When choosing a hotel in New Zealand, an excellent starting point is to understand its star rating. The Qualmark system in New Zealand and Australia has a star rating for accommodation and is the official mark of quality for Tourism New Zealand:
– The basic acceptance is that a 1 star will meet the minimum requirements of the clients – Basic, clean and comfortable.
– 3 stars and the accommodation provider offers a variety of facilities and services and achieves a good to very good quality standard.
– The highest standard is 5 stars and is considered among the best in that country.
The AAA (USA) rating system applies a similar method and rates accommodation on a scale of one to five Diamonds. Many hotel providers also use a “self-assessment” system and this should not be taken as a negative in most cases. The largest hotel chains have developed their own rating systems that accurately reflect what options are available for each of their resorts.
Star ratings can be a good guide to pricing, but they shouldn’t be the only deciding factor when choosing your hotel in Auckland.
A 1-star hotel room is expected to be cheaper than a 5-star one. But for 2, 3 and 4 star hotels, special promotions, last minute deals and specific locations can make a 2 star hotel more expensive than a 4 star one. For example, a 3-star hotel located in Auckland city center might charge more than a 5-star hotel per hour outside of the city. This should be taken into account when choosing a place to stay, but don’t let price be your indicator of quality and comfort.
Considering the cost, also think about the destination of your stay.
If you’re visiting friends or family in Auckland, try to weigh your options based on location. Which means you can get to (and out of) your guests’ locations just as quickly with no major requirements or inconvenience to them.
If your trip is for business, do you really need to be located in the city?
Unless you can walk to your meetings, perhaps an Auckland airport hotel suits your purposes better. Just like any other day, you’ll be heading to work for 8-12 hours and shouldn’t have a real need to return to your hotel room all day.
With its international airport, Auckland has a wide variety of hotels and deals for travellers. Hotels near the airport tend to cost less than those in the central business district and cater efficiently to business people. You will also avoid having to get up hours earlier than necessary. By staying close to transportation hubs, you avoid the need to allow additional time for delays and traffic jams before departure. Most airport hotels offer a free shuttle service. One thing we have also noticed is that airport hotel staff take wake up calls very seriously. They know the importance of these calls and the consequences. So unlike many other stays, I’ve never missed a flight (due to a missed wake-up call) when staying at an airport hotel.
It’s a good idea to also put in writing what you want in a hotel stay. Quality ratings are a good indicator of convenience, but do you want to pay for options you know you probably won’t use? Most websites will list all the amenities like 24-hour front desk, minibar, room service, valet parking, laundry, etc. Compare these deals and if you find that you’re paying 20-30% more to use a gym or sauna (which you probably won’t use), then these savings are well worth it.
Finally, decide what your budget is and stick to it. Look online and try out last minute accommodation websites that offer deep discounts for those travelers who want to book last minute. But don’t always factor in the hotel rate when deciding, as there may be some inclusions on offer. These could include free breakfast, a drink coupon, and discounted tickets to local attractions or free parking. If you are traveling with children, serviced apartments have become popular options due to the kitchen facilities and the ability to cook your own food and save money. Also consider taking smaller, more frequent breaks instead of one long getaway.