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Accommodations range from super-expensive lodges to multistory hotels and budget motels. Bed-and-breakfast establishments—whether in town centers or in the depths of the countryside where you can succumb to the silence, curl up and read a book, or cast a fly in a quiet stream—are another excellent option.
Rotorua has lodgings in all price ranges. If you're willing to stay out of the town center, you can find bargain rates virtually year-round. In both Rotorua and Taupo, many hotels and motels give significant discounts on their standard rates off-season, from June through September. For stays during the school holidays in December and January, book well in advance. Also note that peak season in Tongariro National Park and other ski areas is winter (June–September); summer visitors can usually find empty beds and good deals. Many places, even the fanciest lodges, don't have air-conditioning, as the weather doesn't call for it.
Each bright, well-maintained unit here has an individual whirlpool tub, which helps distinguish Ashleigh Court from the many motels on Fenton Street. It's near Whakarewarewa and the golf course, and not too far from city shops and restaurants.
This ornate timber hotel was built in 1897 on the Coromandel Peninsula; its large, wonderfully appointed guest rooms were transported here in 1920. The bathrooms have both tubs and showers. The restaurant has live shows weekend evenings, and there's a deck where you can pull up a chair and gaze across the street at the Government Gardens.
