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Thread: South Island holiday accommodation for 5 people

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Location
    Cheshire
    Posts
    150

    Default South Island holiday accommodation for 5 people

    We have a reccie trip booked from mid-August to mid-September. There are 5 of us - 2 adults and 3 kids. Just looking for suggestions on how best we sort out accommodation. Hotels seem to cater for up to 4 people in a room...assume motels can cater for more. Is it still too cold for a campervan?
    The plan is mainly to cover Christchurch, Queenstown, Bleinheim, few days in Wellie. Any suggestions?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    Kaiapoi, Canterbury.
    Posts
    258

    Default

    have a look at
    bookabach.co.nz
    and holidayhomes.co.nz

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    Nrth Wellington from Tadley UK
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    1,605

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    Have you looked at the Top10 website, they do cabins, we stayed in a 2 bedroom that have pull outs in the lounge & are clean & have parks & sometimes swimming pools on site
    www.top10.co.nz

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Location
    North Canterbury to UK
    Posts
    2,755

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    I'd say camper van too cold.

    When we came on Honeymoon in early Dec we just winged it in motels and found them very well appointed and you'd be able to fit 5 in easy. Also by not booking you're very flexible.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    UK - North Shore, Akld - UK
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    455

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    Most motels will have a family suite or two (usually with two bedrooms) that can accommodate a family of five. I'd agree with benandclare not to make too many advance bookings as you will be travelling during NZ school term time so it won't be too busy. Try the web site wotif.com for deals on motels closer to the time.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    UK-> Wellington -> Auckland
    Posts
    89

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    We did a recce last year and prebooked accommodation through bookabach (in many different locations) and found that they only accepted bank transfer for payment, hence we ended up paying bank charges on top.

    However, the trip didn't go as planned because the areas of NZ we thought we'd love weren't quite what we were expecting, but places we'd merely travelled through were more 'us'. Just goes to show that it doesn't matter how much research you do, nothing can beat being there and experiencing it for yourself!

    Anyhow, this meant we'd booked/paid for bachs in totally the wrong areas but rather than stay put just because we'd paid, we jacked the idea in and took a road trip instead, staying at motels etc (the different bach owners were great though and said we can stay there another time rent free if we want, plus one has even invited us sailing to Fiji to make up for our lost money....aaah....one day!)

    On the road trip we found accommodation easy to come by and were pleasantly surprised at the quality available (though we did stay in a couple of bum places, but that could happen anywhere). The main thing is that we found it a really sociable way to move around and were even offered a fantastic apartment to stay in by some kiwis we'd met, at a much reduced rate (compared to the motels) - we loved it there so much we stayed for our last full week and chilled.

    On the road trip the only place we booked ahead was when staying in ChCh (2 nights before flight home) and we checked out reviews on http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/
    Funny thing happened though, when we were checking in the guy asked why we decided on his motel and when we mentioned tripadvisor he bumped us up from 2 'rooms' to 2 'suites' - which was lovely! I'm not sure smaller motels would have heard or cared about tripadvisor reviews but he certainly did.....and I left a great one for him

    Hopefully our experience will help your decision.....and we were travelling with teenagers too - they've now decided that road trips are 'awesome!' (probably 'cos someone else was paying )

  7. #7
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    Wellington
    Posts
    1,870

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    Book a camper van and park up at friends' houses That's what a couple did on this site last year and they are very much our welcome friends whenever they want

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Location
    Cheshire
    Posts
    150

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    Thanks for all of your replies. We are going down the motel route. We have booked a motel in Christchurch for our first five days (to let us recover from jet lag) and after that we are just going to book as we go.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    UK-> Wellington -> Auckland
    Posts
    89

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    Hope you have a lovely time, I'm sure you will

  10. #10
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Location
    Celaya, Mexico
    Posts
    368

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    Quote Originally Posted by norma View Post
    Try the web site wotif.com for deals on motels closer to the time.
    We got excellent hotel rates from Wotif, some excellent 4 * places at lower rates than some motels were advertising (we travelled late August too). Was good to have warm rooms and very clean, dry sheets with the chill mornings and evenings. (ex-cheshire too)

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