Where We Stayed: New Zealand Edition

When we travel, we're not really consistent in the type of lodging we stay in. We definitely make decisions based on what type of trip it is, location, price, etc! Sometimes it's Airbnb, sometimes it's a hotel, sometimes it's a friends spare bedroom or couch :)

I was recently asked about where we stayed in New Zealand. We rented a car and drove around, so we stayed in a bunch of different places.

A few things to note: 

• We stayed in a lot of "motels". Normally, I'd turn my nose up at a motel because that usually means super sketchy!!! But all the motels in NZ were really clean and beautiful, and I believe it means there are outdoor hallways, as opposed to indoor (which was really common).
• We didn't do any camping, but there are definitely options. It's not free camping (where you just pitch a tent anywhere) except a few spots on the South Island, but you can make a reservation at a lot of camp sites. 
• We did NOT rent any Airbnb's in New Zealand, and here's why: location. If we had stayed in Auckland (we crashed with Ashley, so no need for a rental), Queenstown or Christchurch, we probably would have  - but most of the places we stayed were kind of remote or just very small towns where there weren't options. 

Now - Onto the accommodation!

National Park/Tongariro Alpine Crossing (North Island)

Where we stayed: Discovery Lodge, National Park, NZ

How I would describe this lodging: Modest hotel, simple, clean, great location & price. We stayed in the motel bedroom, but they also offer fancier chalets or simpler camp grounds :) 

Why we stayed: It was one of the closest places we could get to the actual crossing. Plus, major bonus, they offered a shuttle service for the crossing (you do the hike one-way, so you need to be dropped off and picked up). We were able to keep our car at the hotel while we did the hike, and were picked up/dropped off directly to our door. It was easy and simple, especially since we were leaving at 5am.

Would I recommend it?: ABSOLUTELY! If you plan on doing the Alpine Crossing (which is New Zealand's best day hike for sure!!!), it's the best place to stay. 

Napier/Hawk's Bay (North Island)

Where we stayed: Shoreline Motel, Napier

How I would describe this lodging: Clean, very simple, balcony view.

Why we stayed: We wanted to check out all of the art deco charm Napier has to offer (seriously, it's gorgeous!). I loved the idea of this hotel because it had a balcony, which was lovely. Our other choice was the Art Deco Masonic Hotel, which was so charming, but sadly booked. I did love our little Shoreline experience. We got a bottle of wine on the way in and drank it on the balcony! A really nice way to unwind after a lonnnnng hike! We also considered staying at this winery, but we only had one night and left the next morning, so I wanted to see all of the beautiful Art Deco buildings Napier is known for.

Would I recommend it?: Absolutely. The price was very cheap (about $80/night) and I loved having the little balcony. It was walkable to a lot of great restaurants, and close to the main Art Deco strip. 

View from our balcony at the Shoreline

Abel Tazman National Park/Nelson (South Island)

Where we stayed: The Sails, Nelson

How I would describe this lodging: Absolutely gorgeous, modern, chic, lux, underpriced, balcony/court yard, mini kitchen.

Why we stayed: We tried to stay closer to Abel Tazman Nat'l Park (where we went sea kayaking), but the options were few and far between. I am so glad we stayed in Nelson! Not only was this "motel" (seriously, not a motel) so beautiful and relaxing, the town of Nelson itself was incredibly charming.

Would I recommend it?: It was one of my favorite hotels I've ever stayed in. We got a 1st floor courtyard instead of a balcony, which I was bummed about at first, but the courtyard is completely private, where the balcony can be seen from the road. This is a family run place, and they do an amazing job. Once again, bring yourself a bottle of vino for the patio. We stayed in the "studio suite" (which is their smallest), but it still had a mini kitchen, which was helpful for us having road trip food.

Franz Josef/Fox Glacier

Where we stayed: Franz Josef Oasis

How I would describe this lodging: Modern, chic, relaxing, great breakfast, in-room fire place.

Why we stayed: This place looked really nice, I'm not gonna lie. And the price was right. Franz Josef is a really small little town, so there's not a ton for options, and many were really run down. This is "out of town", but it's really not even a 5 minute drive, so we didn't care. It was way nicer than anything "in" town. 

Would I recommend it?: Definitely. The "motel" (once again, I wish motels were this nice) seemed pretty new to me, so everything is chic, white, and modern. There's a gas fire place in the room which was so cozy after hiking glaciers all day! They also did great food, which was a bonus, since there wasn't a ton to choose from in town. We did dinner room service once and the breakfast buffet (very European style buffet - breads, cheese, musili, eggs, coffee, fresh fruit, etc) twice and it was wonderful. We were sad to leave.

Milford Sound/Te Anu

Where we stayed: Distinction Te Anu Hotels & Villa, Lakefront Dr.

How I would describe this lodging: Hotel & villas, standard, good location, ocean view or garden view available.

Why we stayed: Our original plan was to stay IN Milford Sound (which is about 1.5hrs away), but all of the lodging (there isn't much) was booked up, as it was Easter weekend. In the end, it actually worked out well because we did a hike on our way out to Milford, and Te Anu definitely has more options for dinner, gas, and groceries. Milford is extremely remote, so it was nice to visit and have a place to go to dinner that evening.

