Rotorua, New Zealand

 
 
By Mark Chipperfield

A guide to Rotorua, New Zealand, ahead of the Rugby World Cup 2011.

Prefix all numbers with 0064 7 when telephoning from Britain.

Where to stay

Treetops Lodge & Estate

Queenstown, New Zealand: My kind of town

For true indulgence, look no further than this magnificent Kiwi lodge set in 2,500 acres of forest and game reserve – complete with seven trout streams. Choose from lodge or estate rooms.

Tariff Lodge rooms £225 (off peak). Distance from city About 12 miles.
Address 351 Kearoa Road.
Contact 333 2066; www.treetops.co.nz.

Regent of Rotorua

The current superstar of five-star hotels offers glamorous interiors (note the rhino heads in the dining room), a sparkling swimming pool and a range of studio apartments and suites. You must like white.

Tariff Suites from £197. Distance from city On the doorstep.
Address 1191 Pukaki Street.
Contact 348 4079; www.regentrotorua.co.nz.

City Lights Boutique Lodge

Billed as Rotorua’s “newest boutique lodge”, City Lights offers just three modern suites on the outskirts of town. The property enjoys sweeping views of Rotorua.

Tariff Suites from £114. Distance from city 10 minutes by car.
Address 56c Mountain Road.
Contact 349 1413; www.citylights.net.nz.

Holiday Inn Rotorua

This contemporary 203-room hotel overlooks the Whakarewarewa Thermal Reserve. High standard of accommodation and facilities, including a heated swimming pool.

Tariff King deluxe from £74. Distance from city 10 minutes by car.
Address Corner of Froude and Tryon Streets.
Contact 348 1189; www.holidayinn.com.

Coachman Motor Inn

This modest establishment offers 19 well-equipped units. Great value for family groups who want to do their own cooking. Facilities include off-street parking and a guest laundry.

Tariff Small studio from £63. Distance from city: 10-minute walk.
Address 335 Fenton Street.
Contact 349 0960; www.coachmanrotorua.co.nz.

Lyons Lake Stay

Chirpy bed and breakfast overlooking a lovely lake, just outside Rotorua. Offers family-style accommodation and plenty of activities (kayaking and fly fishing) on the doorstep. Ideal if you are a fan of b & bs.

Tariff Doubles from £32 (off peak). Distance from the city 20 minutes by car.
Address 8 Okareka Loop Road.
Contact 362 8790; www.lakestayrotorua.co.nz.

Eating and drinking
Mokoia

In a city that struggles in the culinary department, this dining room really stands out. The executive chef, Ervin Y Garde, has earned an enviable reputation for his organic beef, lamb and fresh seafood – and his inventive use of indigenous foods, herbs and spices.

Address Wai Ora Lakeside Spa Resort, 77 Robinson Avenue, Holdens Bay; 343 5100.
Cuisine Pacific Rim. Main courses £14-£19.50.
Opening times Daily 12pm to 10.30pm.
Reservation Recommended.
Payment type Major credit cards.

Seismic

Billed as a “gastrobar”, Seismic offers an eclectic menu of pastas, burgers, pizzas and more inventive fare, using ingredients grown in the wild and Maori flavours. Good selection of New Zealand beers and wines by the glass. Open brunch, lunch and dinner.

Address 1158 Whakaue Street; 348 2082.
Cuisine Maori fusion. Main courses £10-£17.
Opening times Monday to Friday, 11.30am until late, weekends 10am until late.
Reservation Not required.
Payment type Major credit cards.

Fat Dog Café & Bar

Worth a visit just because of the name. This quirky café hardly puts a foot wrong – whether you’re after a quick coffee or something more substantial. Nachos, bagels, pies, pasta and hearty salads all feature; daily blackboard specials are available.

Address 1161 Arawa Street; 347 7586.
Cuisine Café snacks.
Main courses £5.50-£11.50.
Opening times Daily 7am until late.
Reservation None required.
Payment types Major credit cards, debit cards.

Pig & Whistle Historic Pub

Housed in a pre-war police station, the Pig & Whistle serves up classic pub grub, live music and a good selection of draught beers, such as Guinness and Stella Artois. A convivial place for a quick drink, a hearty pub meal or a game of pool.

Address Cnr Haupapa and Tutanekai Streets; 347 3025.
Cuisine Pub specials to bistro fare. Main courses £7.80-£14.
Opening times Daily from 11.30am until late.
Reservation None required.
Payment types Major credit cards and debit cards.

Abracadabra Café & Bar

This buzzy little eatery has a strong local following. It serves a range of authentic tagines and b’stilla chicken pie, plus tapas and mezze plates. Lighter lunchtime options available. Open for breakfast.

