Waihi Beach - perfect central location

Waihi Beach is a perfect central location for guests to base themselves to see the Coromandel and areas within 2 hours from one central base. With the RWC 2011 coming up it could not be more ideal with venues such as Rotorua, Hamilton North Harbour and Auckland all within  approx 2 hours drive.

Rotorua, Waitomo,  Hot Water Beach & Cathedral Cove are all within 2 hours drive and make easy day trips from Waihi Beach.

Check out details on the day trips from www.waihibeachlodge.co.nz/activities.html

Bananas at Waihi Beach

We have tried unsuccessfully to get bananas to grow at Waihi Beach. When we set up the lodge we positioned them to make the ambience beachy and tropical. We get them to the stage above and then they just stop as we don't seem to have a hot enough temperature all year round to bring them on.The leaves do ok until we get wind  and then after a while they look like they have been through a shredder

We have tried black plastic bags covering the bananas and many other things to no avail - if any one has any ideas on how to get them to an eating stage we are happy to hear them.

We would love to be able to tell guests about our home grown  bananas to go along with our lemoncello, jams & maramalades, chutneys & relishes, muesli, bread and muffins

For more info on our recipes www.waihibeachlodge/hosts.html

RWC 2011

I am amazed at the poor press the RWC 2011 seems to be getting from some print media over the  supposed costs of running the tournament. Some print media have been a little spurious with their number crunching  including figures for things like the new Dunedin stadium upgrade that was going to happen regardless of the RWC 2011 as this distorts the figures to support their story. The Dunedin folk decided they needed a new stadium as Carisbrook was not meeting international sports requirements so it's very timely that it will be finished in time to hold RWC 2011 matches. By all reports the stadium is a fantastic addition for Dunedin and already as a multi use stadium they have attracted concerts - Elton John will play his only NZ concert later this year in Dunedin and its a covered stadium so inclement weather won't be a problem - adding potential value to the Dunedin economy already.

From my limited knowledge countries hosting Olympic games, Commonwealth games, World cups etc have always known they would not make a profit from the games - In fact Montreal has just paid off its debt in the last year or so from the 1976 Olympics and the FIFA Football World Cup in 2010 has set back South Africa many millions of rand and has stadiums that will never be used again - and there's a long list of many more countries!

For my money the RWC 2011 event is not a 1 month or 2 months thing - very much like Lord of the Rings. If we, the stadium of 4 million in Gods own,  do it right and give our guests a great time, as hosts we will reap the benefits for many years to come, as guests will be going home to tell their friends and work mates what a fantastic place NZ is and how well they were treated and hosted.The up side is potentially additional business and we all should be interested in that.

To find out more info on RWC 2011 www.waihibeachlodge.co.nz/activities.html

Customers and Waihi Beach Lodge

Read an interesting article today on customer service on the NZ Herald website on how some companies are choosing to please their share holders first with their customers not being treated anywhere as well. The article suggested that customer service should come from the heart and not the head and that customers were changing their values in a post-recession world.

Yes you need to take into account many influences when dealing with customers but without them there isn't a business no matter how big the business. If you upset a customer they will tell say 10 people  who in turn will tell 10 people and so on.If you please a customer they will tell 5 people who in turn will tell 5 people.

The bottom line really is to treat customers how you would like to be treated - plain and simple- the customer comes first should be the motto as without customers you don't have a business.

To check customer feedback at Waihi Beach Lodge
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g1749561-d656383-Reviews-Waihi_Beach_Lodge-Waihi_Beach_Bay_of_Plenty_North_Island.html

Anzac Bay - Waihi Beach

Anzac Bay Waihi Beach

Saw a great article in the Waihi Leader last week on the origins of the name of Anzac Bay and how it got its name. It was a very timely article with Anzac Day just around the corner and was great food for thought about how much we owe the men & women who have gone before us and made the ultimate sacrifice for New Zealand.

to find out more about Anzac Bay www.waihibeachlodge.co.nz/photos.html

Waihi Beach early morning sky

Woke up yesterday morning to a real moody skyline. Not so bad yet but signs of whats to come if the forecasters get it right. If you look closely there are 3 or 4 boats fishing and the weather did not seem to worry them much and the sea was really flat - perfect for an early morning fish.

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

Waihi Beach early morning

This stunning image greeted us last Friday morning as we prepared an early breakfast for our guests and within minutes it was gone as the sky changes quite rapidly.

And as they say red sky at dawn shepherds forlorn - exactly right after Saturdays weather.

To find out more about Waihi Beach www.waihibeachlodge.co.nz/photos.html