[Bernadette]

Where did you stay when you first arrived in NZ?

Our (husband, 2 children (2 & 5) and I) plans are to flight around mid aug. We have a PR but no jobs so need to find one (we are both IT) and I am currently looking at flights. But we also need somewhere to live shortish term while we get jobs, which is suitable for the children. As we don't have job offers our location is flexible. Any suggestions are gratefully received!

Thanks Berni

[StevieD]

Depends on where you want to go Berni, North or South island?

If you go to the Waikato area (Hamilton) you will probably end up in a motel on the 'motel mile', there are people on here who will provide you with details of a good one if you need it.

Good luck

[Georgebulldog]

We stayed in serviced apartments in Wellington, then again we weren't paying otherwise it would have been a motel maybe. The apartment was great though as walk to Welling CBD & parks & had everything we needed

[James 1077]

We were in a serviced apartment in Viaduct Basin in Auckland (near the CBD). Again we weren't paying as otherwise it would have been in a motel as well!

Serviced apartment was OK but was a little bit small - then again we found a house and signed the rental agreement 24 hours after we arrived so we weren't in it for very long!

[Steadybears]

We in a furnished apartment in middle of Hamilton - which has been ideal for us to get around the towns - but it will depend where you wanting to look. We found this accommodation on Trademe - so suggest you look on that site.

Good luck
Jayne

[Tia Maria]

We were in a very similar situation to you. We actually did a bit of a tour of NZ first taking in Christchurch, Wellington, Rotorua and ending in Auckland, as we figured it was where we were most likely to end up. (But we wanted to check out the other areas first so we could be confident in our choice.) For that bit we stayed in a combination of hotels & motels.

When we got to our final destination we had booked a holiday let for a few weeks while we looked for a rental. This gave us more space than a hotel room and they often come with extras, washing machine, a box of toys or kids videos etc. August is low season so you shouldn't have any trouble getting somewhere and if you are staying longer than a week you'll be able to negotiate lower rates.

Holiday lets here are often called Bachs, check out:

www.emigratenz.org/forum/showthread.php?t=11251

www.emigratenz.org/forum/showthread.php?t=14587

www.emigratenz.org/forum/showthread.php?t=11166

www.emigratenz.org/forum/showthread.php?t=11669

Basically a search for 'bach' or 'apartment' or 'serviced', should throw up quite a few threads.

Cheers

Tia

[BaldyBeardyBloke]

If you're coming to the Hamilton/Waikato district, as seems to be the latest craze, I can highly recommend the Gardena Court motel on Ulster Street in Hamilton.

Owners very friendly, units fairly basic, but clean and tidy and you can easily walk into the town centre for shops, banks, dining out and car yards, plus 5 minutes from the rugby ground if your into the pointy ball game.

[StevieD]

Told u Sam would post didn't I !!!

Hey Sam when did you get finished up with your job??? Are you already finished.....

[BaldyBeardyBloke]

Finished Thursday last week.

Employed as a box packer and house tidier ar present in preparation for the big move.

[gil]

We stayed at the Howick Motor Lodge for the first month, as did many local immigrants! So many, in fact, we're having a "Thanks Dave and Mandy" party soon, for the wonderful owners of the Lodge :D If you do a forum search for the Howick Motor Lodge, you'll find heaps of info. In fact, some new friends who arrived here in January extended their stay there because it was so comfortable!

Gil

[Sam B]

We stayed in Cambridge Mews motel for 2 weeks, before moving into an unfurnished rental in Cambridge. I bought a whole houselot of furniture off trademe to furnish it. Then when we decided we were definitely staying here and shipped our furniture, we sold all the furniture on Trademe again.

[veronica]

have PM'd you

[Cardy]

Hi There
we stayed in a motel on the beach front in orewa and used it as a base for 3 weeks then got a job in hamilton and a rental house in Cambridge ,couldnt have worked better:)

[Familyofmonkeys]

We stayed in a serviced apartment for our first month in the Ascott Metropolis in Auckland CBD. OH company paid for it....we could never have afforded it ourselves, but it was a fab place to stay.

[tigerlily]

We stayed in a holiday let in Newtown, Wellington. It was close to the bus and market and had kitchen/washing machine. It was small, but not too expensive.

[yossarian]

hi! where can you initially stay in nz cheap if you'll be moving just by yourself? unfortunately, i don't have a job offer, and in case i will be arriving nz without job yet, i think i need to be a bit tight. :(

[Nathan]

hi! where can you initially stay in nz cheap if you'll be moving just by yourself? unfortunately, i don't have a job offer, and in case i will be arriving nz without job yet, i think i need to be a bit tight. :(

Look up backpackers or hostels in the town/city where you'll be. Once there, you can start looking for/asking about longer term choices. Usully, there are many ads for flatmates in the papers.

[Nathan]

We stayed at a B&B in Welly for three rotten days and two nights before walking out and checking into a hotel. The hag that ran the smelly (mold and cat urine) place would swoop in and hassle us with a critic of our day and unwanted advice on where we should be going, what we should be doing. She tried repeatedly to sell us "her friends $800K house" despite us telling her we had no intention of staying in Wellington.

[benandclare]

http://www.emigratenz.org/forum/showthread.php?t=12431

We stayed here for 4 weeks having sorted it out with Jo before hand.

It was very handy knowing we had a roof over our heads for first 4 weeks of our new life. Took a lot of the stress away and made 2 really good friends into the bargain :cheers

[zardell]

We were very, very fortunate to have friends already living in NZ. They met us at the airport and welcomed us into their home.

We also had other NZ based friends who were returning to the UK for a 6 weeks holiday and we 'house/cat-sat' for them whilst they were away.

How lucky were we...

We met all these wonderful people (and others too!!) through the North West Meets back in the UK. The meeting of like minded people, all with the same goal in mind was marvellous. It also provided an excellent support system to all it's members both in the UK and NZ.

If you haven't got a 'Meet' in your area, why not try to organise one?

Now we are in Oz, our friends from the NW Meets will be visiting us here too - friends for life.


Julie

xx

[Joanne100]

When we came over we were in a motel on Ferry road for 3 weeks, it was very basic and not very much room for us all, it was very old fashioned and didnt make us feel settled at all, the complete opposite in fact i wanted to go "home" it was cold i was miserable and couldn't wait to get out.

When we bought our home and it had the flat we thought what a great idea it would be to rent it out to people coming over so they had a "home" when they first arrived and not feel as alone as we did when we first arrived not knowing anyone.

right back at ya Ben&Clare, here's to good friends :cheers

Joanne