotel was prompt and efficient in organinsing taxis for me to get to my appointments.

New Zealand is a beautiful country with lots to see and do. North Island: In Auckland, one restaurants that we ate at, the Sea Mart, was, in our estimate, grossly over-rated. We would not recommend it. We would recommend taking a bus-tour of Auckland, and visiting the AA office (but take along your AAA or CAA card)--lots of free maps, brochures and accommodations guides. Eat at Fat Dog Cafe in Rotorua. Go on a whale watch in Kaikoura. South Island: Visit a winery. Drive up to Mt. Cook to the Hermitage Hotel; sit in the lounge and enjoy a glass of wine while watching the sun set behind beautiful Mt. Cook. <br><br>Even if you don''t bungy jump, do stop at one of the sites and watch the crazies; its wild. Take a jet-boat ride with Shotover Jet in Queenstown. Go through the underground power station on the west shore of Lake Manapouri, then take a cruise through Doubtful Sound. Highly recommended is the Punakaiki Rocks Hotel in Punakaiki, on the west coast, right on the Tasman Sea; while you''re there, see the pancake rocks and blowholes...very worth-while. Take bug spray for your walking tours. Stop at Fox Glacier and Franz Joseph Glaciers.<br><br> Also, if you get lost, have questions or problems, don''t hesitate to ask the kiwis; they are very friendly and helpful, and just plain nice people. Try all the different kinds of food (and forget your diet).

When on a 1/2 day tour of Auckland booked at hotel was very interesting and informative tour. Hotel also arraanged a cab for us to go to dinner the cab fare was three times more than the return cab. $15+ vs $5 We told hotel desk they said it was the cab company they use. I would recommend calling your own cab.

We were en route to Auckland - as we did not know that the hotel had its own ''hangi'' evening, we had already booked elsewhere. This info with the booking details would have been useful. Loved the area - great atmosphere - recommend the Spa baths with thermal springs ..

We enjoyed riding the gondola to the top and walking down as well as the cruise to observe the Hector Dolphins. The Art Centre was wonderful.

Wellington. Te papa museum is worth a visit. Lots of good entertainment during the festival.

Go ocean rafting if you can. Great fun! I would go to the zoo over underwater world. Get a day pass on the explorer bus where you can get on and off all day, it goes to the main 14 big sites in Auckland.

Wellington is a great walking city.

I stayed only one day in Auckland so didn''t get the chance to take a tour. I guess the information desk at the lobby is very helpful. Regarding the restaurant, it looks classy and offer interesting menu, which i regret not going there to taste.

Didn''t spend much time but the city was very attractive. The streets were well laid out and it was easy to get around. Obviously well serviced with diverse restaurants and night-life.

it is conveniently located and within walking distance to restaurants, bars and shops.

We thought Christchurch to be small but pretty - a good gateway for a tour around the South Island but probably not in itself worthy of more than a couple of days looking around.

Christchurch is small and beautiful place. We want to visit there again in near future.

Queenstown is small but very interesting town for us. We really enjoyed and We want to come back there again.

Very quite town with lots of historic buildings to look at. We drove around the town and found a nice Thai restaurant at Dee St. providing delicious meals.

What more can you say when the hotel is well located on a hill within walking distance to CBD and other shopping centres. A fantastic and relaxing mood to take a walk down to the town from the hotel.

Nice town with a reaturant near the church at the big square that serves exellent breakfasts. (forgot the name of the place)

With vehicle all sites were easily accessible.

All attractions easily reached by car.

Walked and took cabs to various tourist sites and restaurants.

National park of tongarilo by train from Auckland. One night stay at the national park was so easy from Auckland.

As an Aucklander I would love to promote our city. It has a wonderful waterfront, The Viaduct, famous for ''The America''s Cup''. Wonderful volcanoes, that enable people to get an amazing view of Auckland and it''s environs. There are ferry rides to many of Auckland''s islands in the Hauraki Gulf. Vineyards to visit on Waiheke Island, and the West of Auckland. Beaches everywhere, the west coast beaches are amazing for their sheer rugged beauty and their surf, especially Piha. The bush walks of the Waitakeres in the west and the Hunua''s in the south east. The restaurants dotted all over Auckland. Mikano is especially wonderful, it overlooks the harbour, the port and the Police helicopter, ''The Eagle'' has it''s heliport right outside and it can make for interesting dining! Try the seafood at most of the restaurants and you will be amazed. Public transport is a hassle, but the Council is trying to do something about that. Taxis are rather expensive, however with the value of the NZ dollar, tourists probably think everything is cheap! On a sunny day Auckland is stunning. To sample Kiwi life, go afield to the suburbs, Westfield St Lukes is a small mall in the heart of Mt Albert, not far from the city, but it is a lovely place to see local and international shops, and you can have a nice coffee at the Muffn Break. Parnell is a neat place to shop for exclusive boutique goods. The Phillip''s Aquatic Centre in Mt Albert is an amazing place to take the kids, warm swimming pools and a hydroslide, popular with the locals. Try and catch a game of rugby at Eden Park, a great venue, full of good old kiwi ''jokers''. Go to the Zoo we have 4 new baby lion cubs, it is leading the way in making zoos a nice place to be for the animals, enclosures are changing. The Auckland Musuem is an amazing place, there is a place just for children ''Wild and Wonderful'', hands on exhibits, kids love it. There is also an amzing Maori exhibition that has live entertainment. GO!! But what I recommend the most is give Auckland a go, stay there not just for the obigatory one night before you go to Rotorua or the South Island, Auckland has a lot to offer. A very cosmopoiltan city, a third of the population live here, and we are the largerst Pacific Island City, come,enjoy our vast cultures.

