Fiji dreaming: Tokoriki Island Resort in Nadi is the South Pacific's number 1 hotel. Photo / Supplied
Fiji dreaming: Tokoriki Island Resort in Nadi is the South Pacific's number 1 hotel. Photo / Supplied
With a year of pent up demand a leading travel website has revealed the leading New Zealand hotels whose pages have attracted the most virtual visitors during 2020.
Trip Advisor has revealed the world's favourite places to stay as part of their annual Travellers' Choice Awards.
A massive 42 Kiwihotels featured across all categories in this year's Awards showing, while borders remain closed, the rest of the world is still dreaming of a New Zealand holiday.
One of the world's largest consumer choice awards for travel, Tripadvisor says the finallists were picked by "millions of travellers everywhere shared reviews and opinions based on those places and moments that left an impression."
Abel Tasman Lodge is New Zealand's most romantic small hotel. Photo / Supplied
Among them was the Abel Tasman Lodge which was placed #3 on the South Pacific's Most Romantic Hotel list and #19 in the World.
In Sandy Bay on the edge of the Abel Tasman Park and lined with yellow Kōwhai trees, the boutique hotel took gold place as New Zealand's best boutique hotel. It also was number one in New Zealand for romance.
Wairua Lodge at the top of the Coromandel also was a clear winning in this year's rankings - coming #3 on the Top B&B and Inns list in the South Pacific and #25 in the World.
Debbie Baumberger and her Swiss husband Aschi, bring the best of their Alpine and Kiwi heritage to this award winning B&B, on the winding route 309.
Wairua Lodge is hidden in the middle of the Coromandel. Photo / Supplied
Another New Zealand listing that may have opened up under your radar is Fable's Hotel Fitzroy in Auckland. The trendy Ponsonby house hotel landed at 14 on the New Hottest Hotels in the world, opened in the last 12 months.
Overall crowdpleaser was Delorenzo's Studio Apartments in Nelson, which was voted in at number 6 on the South Pacific's favourite hotels.
"Between navigating lockdowns, implementing vaccine roll-outs and negotiating travel bubbles, 2020 was definitely the year of staying local and staying safe in New Zealand," said Tripadvisor spokesperson, Jane Lim. "This year, with travel bubbles in place and more on the way, we're all excited to finally get back to travel."
With travel opening up to Australia and the Pacific Islands, there are plenty more award-winning hotels which could soon be welcoming New Zealand travellers.
This includes Fiji's Tokoriki Island Resort, which landed at #1 hotel in the South Pacific and #25 in the world.
Wild card: Narrows Escape Rainforest Retreat was voted the number 1 most romantic escape in the world. Photo / Supplied
While Fiji holidays are still a dream, a quirky tree-top escape in Queensland also landed high up in the awards.
Narrows Escape Rainforest Retreat was voted number 1 hotel for Romance, not only in Australia, the South Pacific and the World.
In seven acres of rainforest, with six self –contained villas, hundreds of Tripadvisor reviewers voted to name Narrows the "most romantic hotel in the world".
The tree-top nook was three Suhshine Coast boutique hotels which took the Australian top spots #1, #2 and #3. Montville's Falls hotel, the Narrows, and nearby Bli Bli House led the local tourism board to dub the region "Love Shack Central".
"What these awards show is that you don't have to be big and grand to be the best," said Visit Sunshine Coast cheif executive, Matt Stoeckel.
Top 10 hotels in the South Pacific, 2021
Tokoriki Island Resort – Tokoriki Island, Fiji Castaway Island Fiji – Castaway Island, Fiji Element on Coolum Beach – Coolum Beach, Australia Kingsford Smith Motel – Brisbane, Australia Beach Club – Hamilton Island, Australia Delorenzo's Studio Apartments – Nelson, New Zealand Korte's Resort – Rockhampon, Australia Quest Sale Serviced Apartments – Sale, Australia Treasury On Collins – Melbourne, Australia The St. Regis Bora Bora Resort – Bora Bora, French Polynesia
