We are looking to travel to NZ for the next Rugby World Cup in 2011, and want to know if anyone can recommend a good/reputable motorhome hire company. We need to book early as accommodation will be scarce for the tournament, and we don't want to book a fly-by-night company who could go bust!
Thanks
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
The Camping and Caravaning Club arrange motorhome holidays to New Zealand through there Carefree service, you can go for as long or short as you want, they arrange the flights and hotel accomodation when you arrive for the first night and any ferrys between the 2 islands.
We used them for france this year when we booked 12 different sites and they where brill!! with detailed info of all the campsites.
Id like to go to New zealand for my 50th and we'll be booking through Carefree as it takes all the hassle out of it.
If you go to the official NZ Tourist website, they list all the main motorhome renters, and being listed by the tourist office they should be OK. When we were there we used Maui, and were pleased with the service.
------------- JimF
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
We have just come back from New Zealand where we hired a (Kea) motorhome for 30 days, which we were very happy with. It was a fantastic holiday, by the way! I definitely recommend the Top 10 campsites as mentioned above. Their website is just the best for planning your route and working out distances between locations and the facilities are superb and all spotlessly clean.
Regarding motorhomes, there are loads of companies (see below). If you want to be sure they are reputable, check www.interislander.co.nz. They list the motorhome companies they accept readily on the ferry as there are no insurance issues with these companies.
Basically you get what you pay for, so it depends on your budget and what level of comfort you need as to which company you go for. It's worth knowing that Kea and Maui make their own motorhomes. Kea keep theirs for 2 years only, then their subsidiary company take them on as 'Kiwi campers'. After that they are sold at 4 years old.
Maui keep theirs for 2 years, then they re-emerge as ‘Britz’ for 2 years, then re-emerge again as 'Backpackers' for 3 years and are sold after a total of 7 years.
As well as the above, other companies we saw on the campsites (and all have websites) are: Jucy Rentals, Escape, Wicked, Pacific Horizon, Apollo, Tui, Explorer, Eurocamper, campervans.nz, and National.
Wicked and Escape are the smaller dormobile style of van and are decorated with weird and wonderful designs and messages which are great fun.
All the Top 10 campsites have very good laundry rooms and fully equipped kitchens - no outdoor veg prep areas and washing up sinks like we have in Europe - they have banks of sinks, banks of hobs, fridge/freezers (label your food with name and departure date) and tables and chairs so you can cook and eat indoors if it's wet, so you don't need to worry about only having a bed and a gas ring in your vehicle. They all also have gas barbecues in a covered area, which are mostly free to use.
These campsites also have cabins, which are not much more than the basic pitch fee for the standard model. They have just a bed and tea/coffee facilities and you take your own pots and pans and bedding - great for really wet or really cold nights if you want to dry out a bit, especially if you’re hiring a car and tenting it. There are a couple of other levels of cabin too with linen provided and the top level are fully equipped apartments.
Have a fantastic time. We're saving up to go back!
Amazing family weekend with old steam engines, classic car displays, market stalls, and full catering and bar. And camping on site - Save £25 by booking in advance.
Topic: Motorhoming in New Zealand
