Looking for a Piha hotel? Where to stay instead

Piha is a small surf village, not a resort town, and the beds reflect that. For the village, Tourism New Zealand lists rental cottages and caravans, a campground and a homestay B&B, plus private beach houses.^1,2 What you will not find is a large Piha hotel on the beachfront with a lobby, a pool and a restaurant downstairs.

That is part of the charm. A night at Piha means a cottage or a bach with a deck, the sound of the surf after dark and the beach almost to yourself at first light, long before the day visitors come over the hill. It also means planning ahead, since the choice is small and the places with the best views and the easiest walk to the sand are taken early.

Tourism New Zealand's advice is to book ahead, especially in summer, which is the high season.⁷ Outside summer the village is quieter and it is easier to find a free cottage at short notice, though the weather on this coast is wilder and the evenings are cool. Pack warm layers whatever the month: the wind off the Tasman Sea makes itself felt once the sun goes down.

The cottages and private beach houses are where many of Piha's overnight guests sleep. They range from simple holiday homes to architect-built houses on the hillsides with views over the beach. A good Piha lodge or bach suits families and groups who want a kitchen, space to spread out and a deck for long summer evenings with a barbecue.

When you compare listings, look closely at where the house sits. Places on the flat near the village are a short walk from the store and the surf club; houses up the hillsides have the views but often steep drives and steps. Check the parking, whether bedding and towels are supplied, whether there is a minimum stay over holidays, and whether the price includes cleaning.

There is also a bunk room at the surf club, but it is not for the general public: you need to be a paid-up member of the club and 18 or over to book a bed, and non-members are asked to contact the club.¹⁴ For a typical visitor, a cottage, a bach or a campsite is the realistic choice in the village itself.

The ranges between the city and the coast hide several places to stay. Waitakere Resort & Spa is a rainforest retreat 30 kms from downtown Auckland and the airport, with hotel and apartment rooms, a la carte dining, a day spa, a sauna, an outdoor pool and a gym.^5,18 It is the nearest thing to a full-service hotel within reach of Piha.

Miharo, a bed and breakfast in Waiatarua, publishes handy drive times from its door: 30 minutes to the city centre, 40 minutes to the airport, 20 minutes to Piha beach and 8 minutes to the Arataki Visitor Centre.¹³ That makes the ridge a sensible halfway base if you want both the city and the coast without a long drive either way.

For something unusual, Dusk and Dawn offers 2 geodesic glass domes set 380 metres above sea level in native bush, 40 minutes from the city.^6,43 Its listing invites guests to stargaze through the glass ceiling, and the view runs out over the city lights rather than the sea. It is a stay for a special occasion rather than a cheap bed for the night.

Start with your budget and your gear. A tent or a campervan at Piha Campground is the cheapest way we found to wake up by the beach, at NZD 25 per adult per night for an unpowered site.³ A rented cottage or beach house costs more but gives a family a kitchen, a washing machine and a base for several days of beaches and walks.

Next, picture the view you want from the window at breakfast. For surf and Lion Rock outside the door, stay in the village. For a quieter lake and dunes, look at Bethells. For a spa, a pool and a restaurant, choose the resort in the ranges, which is 30 kms from the city.⁵ For a single special night, the domes and the safari tents are the memorable choice.

Finally, book well ahead for summer weekends and holidays, as Tourism New Zealand advises for Piha.⁷ Phone the campground early, since it takes no online bookings, and read the cancellation terms of any private rental before you pay a deposit.⁴ If the dates are uncertain, a day tour from the city with free cancellation keeps your options open.