How to Find Luxury Hotels in New Zealand

New Zealand is located in the southern hemisphere of the Pacific Ocean. The most popular time to visit New Zealand is during the months of December to February, as those are the warmest months of the year. New Zealand is also a popular tourist destination during January as they are located immediately west of the International Date Line and are among the first to welcome the new year. Read on to learn how to find luxury accommodations in New Zealand.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Passport
• Computer with Internet access

Find Luxury Accommodations

1. Stay at the five-star Langham Hotel in Auckland for a luxurious experience. Amenities include celebrated restaurants, a heated pool and a fitness center. Reserve through the Web site or by calling 011 ([phone]. See the Resources section below for a link. Expect rates to be fairly expensive.
2. Arrive by helicopter on a private helicopter pad to an exclusive, luxury guesthouse on Okareka Lake. Situated on a peninsula, the area is ideal for fly fishing or relaxing in a small boat.
3. Bundle up and visit the Mt Earnslaw Glacier by helicopter while staying at a luxury lodge at Lake Wakatipu. Relax after your flight with a massage or a dip in a whirlpool.
4. Reserve rooms in a luxury lodge at Kauri Cliffs and spend your days on or under the water, and your nights dining in style in the lodge's gourmet restaurant.
5. Honeymoon in Wairarapa, New Zealand and experience the region's sprawling estates. Take a helicopter to the South Island and indulge in the Marlborough wine tour.
6. Travel to Rotorua, an amazing location with geysers, mud pools and hot springs--much like Yellowstone in the United States--to experience luxury accommodations built with environmentally sound materials. Rotorua is home to eco-friendly lodges that are dedicated to melding with the natural atmosphere of the region.
7. Enjoy world-class luxury while staying in a lodge off Lake Taupo and take in the breathtaking sight of the nearby Huka Falls. While you're there, enjoy gourmet cuisine at one of the area's fine restaurants.

Arrive in New Zealand

8. Fly into Auckland or Wellington Airport.
9. Rent a car and remember to drive on the left. There are a variety of rental vehicles to choose from.
10. Catch the bus from Wellington to travel to any major town in New Zealand. Bus travel is the inexpensive and preferred way to travel from town to town.
11. Fly to your luxury accommodations via helicopter. Most luxury hotels and lodges are helicopter friendly and it is a great way to see the country.

Get to Know New Zealand

12. Buy goods and services with the New Zealand dollar.
13. Communicate in English and listen for Maori as both the languages are official languages of New Zealand. Maori, however, is mostly spoken on the North Island where there are still large Maori populations.

Tips & Warnings

• No official central booking Web site or phone number is available for New Zealand accommodations.
• Reserve your room through your hotel's Web site to take advantage of special Web-only rates.
• Bring your passport (which must be valid for three months beyond your departure date), your work visa or your student visa.
• All phone numbers include the United States international prefix "011." When calling internationally outside the United States, substitute that "011" with "00."
• All country codes are within parentheses and begin with a "+" sign.
• Except at crosswalks, pedestrians do not have the right of way.

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