Stories
City meets country in Nelson
Sustainability is a key passion for a Nelson couple who turned an old barn into a corrugated iron-themed cottage
How to screen your guests
Screening renters is a real skill. Here’s how to minimise risk by picking the right guests.
The blue house at the beach
The owners of Our Blue Bach in Waikuku bought the house after a chance meeting with its former occupants
First taste of summer at Ruffins Bay
In November we felt an urgent need for sea, sand and relaxation. It was high time we spent a weekend at the beach.
Living, breathing history in Hokianga
Nature's on a grand scale in the Hokianga, from Omapere’s sand bank to giant kauri
Baths, babies, bikes and brothers in Rotorua
When family duty calls, it’s time to load up the car and spend a weekend lounging by a lake
How to use your photo gallery to boost bookings
Enticing photos help your bach stand out from the competition. Here’s how to use images to boost your bookings.
A quick tour of New Zealand breweries
Take a tour around New Zealand with beer on your mind and you'll find lots to surprise you, with boutique breweries popping up even in the most out-of-the-way places and producing some very fine brews.
Best practice guidelines for bach owners
Bookabach and Qualmark's recommendations for best practice guidelines for holiday home rental management
What to include in a rental agreement
Putting your terms and conditions in writing protects both you and your renters and helps prevent disputes.
Central Plateau
A region of vast contrasts - from beautiful nature at its finest, to bleak, uninhabited landscape - the Lake Taupo and Ruapehu region shows the charm that only the central North Island can offer.
Surf guide: North Island
Our 15,000km coastline is a surf supermarket of easily accessible breaks just waiting to caress your board. This report guides you to the country's best surf spots.
Ship shape
Tree trunks are part of the furniture – and of the cantilever system used in the design of a Hihi holiday house
Old barn, new bach
What began life as a hay barn has been transformed by its architect owner into a holiday home with a loft bedroom
West Auckland winery conversion
A picturesque Henderson vineyard has been transformed into a yoga and accommodation centre
Beach bungalow moves with the times
Kakanui Beach Retreat has recently undergone its second metamorphosis - refurbished to cater for the next generation
Holidays at Purakanui
Barbara Chisholm's grandfather bought a house at Purakanui Inlet to escape a polio epidemic in Dunedin
Cape to cove
It’s 150 years since Waipu was settled by Gaelic-speaking Scots but their legacy is still larger than life in the small Bream Bay town
The story of Wyuna Magic
Beverley Mayhead's Coromandel beach house has been in the family for generations
Sweet and natural in Kerikeri
An eco cottage in a subtropical garden brings welcome relief after a tour of local sweet producers
Celebrating the arts in Nelson
The Nelson Arts Festival is a chance to kick the winter blues firmly out the door and celebrate our wonderful blend of art, culture and events
A guide to water safety
Staying safe around water is mostly commonsense. If you feel in need of a refresher course, here are a few tips about safety around beaches, boats and water in general
123 ways to equip your bach
Which amenities are essential to any holiday house – and which added luxuries are likely to increase your bookings?
A paddle down the Whanganui River
A leisurely river trip by Canadian canoe is a pleasant introduction to white water
Biking the Ohakune Old Coach Road
A Ruapehu cycling and walking track offers a lesson in New Zealand rail history
Mt Ruapehu in spring
There's nothing like a trip to the mountain once winter's over and there's still fresh snow on the slopes
One night in the Makakahi Valley
Is there a more peaceful place on Earth than a farm cottage near Raetihi?
Snow, ice and stars in the Mackenzie Country
Wedding parties, stargazers and ski teams flock to Lake Tekapo but it’s not hard to find solitude here
How to give your bach the pet-friendly tick
If your holiday home is well set up for pets, it will quickly get a good reputation amongst dog owners who often feel deprived of good pet-friendly accommodation.
A guide to hot pools and spa resorts
While icy rain is pouring from the heavens, or the hot sun’s filtering through the trees, there are few more relaxing indulgences than spa treatments or the therapeutic waters of mineral hot pools
Finding fine fare in Geraldine
A quick stop in the South Canterbury farming town shows why local producers have put the town on the food map
Taupo spa treatment soothes post-run muscle aches
A soak in a hot mineral pool and spa treatment is the perfect follow-up to a half marathon
Five go hiking in Abel Tasman
A winter walk through Abel Tasman National Park includes icy river crossings, a game of catch with a friendly weka and an impromptu ukulele concert
Mount Cook by helicopter
A trip on to the Tasman Glacier shows a different side of our highest mountain
Take two days in Christchurch
Sara Goessi explores Canterbury’s largest city on foot and by tram
A guide to public art galleries
Take the time to visit some of NZ's regional public galleries and you'll find some real treasures in their permanent collections, as well regular exhibitions
What to do when a booking is cancelled
Avoid disagreements about cancelled bookings by having a clearly defined cancellation policy in place.
Snow guide: Club and small commercial ski areas
Few queues, friendly faces and fun are the hallmarks of these little ski areas, many of them hidden on remote mountainsides around the country.
Epicurean escape in Tairua
Forty years after our grandmother died, we booked a bach on the Coromandel and spent a weekend recreating her recipes
Warmup: winter at the beach
The storm was exactly what we'd hoped for: wild wintry weather as the perfect backdrop to snuggle up in a cosy bach on the west coast.
How to add Bookabach to your website
Do you have your own website? Here's how Bookabach can help.
Rainy day adventures in Rotorua
Rotorua in May means mountain bike trails through forests, lounging in hot pools and watching the lions being fed.
