Coromandel Peninsula and the Bay of Plenty Hotels

Like mellow places around the world, you'll find plenty of comfortable bed-and-breakfasts and mom-and-pop motels, but both Coromandel and Bay of Plenty also have a sprinkling of luxe boutique lodges tucked away in the forest or along coastal coves. In peak season, from October through March, advance booking is essential across the board and many of the better places have long-term customers who book as much as a year in advance. You'll rarely find air-conditioning in lodgings here, but then you'll rarely need it.