Tom McKernan
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South Island ▷ Nelson Region ▷ Murchison ▷
Murchison Motorhome Park
5.0/5
Immaculate site, impeccable hosting, great value.
Just 9k from Murchision, this is the place for a layover. The owner clearly takes great pride in her site and maintains it to a high standard. Has the coolest music I've heard in any NZ campsite shower block. All you need for a comfortable stay. And all for only $19!
Why would you? It's clean, tidy and well run by a very personable owner. And great value.
Why wouldn't you? You're not stopping in Murchison.
Mark-downs? Nothing to get picky about given the overall quality of the place and the value for money.
Would I return? Yes, absolutely.
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South Island ▷ Canterbury ▷ Christchurch ▷
Waihora Park Domain Camping Ground
5.0/5
Very spacious community owned site.
Flat and well drained there's heaps of space for all manner of running about and games. There's a nice children's playground in one corner. It has an adequate toilet and a couple of water taps but that's it. No mobile data could be had. Only $10 per night paid into an honesty box.
Why would you? It's a handy stopover between Banks Peninsula and Christchurch; quiet, roomy and relaxing; no commercial distractions nearby; only $10 per night.
Why wouldn't you? None of the facilities you'd expect on a commercial site. No data and no shops nearby.
Mark-downs? At $10 per night it would hardly be fair to complain.
Return? Yes I would return.
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South Island ▷ Canterbury ▷ Hanmer Springs ▷
Pines Holiday Park
4.5/5
Don't expect this site to honour your Kiwi Holiday Parks discount card.
I was told they have left the organisation and no longer accept it. Although they are in the 2019 Brochure which offers the discount.
Lovely hosts though, new owners who are trying to improve the reputation of the site. It certainly is a nice place to stay. Great location, well laid out, clean and well tended. $30 p.n for one with power.
Why would you? Perfect for visiting Hanmer Springs; great hosts, clean, tidy and well serviced.
Why wouldn't you? You're giving Hanmer Springs a miss; you're expecting a 15% discount with your Kiwi HP card.
Mark-downs? Bit of a cheek to use the brochure to make an offer but then withdraw it when people arrive. They should in all decency have waited out the current brochure.
Return? Yes I would return.
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South Island ▷ Canterbury ▷ Banks Peninsula ▷
Duvauchelle Holiday Park
5.0/5
Spacious council owned site with pleasant managers.
Flat and well drained the sites are roomy and have a nice outlook over the bay. No shelter on a windy day though so if it's cold... it's cold.
Facilities a bit vintage but clean and well maintained. Nice recreation area with BBQ, kitchen area, tables, lounge seating and TV. 4G available for your cell.
Why would you? Perfect for visiting Banks Peninsula; clean, tidy and well serviced.
Why wouldn't you? You don't want to stay on Banks Peninsula.
Mark-downs? Nothing to whinge about here.
Return? Yes I would return.
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South Island ▷ Nelson Region ▷ Murchison ▷
Kiwi Park Motels & Holiday Park
3.0/5
Don't expect this site to honour your Kiwi Holiday Parks discount card.
I was told they have left the organisation and no longer accept it although they are in the 2019 Brochure which offers the discount. The nice lady at reception (not an owner) had the decency to be embarrassed.
This place looks like the old style Kiwi holiday park but modernised maybe 15-20 years ago, by a farmer, in the style of the 70's. On arrival there was a lamb chained to a tree. What?!!
Facilities are vanilla, clean-ish to start with but not so much after a couple of days of staff inactivity. Generally well kept though. Lots of trees to provide shelter, birdsong, and ducks wandering about. The Wi-Fi is so slow that it couldn't manage all the data $5 bought for the 24-hour period. Don't even dream of streaming a TV show, it barely manages the Rankers website. I only paid the $5 because cell data was non-existent. So forget Wi-Fi.
The lamb was gone in the morning, and the chain with it.
I didn't see anybody from the site except for the nice lady at reception and another lady with a spray bottle of (I presume) cleaning fluid, as I left. There was a slightly creepy post-apocalyptic feel to the place. I guess the site just reflects Murchison, a town that time and even hippies passed by. Shudder and move on.
Why would you? Good question.
Why wouldn't you? I Don't know where to start. Certainly don't bother if you're expecting a 15% discount with your Kiwi HP card. And not if you're looking for a pleasant and rewarding holiday destination. Or value for money - there's better and much cheaper just up the road.
Mark-downs? Cheeky (scam) to use the brochure to make an offer but then withdaw it when people arrive. They should in all decency have waited out the current (2019) brochure. Grubby facilities, duck poo on outside seating, desolate atmosphere.
Return? No, I think not.
Top Tip: the Murchison Motorhome Park is 9K out of town. It's about half the price all up, and much nicer.
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South Island ▷ Canterbury ▷ Christchurch ▷
Amber Kiwi Holiday Park and Motels
4.5/5
A nice tidy and well kept small site near the centre of Christchurch.
Part of the Kiwi Holiday Parks group, it's a compact and tight. The site seems to have been designed for motor caravans and camper-vans, and works well for them. However, tents and caravans are catered for too. Manoeuvring a caravan can be tricky if it's busy. Powered site: $32; un-powered site: $28 (Nov. 2019); 15% discount if you're a group member.
Why would you? It's close to Christchurch city centre; facilities are good and nicely kept.
Why wouldn't you? It's close to Christchurch city centre; if you're a caravan owner you might not want to entertain the grinning motor-home guys with your manoeuvring skills; there's not a lot of running around space for the kids; it's next to a busy city road.
Mark-downs? Not enough showers.
Return? Yes I would return.