Hotels in Invercargill

Most of the 1,000 or so beds available in Invercargill are in the budget and moderately priced range, with little to offer in the bed-and-breakfast or expensive bracket. One thing the area can boast, though, is its wide range of home- and farmstay options scattered throughout the surrounding farmland, and plenty of reasonable motels. Pick up the visitor center's brochure detailing home- and farmstays. The rates given below include the 15% GST and free off-street parking.

Beersheba Boutique Accommodation, 58 Milton Park Rd., Invercargill (www.beersheba.co.nz; tel. 03/216-3677), is a nice, new B&B offering two good rooms in the main house (NZ$250-NZ$270), plus a self-contained one-bedroom cottage in a private garden setting (NZ$290). The whole property sits within a 1.6 hectare (4-acre) landscaped garden with ponds and an abundance of bird life. For apartment-style lodging, you can't beat the modern studios and one- and two-bedroom apartments at Quest Invercargill ★★, 10 Dee St. (www.questinvercargill.co.nz; tel. 0800/101-801 in NZ, or 03/211-3966), in the refurbished historic post office building in the heart of the city. Tariffs range from NZ$139 to NZ$246. They offer great online deals and parking is free.

Backpackers will find comfortable beds at Living Space, 15 Tay St. (www.livingspace.net; tel. 0508/454-846 in NZ, or 03/211-3800), with its colorful selection of studios (from NZ$99) and two- to three-bedroom apartments (NZ$129-NZ$149).