11 Best Hotels in Coromandel and the Bay of Plenty, New Zealand

It's quite a drive to get here, but there are not many places where you can stay in simple, understated luxury and hear kiwi calls at night. The lodge units are beautifully designed with recycled woods and insulated with recycled wool. All are fully self-contained, with floor-to-ceiling windows for the forest views. There's plenty to do here, including walking up the forest stream to a natural swimming hole, and watching the birdlife from your veranda. The café/restaurant serves wholesome local food and is open most days and summer evenings, but it's best to check ahead.

A friendly, family-run business offers appealing cabins, motel units, and campervan and tent sites nestled off the main road at Amodeo Bay. The beach is just over the road, and it's a fisherman's paradise. There’s a guest barbecue area, plus a swimming pool, trampoline, children's play area, game room, and boat and fish-cleaning facilities. If you don't have your own boat you can take a four-hour fishing trip charter (NZ$180 per person, minimum three people). Bush walks, a creek, and a lagoon for safe swimming are all right here. The motel is 7 km (4½ miles) south of Colville.

Set amid gardens and native bush and connected by winding paths are these character-filled studios and cottages. Each is decorated with stained glass and arched windows and come with a little porch overlooking the gardens. Some have wood fires, and all are built with recycled timber in keeping with the style of the adjacent Church Bistro restaurant. There's a mix of studios, self-contained cottages with kitchenettes and a separate bedroom, and a three-bedroom house in a separate, private setting. A communal lounge has a television and indoor/outdoor BBQ area.

Dating from 1903, the Edwardian-style building that now houses this stylish, luxurious hotel was originally the local post office, behind whose grand facade (check out the French antique tiles that line the roof) lie some of the city's most luxurious lodgings. Accommodations include Queen Deluxe, King Executive, and King Premiere rooms, the main differentiating feature being their size. The hotel is just on the edge of town, about a five-minute walk to the shops and restaurants as well as being handy to the waterfront.

Set amid 3 acres of gardens, with native bushwalks to the rear of the property and the Thames coast just across the road, this is a spacious, scenic spot to stay as you enter Coromandel. Accommodations include A-framed chalets, plus fully accessible units, family rooms, and budget cottages. Some units are elevated with sea views, great for watching sunsets and migratory seabirds. There's free Wi-Fi throughout.

This hillside hideaway, managed by the international Accor hotel chain, is nestled in native bushland near Pauanui Beach. Timber chalets are furnished with a designer's flair. Sliding glass doors lead to a balcony perched among the treetops. Miha Restaurant, with its elegant interior or casual alfresco spaces, describes its menu as Pacific Rim with a modern European twist. Guest facilities include a swimming pool, hot tub, gym, and tennis court. They have bikes for rent and there's an international 18-hole golf course down the road.

This luxurious hotel in central Tauranga has earth-tone guest rooms that look out either over the city or the harbor. In terms of design and attitude, it’s a groovy little place with big-city character. In winter, you'll be greeted with a cozy fire in the foyer. Fresh continental or cooked breakfasts can be delivered to your room.

With a grand Pacific-style portico, this resort property on the main street in Tairua looks like a tropical island getaway. It contains a cluster of island-style chalets connected by a white shell path, some of them overlooking the Tairua Inlet. The units are spacious and quiet, with fully equipped kitchens and the added bonus of parking outside your door. Furnishings are simple and comfortable, and all the touches expected in an upmarket hotel are present. One honeymoon suite has a king bed and private hot tub.

This lodge offers a range of accommodations (and prices) and is a four-minute walk from the beach. Each self-catering unit has its own BBQ. The backpacker-friendly Tatahi Cove has a large kitchen, two spacious lounges, landscaped BBQ area, and six private rooms with shared bathrooms. More private options include two-bedrooms apartments, a studio, and a cottage. The property is hidden away in park-like surroundings yet is close to the town center. It is a four-minute walk to Hahei Beach. Beach towels are complimentary.

Perched over the edge of Tauranga Harbour, this is one of the city’s higher-end hotels. There are several guest room categories (executive rooms to a three-bedroom penthouse), and the best have over water views. All of the bathrooms have bathtubs (unusual in this region) along with heated floors. Facilities also include an infinity swimming pool. With great water views the hotel's restaurant and bar are frequented by locals and guests alike for meals or cocktails. This is also a popular conference hotel, so book well ahead.