Waihi Beach Lodge - attracts couples for special occassions

Recently we had a lovely couple here from the UK recently- in New Zealand for 6 weeks and while they were here they had one of their lifetime adventures. Turns out every new country they go to they do something special  and the New Zealand trip was their 25th wedding anniversary present and here in Waihi Beach they had each booked a Harley pillion passenger ride courtesy of Bularangi Harley tours .  They were fizzing well before they had their ride and afterwards you could not get the smile off their faces. Magic, fantastic, awesome - the superlatives flowed and they had travelled in style. They had been in the Karangahake gorge and over to Hobbiton and back as well as a quick tour of Waihi Beach including going up to the lookout at Bowentown.

For more information  on activities here at the beach check out activities at Waihi Beach

Honeymooners from Europe

                                                             Image - Barry Jesney

 Last week we had 2 couples stay at Waihi Beach on their honeymoons from the UK & Germany

With the couple from the UK  the guy had been to New Zealand 10 years ago and was here showing off NZ to his new wife and was full of the praise of the scenery beauty in and around Waihi Beach and Southern Coromandel

The German couple were from Luxembourg - both were young doctors and marvelled about the beaches  and natural beauty - they commented there was not much left in Germany. They thought Waihi Beach was just awesome despite the weather not being that great  - it is spring after all.

They mentioned they felt the quality of life in New Zealand would be much better than in Europe and in Germany from what they had seen so far on their trip.

Both couples said they chose  New Zealand because of its beauty and being so far away from home it was just a special place to come.They really enjoyed the coast and the beach and thought

For more information on honeymoons at Waihi Beach

To find Waihi Beach 

Waihi Beach -Spring is here - Summer is on the way

It must be spring time - kowahi trees in blossom,new born lambs running round in the paddocks and daffodils a plenty.

The beach is getting ready for summer - sand is slowly coming back to the beach after the winter of easterly winds , retailers, cafes and the accommodation sector are readying themselves for the summer season and we have daylight saving starting overnight.It already getting lighter in the mornings much earlier and  getting darker later - bring on summer.

 Checkout activities to see and do at Waihi Beach on  www.waihibeachlodge.co.nz/activities.html

Waihi Beach & graffiti

It is pretty disappointing to see the Waihi Beach sign on SH2 coming from Katikati to Waihi Beach now graffitied.It appears to have been done some time late last week or on the weekend.  I know we have done well to escape this menace for this long but it does not mean we have to like it.

Those who graffiti other peoples property do not respect them selves, other people or other peoples property and they are a curse on our community.

This act just creates negatives all round - someone else has to go and clean up the sign or worse arrange to have it repaired all at some one elses cost - usually the poor homeowner or the person whose property gets defaced.

If you saw someone doing the graffiti please let our Waihi Beach police know about it or if you hear about the persons responsible for this again please contact the Waihi Beach Police.

Waihi Beach & Southern Coromandel

                                                         Image from Mike Hill photography

The agent famil is over and fingers crossed we now have some converts to seeing what a beautiful piece of paradise we have here in Southern Coromandel  including Waihi Beach .

There were initial comments like - "we did not realise how much there was to see and do, we had always sent our clients north, we sent our clients direct to Rotorua" - and more so may be our timing was spot on and our goal of making agents responsible for bringing visitors to the region aware of what's on offer was achieved. However the proof of the pudding will be in the eating - we will watch with interest.

The agents were hosted in 3 quality properties coutresy of www.southerncoromandellodges.co.nz plus most had a Harley experiece courtesy of Bularangi Harley Tours and at the same time saw snippets of Southern Coromandel.

We took in the Martha mine, Waihi Beach and the Karangahake gorge and we arranged presentations to them from both the Hauraki Rail Trail and the Gold Discovery centre in Waihi on progress with the respective activities - more pieces of the jigsaw coming tiogether to make Southern Coromandel a strong offer for prospective visitors.

For more information on activities in and around Waihi Beach www.waihibeachlodge.co.nz/activities.html

Waihi Beach on TV1 news

Unbelievable - yep we have finally broken through and folk now know we exist.

