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Like mellow places around the world, you'll find plenty of comfortable bed-and-breakfasts and stylish motels, but both Coromandel and Bay of Plenty also have a sprinkling of luxe boutique lodges tucked away in the forest or along coastal coves. In peak season, from October through March, advance booking is essential across the board and many of the better places have long-term customers who book as much as a year in advance.
Whether you choose a luxury villa, cottage, self-catering motel room, cabin, or powered campervan site, you can enjoy the amazing facilities at this park, which include a large swimming pool, barbecues with indoor/outdoor dining, laundry, and fish- and boat-cleaning facilities for fishers. Holiday programs like peninsula bike tours and a summer kids' club are also offered by the friendly hosts. Camping rates begin at NZ$22 for basic tent sites without electricity.
These six independent units set amid a hillside garden overlooking the sea offer a relaxing ambience and great sunsets. All units are fully self-contained and individually designed, ranging from doubles (some with an upstairs bedroom) to sleeping four (one double and two singles). Guest treats include a swimming pool, hot tub, barbecue, garden dell, and children's play area, plus energetic, friendly hosts.
This resort complex offers much more than you would typically expect from a holiday park; it has the widest range of accommodations in the area, and they're all on the beach, about a 10-minute drive from the Mount Maunganui crowds. Choose from camping and campervan sites, cabins with shared bathrooms and kitchen, self-contained holiday units, or sleek beachfront villas just feet from the dunes. The resort is popular in peak summer holiday season (Christmas to end of January), so it's better to come another time of the year; the climate is always mild and nothing beats a good walk on the beach in winter, plus the pool is heated.
