[smitjo]

Our aim is to book a hotel/motel in Welly from the UK and stay there for about two weeks as we look for rental properties, jobs etc! Any recommendations on good, cheapish motels in the Welly area would be much appreciated? :nice1 !

Jo & Alex

[Avalon]

Well, not really in the "cheap" category as such, but I can heartily recommend Quest On Johnson (Or J Street Apartments its still sometimes called). We paid about $110 a night max in January for a 1 bed apartment. They also do studio apartments.

Out of the 3 places we stayed in Welly - it was far and above the best. And the owners really looked after us.

It was less cramped than many places in the city center (its just off Lambton Quay - so in the heart of the CBD) and actually tidy and clean (some really werent).

HTH

[tigerlily]

Avalon-
are these self-catering, fully furnished places?

[clg]

We stayed at quest on johnston too our first few weeks! It had everything you need, well equiped kitchen and even a washer/dryer. The frying pan they had was no good so we bought one but that was the only thing they did not have. We were there with our 2.5yo daughter and had a 2bd apartment. There is a good indonesian place on the opposite block, the long bar.

[Avalon]

Hey - as if by magic!

And not only that - they have a small gym (if you are sick like me and actually WANT such things!)

I also dint entirely get along with the frying pan - but it was one these "electric frying pans" which seem really popular here. Totally weird.

Quest on Johnson is what is termed an "Apartment hotel" and these are quite popular in NZ - and especially in the cities from what ive seen. This is definately one of the good ones in Welly (Quest on the terrace was so grim it made me want to jump out the window!). Most Apartment hotels have fully equiped kitchen areas and laundry facilities in each room. Some are studios (the bed is in the "living area") and some are 1-2 bed apartments where the bedroom is separate.

Becasue its self catered - you VERY quickly have to adapt to supermarket shopping. Can be a bit daunting - but in someways its a good thing.

Theres a New World Metro about 5-10 mins walk away on Willis St, and a buthers called City Meats in Lambton Quay shopping arcade about 2 mins away - with a convenience store in the same arcade.

HTH

[tigerlily]

thanks avalon

I think self-catering will def save money in the 2 weeks or so it could take to find some place to live. Also with little kids it's just nice not to eat in a restaurant for every single meal!

[Jonathon1977]

It's very hard to find a place to rent in Wellington at the moment. I have spent the last two weeks looking for a flat or house for rent. I finally found a place in Petone last week. The prices are reasonable but the demand far exceeds the supply in the rental market.

I showed at one open house and had to wait in line 30 minutes to view the house due to the response. It's a landlords market at the moment and you should be prepared.

One of the reasons I choose to move to NZ was because I did not have to own or drive a car. (Tree Hugger) I spent a large chunk of change on bus and train fare. You may want to consider a hire car for your first week or so. Avis will rent you one for $19 per day which is actually less than I spent on bus and rail fare.

I had to look at over 30 flats before I could get someone to "allow" me to sign a lease. Be prepared to pour on the charm and know "beggars can't be choosers".

Regards,

Jonathon

PS - I now have a 2 bedroom flat in Petone for one person but I have a place. I feel for anyone going though this. If you are moving to Welly and need to crash your family a few nights please let me know. We can talk and maybe I can help you out a bit.

[Avalon]

Jonathan,

{{HUGS}} - we also got a bit caught out with this. We arrived in jan last year, and thought nothing of trying to rent an apartment in the city. Oh Boy were we in for a shock.

University term start at the beginning of the year - NOT in September like we are used to. So many places were being nabbed by students clubbing together. (of course the other side of the coin is that many places were shown wanted a small fortune for a grot-hole).

Thankfully J Street let us extend our stay for a damn good rate (and gave us the penthouse!)

[clg]

I heard from someone new at work they were having a hard finding a place here too. A couple houses went up for sale near us and the sold signs went up right after. Much more activity than when we moved here late August. I think, as Avalon says, school has a lot do do with it.

In a post above I mentioned the long bar as an indonesian place, it is malaysian, oops.

There is a good fish monger on lambton quay, Pacific Catch, a block or so from J street.

Glad to hear you are settling in Jonathon!

Avalon,

I hated that electric frying pan thing, glad you could make use of it. We were also in what they called a penthouse, one floor down from the top floor it was the 2bd room I forget the # was it the same room?

[Rabbit]

We are out there soon - April.

Is there a good social network in Welly?

Making good friends will be an important part of making the transition a success.

I am so glad this board is international, Dutch, Brits, Yanks, still think we are missing a few, e.g. India, China, Ausies, Fiji?

The more diverse the merrier, the reason I wanted to go to Welly is that it is cosmopolitan.

Unity in diversity, and making this great move brings us all together with the same trials and tribulations.

I drove to Birmingham today, for some more blood tests, and stopped off at the McDonalds on the way to Handsworth. There was a poor chap, all alone, probably from Iraq, buying a cup of tea to keep warm, and his dress looked so out of place - my heart went out to him, but I did not speak. He left his country for a reason and we did too - it did make me think.

Regardless of where we come from we all want a better life for ourselves and our family and everyone has a right to that.