Waihi Beach appears on the lead in page to TV1's weather on Saturday night @ approx 6.25 pm- we are making it now - we have been discovered!

We think its about time Waihi Beach got mentioned. No not Waihi or little Waihi or the Waihi near Maketu - Waihi Beach  - 2 hours south of Auckland - just as we know it.

Obviously the next step is to get TV1 weather to have Waihi Beach permanently put on the lead in smaller towns map in between Whakatane and Whitianga - presently there is nothing so a town of our quality would fit in there just right.

I am sure local photographers like Mike Hill and Bary Jesney can keep them updated with images of our piece of paradise and of course we will set up a temperature gauge and daily report the local weather conditions.

Waihi Beach & The Barrier

Recently there has been talk about replacing/upgrading the library in Waihi - this is how they get by on the Barrier and get by they do. At Waihi Beach we have a very good library and it would be 4 or 5 times the size of the one above and it appears to be very well used.

For more information on things to do at Waihi Beach www.waihibeachlodge.co.nz/activities.html

Agents visiting Waihi Beach and Southern Coromandel

                               The Homunga toWaihi Beach walking track

We have 10 or so inbound tour operators (agents who for the most part act for wholesalers somewhere else in the world) coming to see the Coromandel later this month spending a day in both northern and southern Coromandel.

In southern Coromandel they will be staying at the 3 Southern Coromandel Lodges as well as seeing the sights of Waihi, Waihi Beach and the Karangahake gorge as we update them on our little piece of paradise. We will be promoting the now open  Hauraki Rail Trail, updating them on the Gold Discovery centre in Waihi and launching Maori tourism products exclusive to the Southern Coromandel. Bularangi Harley Tours will being showing agents the options for tours & Harley hire and those that are keen will get the chance to see parts of southern Coromandel from the back of a Harley during their stay.

While they are in our area the agents will be sampling the best  local produce and wines as well as sharing our hospitality. Ali & I are providing a seafood soup for dinner on one of the nights - gave it a trial run last night- can't wait to share it with our guests and fellow famil contributors.

For more information on how to find Waihi Beach www.waihibeachlodge.co.nz/map.html

Greed - not the greatest advertisement for Tourism

I read this morning about the Olympics (less than 1 month to go) in London that there are great deals to be had in accommodation and shows around the city. Amazing state of affairs considering the Olympics is supposed to be a major drawcard and I thought beds would be at a premium. Not so - hotels in London are paying the price for being too greedy and pushing up the price for rooms by as much as 10 times their normal room price - wow! Bookings are down by 35% and prices are being slashed to attract last minute bookings. Prices have been slashed by 30% and West End hit shows by as much as 50%.

During the RWC 2011 in NZ there was a similar stance taken by some hospitality operaters - prices went through the roof for hotel rooms yet in the month before the start of the cup prices started to tumble as many has misread the market and were left with empty beds to fill. I saw packages on cruise ships offering 10 nights accommodation plus tickets to the semis and final drop from $4,999.00 per person to  $999.00 per person - bargains were there to be had. 

Room rates in London on last minute sites have dropped to as low as 59.00 british  pounds and there are a large number of rooms available. The greedy hotelliers deserve what they get - empty rooms. Why would you pay up to 10 times the normal price. I accept there are premiums for world class events but common sense must prevail - you still need to be value for money and we all know what it is like when you feel like you have been ripped off.

In not reading the market and being overly greedy the hoteliers have given the Olympics a poor start before any event has taken place and greed is at the heart of the problem No thought has been given to supporting the event for greater good, no thought to the effects on British tourism and no thought given to the consumer - the fall guy here who has to pay the outrageous room rates.

But it is not a British problem solely - its a global problem and with events spread around the world it happens everywhere. When we were in Paris for the last RWC in 2007 - the All Blacks had been knocked out in the quarter finals we were able to cancel our hotel accommodation for the semi and finals but had to book into the same hotel for the day after the final as we had booked for the final - an amazing difference in price - more than 50% less than we had been previously quoted.

The bottom line is you still need to be value for money - misread the situation and consumers will vote with their wallets and choose to stay elsewhere - there are other places in Europe to see other than London and these become much more attractive when taking into account the costs of visiting London at this time.

