Oceanfront Abode extends on to the beach and can be booked through the property management company Beyonder. Photo / Boundless Vision
Homeowners across the Bay of Plenty are letting their beachfront properties to holidaymakers in search of the “nostalgic” Kiwi summer experience.
Mount Maunganui draws big crowds year after year and was hailed this year as the best city beach in New Zealand by Herald Travel, with “all the luxuries of a bustling township”, making it a popular destination for holidaymakers searching for a bach holiday.
Tourism Bay of Plenty general manager Oscar Nathan said the coastline from Mount Maunganui to Pāpāmoa “comes alive in summer”.
“Locals and visitors flock to our golden beaches to soak up the sun, swim and surf. Our beaches can get pretty busy during peak holiday periods.”
He said accommodation across Tauranga and the wider Bay of Plenty was in high demand over summer and places booked out well in advance.
“Visitors should plan ahead to secure their spot.
“The Kiwi bach experience is alive and well here, with a wide variety of holiday rentals available, many just a short stroll from the beach.”
A bach stay gave people a taste of the laid-back lifestyle the Bay of Plenty was known for, he said.
Haley Saunders, owner of property management company Beyonder, manages bookings for holiday homes across Mount Maunganui and Pāpāmoa and said the properties reminded her of the nostalgic feelings she had as a kid.
She remembered visiting her grandma in Mount Maunganui when she was growing up, spending time going to the beach, hanging out with the family, lying in a hammock, eating fresh grapefruit, and having hot feet on the concrete – activities which still provoked “those kinds of nostalgic feelings you had as a kid”.
“A lot of travellers my age [35] want those feelings again, and they want that feeling for their children as well.”
She said Beyonder’s main client base was from Auckland and wanted to “come back to that feeling of a classic Kiwi bach”.
“The simple life: read a book, hang out under the sun, go to the beach, eat ice cream, play games on the grass, and just take the day slow.”
Events like international cricket matches and “awesome gigs like Fisher” also attracted guests.
“It just depends on the type of clientele.”
Corporate travellers were popular clients and usually booked midweek stays.
Beyonder also hosted groups of friends and golf trips.
She said it recently hosted a golf group that met up once a year, chose a destination, and checked out the local courses.
“It’s such a good, vibrant town all year round. There’s something for everybody.
“You can still feel like a local when you come here in the winter, because it’s a little bit quieter.”
Guests booked three months in advance in the summer.
Saunders said both seasons offered something different.
“You’ve got the hot pools and all these amazing walks. It’s a lot quieter during winter, so you don’t have to line up anywhere.
“It might be a bit fresher to go swimming, but you can make the most of it and do a cold dip or go to a sauna – enjoy that kind of wellness experience.”
Mount Maunganui also attracted international clients, she said.
“They want to feel like a local and feel the Kiwi lifestyle. Like just walking down to the dairy and getting an ice cream.
“It’s really painting the picture and marketing it overseas to make them feel like they can enjoy the Kiwi experience as well.”
Rochelle Wilson hosts guests at her holiday homes in Mount Maunganui and Auckland.
She said Mount Maunganui was “small enough to have that small town feel”.
Its family-oriented environment, shops, facilities, and restaurants meant the Mount “has it all”.
“You have the ability to be on a world-class beach and still have the infrastructure around you to make life easy.”
She said the biggest drawcard was the “magical Mount”, which she insisted all her guests should walk up.
Events like Aims Games attracted return guests.
“That’s what drives me to keep opening my home up to people: the repeat guests.
“Showing off my beautiful hometown and then getting people going, ‘We see what you’re talking about,’ and coming back year after year.”
One previous booking was for a family holiday. The same family rented the house a few years later when the kids were about to get married.
Kristin Clarke’s property management business Time in a Place hosts big families and corporate groups.
She said its holiday homes were fully booked from December 23 to almost the end of January.
February and March were also busy, though bookings dropped off significantly between Easter and August.
“It’s just the nature of the business.”
She said Mount Maunganui was a central location for overseas guests who wanted to visit Lake Taupō, Rotorua or Hobbiton.
“We’ve got a great little vibe in downtown Mount Maunganui and great boutique shopping.
“It’s the mini Gold Coast of New Zealand.”
Bijou Johnson is a multimedia journalist based in the Bay of Plenty. She grew up in Tauranga and developed a love for journalism while exploring various disciplines at university. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in classical studies from Massey University.