Wine and cheese in Napier
A hot pool, a log fire, delicious local cheeses – what more could you ask for from a winter sojourn in Hawke's Bay?
Whakapapa and Turoa Ski Accommodation New Zealand
Although they're an hour's drive apart, Whakapapa and Turoa share the same ski passes so with a multi-day ski pass, you can choose between the two.
Scandrett Bay: Trelise Cooper’s childhood bach
Trelise Cooper talks about carefree days at her family’s north Auckland bach
Qualmark code of ethics
The Qualmark code of ethics sets out 12 requirements for Qualmark Licence Holders
Mahurangi Harbour history tour
A steamer was once your only option for getting to Scott's Landing. These days it's a short drive from Warkworth.
Growing exotic fruit in Little Huia
Rosalind Le Bas Walker meets some of the locals in Little Huia, on the Manukau Harbour.
How to child-proof your bach
Want to rent out your bach? Make it family-friendly and you’ll encourage repeat bookings and word-of-mouth recommendations.
Perfect pet-friendly getaways
Leaving your precious pooch behind – tail between his legs – can take the thrill out of your weekend escape. So take your canine companion with you, to one of the hundreds of pet-friendly baches on Bookabach.
A bach owner’s guide to health and safety regulations
As a bach owner, you have to comply with five different Acts relating to health and safety. Diana Clement has read the Acts – so you don’t have to – and summarises the main points here.
How to manage key collection
Owners and property managers use a number of different ways to manage keys. It's up to you to work out which is best in your circumstances.
Wineries in winter
Late autumn's the perfect time for a wine tour, when vineyards are at their most picturesque.
Kawhia: go west in winter
Kawhia draws the crowds in summer but in winter you might find you have the beach to yourself.
Wine guide: New Zealand
Take a tour of New Zealand's eight premier wine-growing regions and find out for yourself what it is about our country that helps it produce such distinctive and successful wines.
The humble Kiwi bach is a hit in cyberspace
Managing their Lake Taupo holiday homes over the internet has made life much easier for two Kiwi families. Rosalind Le Bas Walker finds out how.
Manawatu
The Manawatu region stretches from the Tasman Sea below Wanganui in the south to the southern part of Tongariro National Park in the north.
Northland
Northland is a subtropical paradise and the ultimate destination; the place for laidback adventures and quiet relaxation.
Marlborough
The Marlborough Sounds is like a giant maze of deep waterways that forge inland for almost 40km
Taupo
Taupo is nestled on the northern shores of New Zealand’s largest lake, Lake Taupo, surrounded by stunning volcanoes, bush clad mountains and a spectacular landscape. Cafes and restaurants in Taupo overlook the lake, and there is a good variety of retail therapy available. Some of the best trout fishing in the world has international anglers flocking to the area, which is also a great base for visitors wanting to take part in other sporting activities, whether land or water-based.
Auckland
If you can, picture the view from the top of the Sky Tower - that's Auckland. Everything you can see on the clearest of days, from Great Barrier Island in the east to where the Waitakere Ranges meet the surf beaches out west. North, you'll just make out Matakana's wine country. South lies bustling Manukau, with its own ruggedly spectacular harbour, then the Hunua Ranges and the golden beaches of the Clevedon coast. Anywhere you can see, you can be in about 45 minutes.
Coromandel Peninsula
Hidden hot pools, clear ocean waters, pristine native bush and lively eateries make this region one of our favourite holiday playgrounds.
Snow guide: Queenstown Lakes
From mild to wild adventure, this is an adrenaline-pumped region with non-stop action from skiing and snow boarding to sky diving and bungy jumping.
Your bach as a business
Once you start renting out your bach, it becomes a business. Here, Diana Clement clarifies some tax interpretations in the hope we can help you avoid being audited by the tax man!
Biking the 42 Traverse in thermal Tokaanu
Peter and Tiki do the 42 traverse - one of NZ's finest mountain bike rides - and stay in the Tokaanu post office.
Raglan - the world´s longest left hand ride
The lively West Coast town of Ragan is a great spot for live music and a latte, but it is most famous for its surf of course!
Snow guide: Canterbury
From one of the country's top commercial ski areas to friendly little club fields, this is the country's most diverse ski region so you're guaranteed a huge variety of terrain.
Snow guide: Mt Ruapehu
Dramatically rising 2797m out of the Central Plateau, this vast volcanic beauty has two commerical ski areas and a friendly little club field.
Historic baches on Rangitoto Island
The Rangitoto Island Historic Conservation Trust works to restore the island's historic baches
Otaki Beach family getaway
I have a sneaking suspicion that the Kapiti Coast town of Otaki has a deep-seated grudge against my family!
Putting the Tiki in Tikitapu
A "Tri-my-sport" triathlon sounded like a cheery offer; positive, just give it a go, that kind of thing. Yet as I stood in the morning chill at the wind-ruffled edge of Lake Tikitapu, I realised it was the kind of invitation one should be wary of, like "smell this" or "pull my finger."
Farmers’ markets: coming to a town near you
A celebration of local produce, authentic farmers' markets are cropping up everywhere, becoming tourist attractions in their own right.
Northland: where the locals are a bit of a Dagg
From the sophistication of its pretty East Coast villages to the ancient kauri forests and untouched dunes of the wild West Coast, temperate Northland is a region of contrasting scenery and unassuming locals always ready for a chat.
Hot tips to boost your bookings in the cool months
Keep your bookings flowing through the low season with these hot tips from our Bachchat editor and successful B&B owner/operator.
Old wooden boats steal the show on Lake Rotoiti
All the Rotoiti women have, at some stage, lost their men to an old girl of the sea.
