Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Bolton Hotel
MAP
HOTEL
$$$
GOOGLE MAP
( 04-472 9966, 0800 996 622;
www.boltonhotel.co.nz
;
cnr Bolton & Mowbray Sts; d $189-359; )
Slick and well serviced, the lofty Bolton deserves its five stars. Room options are varied
but share a common theme of muted tones, fine linens and colourful artwork. Most are
spacious with full kitchen facilities and some enjoy park or city views. Warm your cockles
in the heated pool, spa and sauna.
WORTH A TRIP
DAYS BAY & MATIU/SOMES ISLAND
The small
Wellington Harbour Ferry
( 04-499 1282;
www.eastbywest.co.nz
;
Queens Wharf) plies the har-
bour between Queens Wharf and Days Bay in Eastbourne, via Matiu/Somes Island, and on fine weekends Petone
and Seatoun as well.
Locals have been jumping on a boat to Days Bay for decades, where there's a beach, a park and a cafe, and a
boatshed with kayaks, row boats and bikes for hire. A 10-minute walk from Days Bay leads to Eastbourne, a
beachy township with more cafes, a cute pub and numerous other diversions.
The ferry also stops at at Matiu/Somes Island in the middle of the harbour. It's a reserved managed by the De-
partment of Conservation (DOC), where you might see weta, tuatara, kakariki and little blue penguins, among
other critters. The island is rich in history, having once been a prisoner-of-war camp and quarantine station. Take
a picnic lunch, or even stay overnight in the campsite (adult/child $10/5) or in the DOC house; book online at
www.doc.govt.nz
or at Wellington's DOC visitor centre (
Click here
).
It's a 20- to 30-minute chug across the harbour. There are 16 sailings on weekdays, eight on Saturday and
Sunday (return fare adult/child $22/12).
Eating
Wellington offers exciting dining, with a bewildering array of options packed into the city
centre (and plenty of fabulous options in the suburbs). Varied, contemporary cafes and up-
market restaurants are complemented by a broad range of budget options including oodles
of noodle houses, with stiff competition keeping standards high and prices keen across the
board.
Three excellent inner-city food markets run from dawn till around 2pm on Sundays -
also find artisan producers seducing foodies with their wares in the
City Market
MAP
8.30am-12.30pm Sun)
.
GOOGLE MAP
(Chaffers Dock Bldg, 1 Herd St;
