When choosing a hotel in New Zealand, a great starting point is to understand their star ratings. The Qualmark system in New Zealand and Australia has a star grading for accommodation and is New Zealand Tourism’s official mark of quality:

- Basic acceptance is that a 1 star will meet the customers’ minimum requirements – Basic, clean, and comfortable.

- 3 stars and the accommodation provider provides a range of facilities and services and achieves a good to very good quality standard.

- The highest standard is 5 stars and is considered to be amongst the best in that country.

The AAA (US) rating system applies a similar method and rates accommodation on a one to five Diamonds scale. Many Hotel providers also use a “self rating” system and this shouldn’t be taken as a negative in most cases. Larger 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 for pricing, but should not be the sole decider, when choosing your Auckland hotel.

It is expected that a 1 star Hotel room will be cheaper than a 5 star. But for those 2, 3 and 4 star hotels, specials, last minute offers and specific locations can lead to a 2 star hotel being more expensive than a 4 star. For example, a 3 star hotel located in Auckland city centre, could charge more than a 5 star hotel an hour out of town. This needs to be kept in mind when choosing a place to stay, but don’t let price be your indicator of quality and comfort.

With cost in mind, think also about what your stay is intended for.

If you are visiting friends or family in Auckland, then try to consider your choices based on location. Meaning that you can get to (and leave as quickly) your guests location without any major requirements or inconveniences to them.

If your travel is for business, do you really need to be located in the city?

Unless you can walk to your meetings, maybe a hotel at Auckland airport will suit your purposes better. Just like any other day, you will be heading into work for 8-12 hours and should have no real need to return to your hotel room throughout the day.

With it’s international airport, Auckland has a plentiful array of hotels and offerings for travelers. Hotels near the airport tend to cost less than those in the central business district and cater predominantly to business people. You will also avoid having to get up hours earlier than needed. By staying close to the transport hubs you avoid the need to allow additional time for delays and traffic jams prior to departure. Plus most Airport hotels provide a free shuttle service. One thing we have also noted is that the staff in Airport hotels take wake-up calls seriously – They know the importance of these calls and the consequences. So unlike many other stays, I have never missed a flight (due to a missed wake up call) when staying at an Airport Hotel.

It is a good idea to also list in writing, what you want in a hotel stay. Quality ratings are a good indicator of comfort, but do you want to pay for options you know you probably won’t use? Most websites will list all the amenities such as 24 hour reception, mini-bar, room service, valet, laundry etc. Compare these offerings and if you find you’re paying 20-30% more for the use of a gym or sauna (that you probably won’t use), then theses savings are worthwhile.

Finally, decide on what your budget is and stick with it. Search online and try last minute accommodation websites which offer great discounts for those travelers wanting to book at the last minute. But don’t always just take the hotel rate into account when deciding as there may be some inclusions on offer. These could include free breakfast, a drink voucher and discount tickets to local attractions or free parking. If you are traveling with kids serviced apartments have become popular choices because of the kitchen facilities and the ability to cook your own food and thus save money. Also consider taking smaller more frequent breaks as apposed to a long getaway.

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