[Moorf]

Many of us here seem to like the Top 10 Campsites, but recently visitors have come across a few that aren't as nice or as well kitted out, or the location might be awful.

So, I thought a thread where you can post a review on a Top 10 Campsite might be useful for any of us planning a weekend away or for those coming on reccies....

I'll start..

GREYMOUTH: http://www.top10greymouth.co.nz/

Lovely campsite on the beach. We stayed in a one bed (studio) cabin with en-suite shower room and small kitchen area. Cost, with their bedding, $85 total for 2 adults. Basic appliances (toaster/microwave/2-ring hob/fridge/freezer). TV with about 3 channels. Comfy bed, clean.

Quiet site with access literally steps away to a HUGE West Coast beach. Small kids playing area - NO INFLATABLE PILLOW THAT I COULD FIND!

Clean and plentiful cooking areas and free bbqs. Spa / games room / Sky TV lounge and indoor games area for kids.

There's a New World in Greymouth which had a good selection of groceries. It's a few mins drive from the campsite.

I'd recommend this site if you're looking for somewhere cheap and cheerful and clean to stay in Greymouth.

[Nienke]

Lake Taupo Top Ten is great. Big camping sites for tents, clean and well equipped kitchen areas, showers, tv room etc. Huge jumping pillow (the biggest in NZ they claim), great playground area and a nice (warm) swimming pool.
Taupo itself is only minutes away, and next to the camping you can go bungee jumping.....
We've been camping there several times already, no doubt we will be back some day.

The top ten one in Shelley Beach in the Coromandel is okay. Location is beautiful, facilities are okay. The cabins they rent out are a bit of a no-no though. There is a jumping pillow there as well (small one) and a small playground.

[vixxann]

Napier Top Ten is huge and full of facilities
we didn't stay in a cabin so cannot really comment but whilst I was in office there I heard them on phone trying to get a family into another site as all the cabins in Napier were filled (and there are a LOT) so figure they must be ok. Seemed to be a few different styles/ sizes/prices available.

Toilets/Showers nice and clean, Good laundry, kitchen and dining facilities. Fantastic play area; playground, jumping pillow, tramps, pool, snooker table. Tv room and Sky cinema room, adults quiet reading room, On site restaurant / take-away (fish and chips were good!) Internet access in reception. Kids can pedal carts to drive around site - they loved this!

Seemed quite handy for town too but we didn't personally spend long in Napier.

[Tia Maria]

Great idea Moorf!

I haven't had a chance to visit any yet but wanted to ask if anyone has been to this one:

www.papamoabeach.co.nz

Any good?

Cheers

Tia

[Carey]

We drove up and drove away very rapidly; seemd glitzy, crowded, too upmarket for us. BUT we didn't look at the accomadation and had just spent several nights freedom camping so by contrast anywhere would have seemd too full of people. Beach was amazing though and site is right on the beach.

[Andy-Dee]

Christchurch Top Ten is not one I'd recommend.

The rooms are very dull and basic, we had a delux room which begged the question 'what where the others like?' The bed took up most of the floor space in the living area and the bathroom was off the second bedroom - so you had to walk through in the dark whilst our child slept.

There was no free milk and the play equipment was broken and dirty. The indoor swimming pool looked as if it was a health hazzard but our daughter enjoyed it.

We had pre booked bedding and it wasn't there when we arrived - eventually a very irritated woman came by and literally threw it at me.

KAIKOURA

This is in contrast to Kaikoura - where the room was bright and airy, the beds made with plenty of room for a sofa as well as a table and chairs. Free milk here and cheery service. Position of the camp was good too, lovely scenery, just out of town but with shops and an excellent bakery a 2 minute walk away - easily the biggest and best croissants I have ever had.

[speckythecky]

Loved the A frame cabins at Makarora. Good value. don't rememver much more about the site, only that we were so glad to see it having driven from Christchurch via the west coast / glaciers to get there and were very tired and had almost run out of petrol. Seem to remember nice breakfast.

[Carey]

Wanganui site, kitchen cabin extremely basic and cramped but the pool was fabulous, really, really warm and reasonable size. All other pools we found very cold and debatable whether heated or not despite saying so on brochure.

Rotorua pool particularly cold !

Picton very clean self contained unit but they charged us for a night when we didn't stay there...long story but my provisional booking was taken as confirmed by them, we couldn't/ didn't manage to check emails as out in Marlborough Sounds, ie. no computer links, so didn't see cancellation policy in their return email, so we had to cough up......very stressful phone calls did not result in any goodwill refund from them!

Orere Point, large site, lovely river to swim in, lots of summer homes on site which would make it very crowded in season. 4 trampolines, clean facilities. Very helpful manager lending us mosquito spray and cream for kids strange rashes that appeared all over their legs!

New Plymouth, another very cold pool, nice self contained unit but poor kitchen equipment. Small site.

Most had book exchanges which we found very useful; leave the same no. of books as you take.

[vixxann]

Hastings - lovely. Again cannot comment on cabins as we were in camper but nice spot by small river through park, lots of trees. Very small playground no jumping pillow, one trampoline. But just a lovely site anyway. Excellent facilities, we barbequed here and there's a lovely area for outdoor eating plus all normal kitchen/dining/laundry/TV room etc.

Hutt Park / Wellington - yes, its in an industrial area, but once on site there is no complaint. So just think what you want from your stay i.e. if it matters on the immediate vicinity or not. Bus into Wellington took approx 30 mins and was a five min walk to the bus stop. Site has great facilities, playground, jumping pillow, BBQs (3 or 4 BBQs area I think) great kitchens, dining room, laundry. Superb games room with several PCs for internet access. Good dedicated area for campervan toilet dumping (:uhoh ) actually all site we went provided somewhere for this but I just remember the special area at Hutt Park was very nice!

Agree with previous posters - Kiakoura, Orere point and Shelly Beach all lovely site- each very different but I liked them

[sarahw]

Thanks for starting this thread Moorf (sorry can't give you any more rep - gotta spread it about a bit more first - but top thread!)

We're planning on going to Kaikoura for our camping hollies next year so thanks to those who have posted details - much appreciated!

[Nienke]

I haven't had a chance to visit any yet but wanted to ask if anyone has been to this one:
www.papamoabeach.co.nz
Any good?
Cheers
Tia


Yes, we've been there, at Christmas time no less. Campsite was completely booked, which made for long waiting times at the showers during peak times.
Location is great for the beach, just hop over the dune and you're there. Facilities were good and clean, big jumping pillow for the kids as well.
You can walk to the new shopping centres, just across the road.
We were on the campground, so haven't seen the cabins or villa's. We did think the sites for the tents/campers/etc. were a bit small.