New Zealand’s best baches announced

New Zealand’s best baches announced

The public has voted for New Zealand’s best baches in Bookabach’s annual Golden Piwa Awards. www.bookabach.co.nz/golden-piwas

Bookabach lists 8,200 holiday rental houses nationwide, over 80% of New Zealand’s listings. The awards are named after its fantail mascot, Piwa the piwakawaka.

Gold, Silver and Bronze award winners were decided in eight categories; Best Setting, Best City, Best Child-friendly, Best Pet- friendly, Best Luxury, Best Quirky, Best Eco and Best Hospitality, listed here;

Over 3,500 members of the public voted online this month, choosing from six finalists in each category. Bookabach selected the finalists from over 250 baches nominated by members last month.

Bookabach general manager Peter Miles says two new categories– Best City and Best Luxury - were introduced this year to mark developing trends in the holiday rental market.

“Bookabach is going beyond the bach to broaden its relevance to holidaymakers. Families now see our website as a place to look for affordable accommodation in cities as well,” he says.

“Luxury property owners have seen Bookabach as a bit low-brow because of the word ‘bach’. We’ve broken through this barrier and now have a fair choice of high-end properties,” he says.

Best Setting was again the most hotly contested category, won by Woodpecker Bay Bach on the South Island’s West Coast. Perched on rocks just out of reach of breaking surf near Punakaiki, this rustic Kiwi bach can be rented for just $125 a night.

Best Hospitality is another important category, says Miles. “Because most baches are managed by owners in their spare time, our industry’s sometimes seen as ‘amateur’. Baches are not hotels, so you can’t expect 24/7 service, but our online feedback shows extraordinarily high levels of guest satisfaction. Bach owners are giving you the key to something that’s very near and dear to them and their families. There’s a sense of pride in ownership, so they really do care about your experience.”

Now is a good time to list or book a bach, he says. “New properties available for the peak Christmas, New Year period are added to the website daily. Plus, many owners are just now deciding whether to rent out their bach over the peak period or save it for their own families.”

The 2014 Golden Piwa Award winners are;

Best Luxury - Hurakia Lodge, Rakino Island, Hauraki Gulf
Best City - Waterfront apartment, Nelson
Best Quirky - Simply B Yurts, Waiheke Island
Best Child-Friendly - Tapeka del Mar, Russell, Bay of Islands
Best Pet-Friendly - Tindalls Bay Bach, Whangaparoa
Best Eco - Mt Lyford Eco Lodge, Canterbury
Best Hospitality- Wyuna Magic, Coromandel Town
Best Setting -Woodpecker Bay Bach, West Coast

ends

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