The Best Hotels to Book in Paihia For Every Traveller

New Zealands Bay of Islands is home to Paihia, a stunning coastal town in the North
New Zealand's Bay of Islands is home to Paihia, a stunning coastal town in the North | © Greg Balfour Evans / Alamy Stock Photo
Alex Allen

Think of New Zealand and you may picture mighty, cloud-shrouded mountains, dramatic fiords and ancient fairytale forests – but there’s a lush, sub-tropical paradise side, too. And the cute North Island seaside town of Paihia is at the centre of it. It’s the gateway to the Bay of Islands region, where jewel-like islets stud a sea of luminous blue and Maori history and culture takes centre stage. Here are the best hotelss in Paihia, New Zealand – bookable on Culture Trip.

Scenic Hotel Bay of Islands

Resort, Hotel

Twin room at Scenic Hotel Bay of Islands has simple design, a work desk, two comfy chairs and garden views
Courtesy of Scenic Hotel Bay of Islands / Expedia

It’s only a shame that the same architectural touches used in the dreamy poolside restaurant here weren’t expanded to the rooms. The low, A-shaped timber ceilings of the restaurant, all exposed bolts and cross-beams, induce a breezy South Pacific islands vibe – made all the more holiday-heavenly by the view across the palm tree-shaded pool. Rooms are clean, bright and comfortable, if slightly low on character, with wicker-style armchairs and pops of lime green.

The Waterfront Suites

Apartment

When you’re in the Bay of Islands, you want to be facing the water – for the views of those broccoli-head islets and the glittering yachts that sail the turquoise sea around them. You’re in luck here, as most of the options at this suites-only hotel, spread across a couple of buildings near the waterfront, have some of the best sea views in town. Particularly the three-bedroom waterfront penthouse, which is as close to the water as you can get without being in it.

The Retreat

Hotel

Balcony area at the Retreat has outdoor furniture, surrounding trees and stunning sea views
Courtesy of the Retreat / Expedia

Located five minutes drive south of Paihia town centre, these cute, modest, self-contained apartments and studios may lack the decorative pizazz of other properties in the area, but with views like these, you won’t be looking at anything else anyway. Perched on the crest of a promontory pushing out to sea, they reveal a sweeping panorama of azure waters, clusters of storybook-pretty outcrops and silken swathes of golden sand – all to enjoy over a glass of local white on your private balcony.

Chalet Romantica

Guesthouse

Double room at Chalet Romantica has coastal accents, a red sofa and TV and a sea view balcony
Courtesy of Chalet Romantica / Expedia

Initially, there’s something dreamily disorienting about checking into an Alpine-style chalet in New Zealand’s tropical north. But you’ll quickly settle in – thanks to the distractingly-generous dimensions of the two suites and, of course, the views you’ll find stretching out before you from the bed. Austrian-Swiss owners Inge and Ed have recreated a cosy taster of Europe’s picture-book Tyrol region, with beds and sofas piled with blankets and cushions, and wooden furniture that complements the chalet’s exposed rafters.

Cliff Edge by the Sea

Lodge

Double room at Cliff Edge by the Sea has simple, coastal design, rattan chairs and a surrounding balcony with sea views
Courtesy of Cliff Edge by the Sea / Expedia

The only issue we have with this multi-tiered, cliff-hugging lodge? Its communal lounge area is so irresistibly cosy and welcoming that the rooms (also gorgeous, we should add) hardly get a look in. It feels like a well-loved and lived-in family home: towering wooden bookshelves jostle for wall space with prints and paintings; antique rugs frame oriental-style wooden furniture; and an eclectic pottery collection adorns the top of the standalone fireplace. The communal kitchen, upstairs, is arguably even more coddling. You’ll be right at home here, we guarantee.

Craicor Boutique Apartments

Apartment

Double room at Craicor Accommodation has simple design, a wooden bed frame, a plush comforter and garden views
Courtesy of Craicor Accommodation / Expedia

Choosing between the two self-contained apartments in this house-sized property is easy. For loft-like airiness, and better views of sparkling blue sea through the trees, pick the upper-floor Tree House. Choose the Garden Suite for more space, along with an all-white colour palette that makes the lush surrounding greenery appear to be reaching in to wrap its tendrils around you. Either way, you’ll feel like you’ve secured your own private patch of Paihia, where you can settle in and fire-up the balcony barbecue, or prepare a slap-up dinner in your own well-equipped kitchen.

Marlin House

Hotel

Balcony deck area at Marlin House Bed and Breakfast has outdoor furniture, wooden barrels and amazing sea views
Courtesy of Marlin House Bed and Breakfast / Expedia

All-white shiplap cladding and intricate Victorian-style mouldings give this cluster of self-catering suites an old-world colonial feel that belies its 1950s heritage. Inside, things get more modern again – many of the rooms come equipped with contemporary kitchenettes, stylish bathrooms with gleaming subway-style tiles and wifi. For the best sea views, bag yourself the penthouse suite; for a cute private balcony, go for the King Fish Suite, and if only a large double spa bath will do, insist on the easy-to-remember Spa Suite.

Paihia Beach Resort and Spa Hotel

Resort, Spa Hotel, Hotel

Sitting room at Paihia Beach Resort and Spa Hotel has coastal design, a wall-mounted TV and a large balcony with sea views
Courtesy of Paihia Beach Resort and Spa Hotel / Expedia

There’s something chic – kind of St-Tropez-in-the-1960s – about this boutique, suites-only hotel in Paihia. Not that it’s retro – it’s dazzlingly contemporary in fact. What clinches it is the elegance of the all-white, Lego-block construction, and each suite’s balcony overlooking the dinky semi-circular pool out front. Lit up at night, it’s as alluring as a Sloane Street shop window, glowing like one of those paper-thin porcelain candle holders. The interiors are no less elegant, with lashings of blonde wood and stylish, textured soft furnishings. Check in for instant Kiwi-cool.

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