Would I recommend it?: Yes, but I think you could find something a little better. We were limited because of the holiday weekend. We stayed in the garden villa, which was the most affordable, and was fine - just a little outdated. It was clean and worked. I did enjoy the rose gardens outside and the location in Te Anu, which was close to restaurants and the water (we took a few evening walks). However, I think there are nicer places for a similar price if you do some shopping. ALSO - we stayed in the Lakeshore Dr location, but there is one other Distinction Te Anu, which is cheaper but had awful reviews. Be advised.

There you have it, my review of hotels and motels to stay at in New Zealand! Do you have any favorite places you've stayed in NZ?
xo

New Zealand Travel Diary: Franz Josef Glacier and Fox Glacier

After our beautiful road trip down the coast, we found ourselves in a heavenly little hotel in a cute little town! We stayed at Franz Josef Oasis and absolutely loved it. Modern, but comfortable decor, good location to town (but kind of on the outskirts so its scenic!), and even had a fireplace in the room! What's not to love? (And worth mentioning, their little breakfast is one of the best you'll find in this small town, as well as their amazing espresso machine!)

Franz Josef Glacier

We started out to explore Franz Josef Glacier. As you can see in the middle of this photo, the glacier was pretty close to the car park. I would guess we walked for about a half hour. We wore technical gear, but it was short and mostly flat. The last 5 minutes are so are on an incline, but nothing treacherous. I wouldn't even call this a hike, to be honest. But it sure was pretty!

You walk along what seems like a slightly dried up riverbed (there's still a small river running through it) up to the glacier. While you can't get ON the glacier anymore without a helicopter tour (which are close to $300 per person!!!!!), you can get pretty close! We were about a football field away after that 30 minute walk. Amazing!

Aren't those blues and whites incredible? These photos aren't edited... it was just that pretty in real life. And most photos (at least the ones with us in them) are not zoomed so you can see it was pretty close!

The glacier was retreating from the 40's-the 80's, and then hit a massive growth spurt between 1984 and the early 2000's. Since 2011, it's retreated immensely again (see the photo in this link between 2001-2011, then compare to the photos I've posted). There are several theories, one of course being global warming. But many believe this glacier will hit another growth spurt again in 20 years or so. With it's history of growth & retreat, I am kind of on the growth spurt side of the argument! Also, they've protected it against everyone climbing on it, so that should help, too.

There are several theories, one of course being global warming. But many believe this glacier will hit another growth spurt again in 20 years or so. With it's history of growth & retreat, I am kind of on the growth spurt side of the argument! Also, they've protected it against everyone climbing on it, so that should help, too.

There were tons of natural waterfalls, too! These are just from the snow melting :) So fun.

Fox Glacier

We did the Chalet View walk to Fox Glacier. Unfortunately, it was a really cloudy day, but this lush, tropical hike made up for it! It actually rained pretty hard at one point (lifesaver = rain jacket), but it kind of made it more magical. 

While this hike was a little steeper, it was nothing compared to Tongariro. While I still don't think you need a guide for this AT ALL, you should definitely wear layers and the right shoes. 

This was our view.... a little anti-climactic in the rain....but pretty majestic nonetheless. It was raining so hard when I took this photo! You can get much closer to Franz Josef than you can to Fox, but if you're in the area, I'd say this was definitely worth the pretty hike!

A few tips on visiting Franz Josef and Fox Glaciers:

• If you have budgeted for the helicopter tour, and that's worth it to you - go for it. HOWEVER. Please note that we were told that heli's only fly about 40% of the time they're scheduled to go due to weather or foggy conditions. 
• Some will transfer you to only a walking tour (which you could do for free, see below), some will only partially reimburse you. Please read up before you commit (or perhaps wait until the day you get there to sign up!) And keep in mind they start around $300 per person, up to almost $500.
• If you are NOT going to do a helicopter tour, do your own tour. They offer "glacier walk" tours for $75 per person.... when you can do the same tour for FREE! There are some times it's worth having a guide, but this is literally a straight line from the parking lot to the huge glacier in front of you.. not hilly or hard, I think you can do it :)
• These tours will NOT gain you access to the ice, unless you are paying over $300 for a heli tour or heli hike, or glacier ICE tour, do not expect to step on this ice. Just keep that in mind. 
• Here is information on the free glacier valley walk for Franz Josef Glacier.
• Here is the information on getting to the free Chalet View walk for Fox Glacier.
• Here is information on all the walks in the region. If we had stayed longer, I definitely wold have done a few more! 
• Visit the iSite in Franz Josef township to get a map with all of the trails when you arrive. They can also let you know if any of the trails are closed, if helicopters are running, and what the weather is going to be that day. Helpful folks!

Up next is another little road trip and the infamous Milford Sound! Eek!

Let me know if you're planning a trip to the Glacier Country, I'd love to answer any questions you have!

xo

PS - just for a laugh.....

Matt and I climbed on a boulder (maybe 5-6ft high) to get a good photo of the glacier over the crowd. There's this majestic glacier in front of them, and these tourists were taking pictures of Matt taking a picture. I couldn't help but capture them right back. I guess life does imitate art ;)