If you want a good winter/ spring deal check out  www.waihibeachlodge.co.nz/specials.html with our stay for 3 nights pay for 2 offer.

Waihi Beach Op Shop Ball 2012

The  2012 Op Shop Ball held at the Waihi Beach Community Centre with a medieval theme was a great success. Over 400 folk tuned up in their finest medieval outfits/frocks and a good time was had by all.

The Tim Armstrong band had the crowd on the dance floor most of the night and entertained until the the wee hours.

Costumes were many and varied - many were home made or added to after the original was purchased from an op shop or from costume hire outlets. We had nuns, Fiar Tuck, Lords and Ladies, priests and bishops,knights and princesses, court jesters, serfs and much more.

Thanks should go to Niria Gerbich and her 2012 Op Shop Ball committee for their sterling creative work in putting on such a wonderful event for the community.

For more information on tings to do at Waihi Beach www.waihibeachlodge.co.nz/activities.html

Waihi Beach Lodge - Trip Advisor Excellence Award 2012

Recently we received a Trip Advisor Excellence award for 2012 - We are both humbled and very pleased that guests have felt they have been looked after very well.

This award is arrived at by taking the ratings your guests give you when they complete a review after staying at your property and it means that guests have had an excellent experience at your property.As this is a global forum and many of our guests (95%) are international, it reflects well not only on ourselves but Waihi Beach as it covers off their Waihi Beach experience and they have obviously enjoyed it very much.

We treat guests as we would like to be treated and we want them to feel at home

Guests always arrive as strangers but some leave as friends and many keep in contact.

This award affirms our efforts to date but lifts the bar even higher for the future and guest expectations

For more information on accommodation at Waihi Beach Lodge www.waihibeachlodge.co.nz 

More honeymooners for Waihi Beach- this time from Ireland

We recently  hosted a honeymoon couple from Ireland- for her back again to see New Zealand and to show her new husband what a great place New Zealand is - she was here 10 years ago working her way around New Zealand.

All they could both say was what a stunning country we have - the coastline, the countryside etc - it compared very well to Ireland in most ways except that our winter weather was better than their summer weather. I thought winters here at the beach were mild. Where they live in Ireland - 1 hour out of Dublin it can get to minus 5 - 10 degrees in winter.

Huge complments too for the beach - " fancy waking up to that every morning - you would not get any work done" - it says it all

For more information on honeymoons and anniversary packages at Waihi Beach Lodge
www.waihibeachlodge.co.nz/specials.html

Guests come to Waihi Beach but have seen most of NZ

                                           Orakawa Bay Image - Barry Jesney

Over the weekend we have a lovely young couple from Hamilton come and stay to celebrate their 5th anniversary at Waihi Beach. They had not been to Waihi Beach before and so were looking at discovering more of New Zealand.

What impressed us about this young couple ( mid to late 20"s) was that they had taken time to travel around most of New Zealand and had embraced the beauty of our country and knew most parts very well and were proud of what they had seen.

They had also done some OE but really appreciated New Zealand countryside and coastline and thought more kiwis should be doing the same. Former Australian rugby league player Steve Price commented on Intrepid journeys recently he could not understand why Kiwis were in a rush to go to Australia when there was so much to see and do here.

As they were leaving we suggested they take the walk over to Orakawa Bay - a real hidden gem - broadening their knowledge of both Waihi Beach and the New Zealand coastline.

For more information on packages at Waihi Beach Lodge www.waihibeachlodge.co.nz/specials.html

Waihi Beach & the Rena oil spill

It is really pleasing to read in the NZ Herald today that the recovery from the Rena oil spill back in October on Astrolabe reef is going really well.Scientists working on the Rena recovery believe that the Bay of Plenty environment has battled well back from the oil spill disaster.

A group of scientists and academics have been working on a study and say "early results are promising" and they feel that the BOP missed out on the worst of the disaster because salvors managed to get most of the oil off the stricken boat before it had a chance to come ashore.That is a big relief for all in the BOP region!