Address 1263 Amohia Street; 348 3883.
Cuisine Moroccan. Main courses £6-£13.
Opening times Tuesday to Friday 8.30am-11pm, Saturdays 9am-11pm and Sundays 9am-3pm.
Reservations On Friday nights, weekends.
Payment type Major credit cards, debit cards.

Grand Kiwi Ale House

A magnet for beer lovers, this rustic ale house also serves up good-value food and plenty of atmosphere. Five microbrews on tap, with more to follow. There is also a children’s menu.

Address 1129 Hinemoa Street; 348 2087.
Cuisine Pub food. Main courses £6-£11.
Opening times Tuesday to Thursday from 4pm, Fridays and Saturdays from 11am.
Reservation Not necessary.
Payment type Major credit cards, debit cards.

Top five things to do
1 Take an Eco-Trek

Join Maori guide Joe Doherty for a half-day walking trek into the Whirinaki Forest Park, showcasing both Maori culture and majestic mountain scenery. Expect to see waterfalls, towering rimu trees and plenty of native birds.

Cost £80 (adult).
Address 421 Rerewhakaaitu Road.
Contact 366 6055; www.teureweratreks.co.nz.

2 Ride the Redwoods

Looking to get your heart rate up? Then slip on some Lycra and head out to the Redwoods – a series of purpose-built mountain bike trails through the Whakarewarewa Forest.

Cost Bike hire is £16 (two-hour rental).
Address Planet Bike, 89 Grand Vue Road.
Contact 346 1717; www.planetbike.co.nz.

3 Skyline Skyrides

Escape the madding crowds in a gondola that will carry you 487m up to Mount Ngongotaha. Thrill seekers can test their skills on one of three luge tracks.

Cost Gondola rides £11 (adult), £5.50 (child); luge rides £4.10.
Address Skyline Skyrides, Fairy Springs Road.
Contact 347 0027; www.skylineskyrides.co.nz.

4 Rotorua Museum of Art & History

This handsome, timbered building was designed as a 19th-century spa resort. Today, the building houses a number of Maori and European treasures and stages regular art exhibitions.

Cost £5.70 (adult), £2.50 (child). Open daily.
Address Queens Drive, Government Gardens.
Contact 350 1814; www.rotoruamuseum.co.nz.

5 The Polynesian Spa

Overlooking a thermal lake, this modern spa has nine standard pools, 13 private pools and four deluxe pools, while the Lake Spa Retreat offers a wide range of massage treatments and full-body polishes and exfoliations.

Cost £19 (adult).
Address 1000 Hinemoa Street.
Contact 348 1328; www.polynesianspa.co.nz.

Shopping

For a city of its modest size, Rotorua has plenty of shopping options, especially if you’re looking for local arts and crafts.

Toi Te Aranga (1267 Pukuatua Street) sells authentic Maori art, while the Jade Factory (1280 Fenton Street) has a good range of Jade sculpture and jewellery.

The main book shop, Whitcoulls, can be found at 1238 Tutanekai Street. Rotorua is the mountain bike capital of New Zealand and cyclists will find a stunning range of bikes and accessories for sale.

For New Zealand-made outdoor wear (men and women) try Wild South at 1266 Tutanekai Street.

Getting there/around
Arrival at airport

Rotorua Airport (www.rotorua-airport.co.nz) is a small regional airport servicing both domestic and international routes. Air New Zealand operates a twice-weekly service to Sydney. The airport is 5.6 miles from Rotorua.

Transport airport to the city

A Super Shuttle Service operates between the city and airport. The cost is £7 (one way), but cheaper for group hire. A regular bus service (route 10) also operates. The fare is £1. Expect to pay £13 for a cab into the city.

Bus, trains, ferries

Rotorua is compact. Most people walk or hire a bike. A Day Saver Pass on the local bus system costs £3.40. Alternatively, a £4.60 Smartcard offers discounted travel with no time limit – and can be topped up.

Taxis

There are plenty of cabs, they can be expensive for longer journeys. Grumpy’s Limo is an eccentric but affordable company offering a shuttle service which costs £2.30 per ride anywhere in the city centre, including from the airport. A day pass is £11.50.

Contact 27 273 4450 (this number does not take the 7 city code); www.grumpyslimo.co.nz.

For more information on Rotorua, see www.rotoruanz.com. For more on the Rugby World Cup, see www.newzealand.com/rugby.
Mark Chipperfield flew with the Rugby World Cup sponsor Emirates (0844 800277; www.emirates.com/uk). It has daily services to Auckland and Christchurch from Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester, Birmingham, Glasgow and Newcastle. Return fare in economy from £950, in business class from £3,910 and in first class from £6,010. Telegraph