West Auckland was very easy by one hour drive from downtown Auckland. We enjoyed calm and beautiful views in such near place to Big City.

What can I say, New Zealand the land flowing with milk and honey. Most courteous and friendly people on planet earth.

Auckland is a nice city. Places to visit include Kelly Tarlton''s Underwater world near St. Helier and the new Sky Needle where you get a great view of the city from the Southern Hemisphere''s tallest tower.

Auckland is a great place to wander around aimlessly. From the Hyatt, you can head downhill to Queen Street and from there to the water front or uphill to the tower that looms mightily over the cityscape. The trip up the tower is well worth the admission price as is the "reverse-bungy-jumping" rig they have nearby the tower.<br><br> I''d advise anyone that visits Auckland (who''s home currency is tied to the US Dollar) to bring along some spare money to take advantage of the exchange rate (now NZ2.40 per USD1.00). I found excellent deals in most shops and restaurants. For example, I found a great deal from a VERY helpful shop attendant on a computer case that was about 30% cheaper than the exact same item in Malaysia and about 50% cheaper than the prices sought by the thieves that sell such goods in Hong Kong.<br><br> Wow, what can I say....Auckland is a great place that makes money-spending tourists feel like their business is greatly appreciated! Not once did I feel that shop-keepers were trying to cheat me, short-change me or take advantage of me. Quite the contrary really, they (incredibly) went out of their way to (gulp) EARN MY BUSINESS! Can you imagine, a place where the local business-people try hard to give you as MUCH as possible for your hard-earned tourist dollars instead of trying all the pathetic Asian shop-keeper tricks to give you as LITTLE as possible?<br><br> In my particular case, I was in the Queen Street area at about 3 pm on a Saturday...normally past the close of business hours. I saw an Optometrist''s office that was already closed, but decided to inquire about an appointment for the following Monday. To my surprise, the Optometrist herself answered the door and took the good time to explain their services and make a booking for the few hours I had available on Monday morning. The service at the office was great, the Optometrist spent more than an hour checking my eyes, doing all the important tests and working out a rather complicated multifocal prescription. I was so impressed, I also ordered my glasses and arranged for shipment to my home in Kuala Lumpur......much to the disadvantage of the Malaysian opticians that have repeatedly tried to rip me off in the past.<br><br> To these fine folks I say "THANKS, I''LL BRING LOTS OF CASH NEXT TIME I VISIT".

The tram is near the Arts Centre which makes it easy to go to the city. But it ends at 7pm. I would request for bus service. The free shutter bus does not cover the area near to YMCA, I had a difficult time to walking all the way from city carrying a bottle of 3L orange juice!

If you are visiting the city 1 day is enough. Is a beautifull city but with few things to do.

The location of the hotel is also good as many areas of the city are within walking distance. Shopping, restaurants, waterfront, the casino are all within walking distance. We enjoyed the restaurants at the waterfront area.

Ideally located on the edge of the center square, we could walk to most of the downtown sites. The Royal Botanical Gardens are also within a very short walk. We took a 3 hour van tour of the Christchurch sites and this gave us a good overview. Also took the shuttle to the train station for our Trans Alpine train ride over Arthur's Pass to Greymouth.

Dragon Boat Chinese Restaurant at AKL is tasty. Boatshed Cafe at Nelson have good view.

The service in the restaurant were excellent in terms of response and attentative alertness. Great food and surroundings - heaps of smiles among the hospitality staff. Enjoy the prompt attention and action gestures.

Whitianga is a pretty town on the harbour plenty of harbour side resturants try the Fireplace and Popeyes especially for the fish, nearby Hahai is well worth a visit too great beach and a beautiful if a bit steep clifftop walk to catherderal cove-another lovely place. Also visit hot water beach at low tide but don't burn your feet-the hot water really is hot.

Roturua was a little disappointing a lot larger and less pretty than we expected. Lots of excellent places to eat. I would reccomend the woodfired pizzas at La Vega Resturant near the lake. Goverment gardens were pretty and well kept but orchid house cafe was closed.

Harborside Seafood Restaurant and Bar is the place you must go when you go to Auckland and I would recommend to have oyster and seafood platter for two persons.

To have a car in New Zealand is neccessary for travel.

NZ is good value at present because of the weakness of the NZ dollar.

Rotorua is fascinating. I would imagine it is a must when visiting Central North Island.

Wellington is a great city to walk around, but cold and wet and raining and very windy in the off season.

Hotel is located in the university region.

Auckland is very British. The harbour is best appreciated from the water and so a cruise is essential. The trip to the Volcanic Island is recommended and the Sky Tower is good value for the entrance fee.

Christchurch is not worth a detour. Very dull little down. Perhaps it is better in summer.

Town is interesting. The Maori dinner show where you are bussed out of town is a nightmare.

Auckland is a great city, but don´t go and have dinner at Sky city tower, it´s disgusting. Nice walks around Mission Bay !!!!

Not a normal tourist destination but pleasant and with reasonable shops and restaurants.