Bay of Islands Holiday Apartments

Having to pay $2 for every five minutes in the shower on top of the site fee felt like a lot, especially when there’s no communal lounge or kitchen. That also makes charging devices harder for people on non-powered sites. I’m left wondering what customers are paying for. The facilities were disgusting and seemed badly neglected. I never saw them being cleaned, and the photos show black mould throughout the showers and bugs on the ceiling. On several occasions there wasn’t even toilet paper. I also found the camp manager, Jan, difficult to deal with. She was passive-aggressive, condescending and rude. Unfortunately, I had a really poor experience at this campsite.

Jan, the manager, runs a tight ship and went the extra mile to help us after we ran into trouble earlier. We stayed for two nights because of activities we’d booked nearby. We were camping, not in the apartments. The sites were standard for this kind of place, level, grassy and clean, with no complaints from us. The bathrooms were fine and there were enough of them. It’s handy for the main road from the north and close enough to walk into town. We took about 16 minutes to reach restaurants and the wharf. The trade-off is some traffic noise, which would be more noticeable in a tent than in a van or apartment.

Jan, the owner, was extremely helpful and knew the area well. She gave us useful local recommendations and tips for our plans over the next few days. We booked a camper spot on the same day, though it wasn’t peak summer, and there were spaces for different types of campers. We were self-contained, but the toilets, showers and laundry were clean and well kept. Downtown Paihia is a quick walk along a sidewalk, and the beach is only about five minutes away. We’d happily stay again.

The host was lovely and gave us useful ideas for things to do. The location was good and peaceful, and we slept well. There are lots of handy facilities, including a washroom, power, kettle, washing lines, showers and toilets. The toilet and shower areas are a bit tired and could use a refresh. It’s a shame the showers run on a $2 timer. It’d be better if they were included in the stay price.