A key area of concern is still Astrolabe reef where there are valleys, caves and eeep drop offs teeming with marine life. Samples are being collected ansd analysed to determine indications of the effects.

Source NZ Herald June 8th 2012

The Porch Kitchen & Bar - Waihi Beach

                                   This image is of Orakawa Bay looking at it from the Homunga track

Reading the Sideswipe column on the back page of Monday mornings NZ Herald made me feel proud to live at Waihi Beach. In the column there was an article complementing the handling of a customers "coughing fit" by the staff and management at The Porch Kitchen & Bar and thanking them for their help- well done to Riaan, Carla and the staff at the Porch who were on that night.

It is a great advertisement for the Porch and for Waihi Beach.The only pity with the article it's headline said Waihi and not Waihi Beach!

For more information on where to eat at Waihi Beach www.waihibeachlodge.co.nz/activities.html

Waihi Beach - new wedding venue open day

 The new wedding venue @ Waihi Beach On the Beach Weddings had its open day today and it seemed to be going very well.

There were plenty of people at the open day and there seemed to be lots of genuine enquires for Andy and his team ( Jane, Anne Marie and Rachel to deal with)

Every option seemed to be covered from wedding cakes to marque layout, DJ's, seating arrangements to menus- all taken care of.

There is lots of interest already with 19 weddings booked for the coming season

For more information on honeymoons at Waihi Beach www.waihibeachlodge.co.nz/specials.html  

Waihi Beach videos

 image Barry Jesney

Check out the local Waihi Beach website http://www.waihibeachinfo.co.nz/ for 3 videos promoting the beach - http://bit.ly/KB6wbv 

These have ben provided by the WBOPDC and were made last year by Central TV.

The videos give an overview of the beach  in 3 parts - northern end, the vilage and town centre and the bowentown end all helping to add to the profile of Waihi Beach.

For more info onwhat to do at Waihi Beach www.waihibeachlodge.co.nz/activities.htnl

Hauraki Rail Trail

The Hauraki Rail Trail is going to be officially opend this weekend  and another major attaction for Southern Coromandel will be in place.

The Hauraki Rail Trail has many different options available to cyclists and walkers alike.
The Hauraki Rail Trail will be a 2-day ride, which makes it easy to do on weekends. You can start the trail from Thames, Paeroa, Waihi, or Te Aroha, and the trail also offers a range of shorter riding options, including day rides. One of the best features of the trail includes riding through the stunning Karangahake Gorge, natural beauty at it's best and right on our door step.

The trail is now 90% complete - this will add significantly to tourism activty in the medium and long term as more and more people become aware of the trail.

For more info on the trail and other activities to try from Waihi Beach www.waihibeachlodge.co.nz/activities.html

Anzac Day - Waihi Beach

Image Barry Jesney

Today is very important  to us in New Zealand and at Waihi Beach as we give thanks to those who have gone before us and some of whom made the ultimate sacrifice.

We are very fortunate that these men & women went and fought for our freedom - without their sacrifice we would not have the fredoms we enjoy today - we are endetted to their selflessness

We will remember them.

Lest we forget

http://www.waihibeachlodge.co.nz/

Waihi & Waihi Beach - The Nugget

Great event on the weekend to showcase Waihi and Waihi Beach. The weather could not have been better although I am sure the athletes would have liked it a bit cooler as the day warmed up.

I was a marshall for the day - out in a cow paddock behind the underground mine next to where all the tailings are dumped behind Baxter Rd. My job was to make athletes aware of the gate they ahd to get themselves and their bikes through and also to make them aware of the drain right on the otherside of the gate they had to head through. I was positioned at the top of  a hill  so I could see athletes coming or not as the case may be.

We had runners and bikers miss the turning - not see signs and end up having to jump fences to get back onto the course, a couple of ladies missed the turn up the hill - "too much talking" they said.
We had competitors who were so relaxed and so comfortable they could have kept going for many more hours - I was in awe - imagine running like that!

Great to see some who walked the course - especially the families who looked like desendants of some nordick tribe complete with their walking sticks(poles)

For more info on activities at Waihi and Waihi Beach www.waihibeachlodge.co.nz/activities.html