On the Beach Backpackers - Whitianga, New Zealand

Yes, it was on the beach, but across the road and a long grassy strip before reaching it. This place was a rambling and cobbled together hostel of many different buildings and units. We spent two nights in two different rooms and found it serviceable if a bit pricey. They advertise it online as convenient to Hot Water Beach (dig your own hot tub in the sand) and Cathedral Cove (in the new Prince Caspian film), but it is a good 30 - 40 minutes drive to each. It is a bit more convenient I suppose if you take the passenger ferry and then ride a bike for 20 minutes or so.

WGGSH? - No

WWSHA? - Maybe, but there must be something better out there.

Nicky and Graeme’s - Christchurch, New Zealand

Spending time with Nicky and Graeme in their home in Christchurch was a real treat.  We met them at our hostel in Hiroshima, Japan and they amazingly welcomed all five of us to their home three times, fed us, celebrated three birthdays with us, lent us camping equipment, provided advice for our time in New Zealand and treated us like family (maybe even better than!).  Jack may have said it best the day before we were to leave their house for the final time, “The North Island won’t be the same because we won’t have anywhere like Nicki and Graeme’s to stay!”

We don’t know how to thank them enough for helping make our time in New Zealand so wonderful.  Thanks again!

Kakapo Lodge - Hanmer Springs, New Zealand

This was a pretty standard YHA hostel in Hanmer Springs.  We had a bunk bed and a double, so a bit of floor time here.  We did some laundry, slept, and left.  Not much to report.

WGGSH? - No

WWSHA? - Yes

Old MacDonald’s Farm, Marahau, New Zealand

Marahau and Old MacDonald’s Farm was our jumping off point for the Abel Tasman Track.  This was quite a unique place.  Lots of animals wandering around the place and a fantastic low tide bay in town that extended out for a km or so.  It had the tiniest little standalone cabins we’ve ever seen along with the craziest standalone shower stalls - displayed by Jack.  The kitchen for our cabin was outside on a deck like space.  Five beds though, with linens, are all we need.

WGGSH? - No

WWSHA? - Yes

Trip Inn Hostel, Westport, New Zealand

After seeing Fox and Franz Josef Glacier we headed further up the beautiful West Coast road to see the Pancake Rocks and stay in the small town nearby.  However, we found the few hostels full and decided to push further north to Westport.  Along the way we saw a funny tourism sign that said “If you want to know Switzerland visit Queenstown, if you want know New Zealand visit Westport.”  Queenstown is a fine place to visit, has many things to see and do, but it does have that European ski town feel.  Westport we would find did feel more authentically New Zealand (what do we really know though?) and we enjoyed our brief one night stay.  The Trip Inn Hostel was in a lovely old victorian style home.  Ainsley and I tented in the backyard while Kelli and the boys slept in a three share. One of the most unique features of the Hostel was its use of coal for heating.  They had a large pile of coal in the backyard for a small history lesson for the kids.

WGGSH? - Maybe

WWSHA? - Yes

Fox Glacier Holiday Park, Fox Glacier, New Zealand

After leaving Wanaka we headed up the West Coast with this as our first stop. We stumbled upon this nice and cheap Holiday Park and decided to pitch our tents. Holiday Parks were new to us when we arrived in New Zealand, but are found everywhere. They include sites for tents, campervans and varying levels of rooms, cabins and motel units. They also include cooking facilities and usually a significantly nice playground and trampoline. Eliot had his eye on one and finally we stayed at one.

WGGSH? - Definitely not, too much like camping which is not her thing

WWSHA? - Yes

Purple Cow Hostel, Wanaka, New Zealand

From Queenstown we headed towards the West Coast and made a stop at Lake Wanaka.  After checking out a number of places, we ended up here with a nod to Pop Pop and his college’s mascot a purple cow. We had a nice 6 bed self contained room to ourselves and settled in for a family movie one night on the bunk.  Our second night we were awakened to find someone entering our room.  We figured that they had mistakenly found the wrong room, but soon learned that she was in the right one.  After telling us that we had the room to ourselves they decided to add someone after all. Oh well.

Nothing remarkable here save for the ping pong and pool tables.  Eliot favors the ping pong and I can see a bit of pool shark in Jack.  He’s getting pretty good.  Funny how the features that have nothing to do with our room mean the most to the kids. Oh, they had a movie room and library of dvds too.  Hence the family movie night.

WGGSH? - No

WWSHA? - Maybe

Kinloch Lodge, Kinloch, New Zealand

Next to staying with Nicky and Graeme in Christchurch this by far was our favorite place in all of New Zealand. It was situated on the shores of Lake Wakatipu only about 45 minutes away from Queenstown, but it seemed like it was hours and hours away.

The rooms were simple and clean, a little cramped squeezing all five of us in. But, the kitchen was great, the owners wonderful, they had free wifi, the views stupendous, the restaurant served delicious meals and the overall atmosphere was truly peaceful.

We stayed there two different times and after we left for the last time everyone kept wishing that we could go back.

WGGSH? (Would GG Stay Here?) - Yes

WWSHA? (Would We Stay Here Again?) - Yes

Milford Sound Lodge, Milford Sound, New Zealand

This was our stop after our hike on the Routeburn with a plan to return to Kinloch via the Greenstone Track. Weather was quite bad, lots of rain (expected here), but also hail and snow at low altitudes. The hostel was unremarkable and the only one in the tiny town of Milford Sound. We had a very basic room with five beds and a shared bath halfway across the grounds. Ugh! Most convenient though was the “drying room” or room with a dry heat source used to dry wet hiking clothes. That helped us recover from the two days of steady rain on the Routeburn.

WGGSH? - No

WWSHA? - Maybe

Pinewood Lodge, Queenstown, New Zealand

This was our base in Queenstown and we passed through on three different occasions. Never for more than a night or two. Each time we had what they call a self-contained unit in New Zealand which means that it has a bathroom (luxury for us to have our own and not share) and a very basic kitchen. The highlight of our stays here was on the first time through when Eliot spotted our friend Mary from the Banks Peninsula Track. We had a nice dinner with her our first night and then saw her again as we all finished the Routeburn on the same day. The other nice features were the trampoline for Jack/Eliot and its location right next to the school field used for landing the paragliders.

WGGSH? - probably not.

WWSHA? - yes, as evidenced by our repeat business.

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