Places to stay while on tour

**Gezza** · 9th April 2009, 20:52

There must be heaps of pubs,backpackers,cabins etc up and down the country where you have stayed, and as a biker been welcomed by the patron. Who can recommend me something down south???
Gezza

**Boob Johnson** · 11th April 2009, 20:04

Everyone gets a warm welcome at our place (backpackers) but bikers get extra special treatment, always a beer or two lying around

**peasea** · 13th April 2009, 10:39

Originally Posted by Gezza

There must be heaps of pubs,backpackers,cabins etc up and down the country where you have stayed, and as a biker been welcomed by the patron. Who can recommend me something down south???
Gezza

Last December we toured south, a bit, and got warm welcomes wherever we went. In Hanmer Springs it was The Chalets Motel. In Arrowtown it was the Mace Motel, which is a bit dated but the bed was great and we were allowed to aprk our bikes close to the office, out of sight. In Ross, on the West Coast we stayed at the historic (read old and character filled) Imperial Hotel. I think the whitebait fritters we had there were the best ever. The publican's wife even parked her car on the street so we could plonk the bikes in their car parking space. You won't get too much of that in downtown Auckland.

I'd suggest you just wing it, most operators look after bikers as they are a fairly large segment of the tourist trade down here.

Happy touring.

**Badcat** · 13th April 2009, 10:43

it would be great if we could contribute to a list by area - then you could plan a trip around the best places to stay!
maybe cut the country up into 10 or so areas, and then list towns in those areas with places that were good?

...just a thought....

BC

**smoky** · 13th April 2009, 11:01

Just spent a week in the South Island, a couple of places stood out as biker friendly

Queenstown - 6 Henry Street, Backpackers right in town called the Lodge, real central, tidy and clean, good price for central Queenstown ($35 each), the dude in charge said he would organise a space in his garage for our bikes.

Dunedin - Trinity Court Hotel, on Carroll Street opposite the Honda shop, close enough to town for a short walk, a bit expensive at $45 each but a nice enough room, the good thing is you drive up the side under the building to a large covered car-park that gets locked at night, ideal for your bikes. In the morning we popped over to the Honda shop and perved at the bikes, they gave us some local knowledge about the best routes to take for riding.

Greymouth - Noah's Arch Backpackers, fantastic old house, one of the busiest backpackers, a bit of action. Cheap ($20 - $35 depending on what kind of room) and comfortable, let us park our bikes up the side behind some gates - the managers dog licked the excess chain oil off for some strange reason?

**Gezza** · 14th April 2009, 20:54

Like that idea of yours Badcat.A list by area would be brilliant. I'm writing down some of your recommendations for my Sth island trip next Feb. Awsome

**madmal64** · 14th April 2009, 21:07

Waipara Hotel on the road to Hamner & Lewis Pass.
Willie (the owner) is a biker & has a locked up yard for your bikes.
Old style country pub & food. Good basic accomodation at the right price.