The Airbnb Alternative That Actually Feels Like New Zealand

I wrote this in 2016 or 2017 during the two years I lived in New Zealand. Some details — prices, hours, what’s open — may have changed, but the experience and my love for this place haven’t.

If you want to get a real feel for New Zealand, one of the best accommodation options I’ve found is a Kiwi-owned homestay network called Look After Me. We stumbled upon it accidentally when heading to Rotorua for the weekend. They call themselves “homestay for grown-ups” — and that’s exactly what it is.

It’s similar to AirBnB in some respects but it’s Kiwi-owned and primarily homestay, so you’ll usually be staying in someone’s home. The network has been going since 2011 and has hosted over 27,000 guests across New Zealand. Unlike AirBnB, payment goes directly to the host — usually by bank transfer rather than through a third party platform. We got to meet founder Julia Charity during our stay, which tells you something about the size and warmth of the operation.

We booked the Balmy Bellbird in Rotorua because we were heading there to meet my partner’s nephew for the weekend. A couple of days before we left we discovered the nephew and his mate didn’t have accommodation yet. A quick call to Gwen, our host, and it was all sorted — she didn’t have two rooms free but she had one more room and a comfy caravan in the garden that was all set up for a visitor.

It was winter and very cold at night — the outside temperature hit 1 degree Celsius on the drive over. As we were getting closer we got a text from Gwen to coordinate our arrival time. When we arrived she met us at the door with a friendly hug and showed us to our room. We put our bags down and headed upstairs to the warm fire.

A few minutes later Julia arrived with her husband — they were there to celebrate Gwen’s birthday and brought a bottle of wine which they kindly shared with us over the kitchen table. We learned how Look After Me had gotten started, how Gwen had met her fabulous partner Mario during an altercation over a lemon tree that Mario (an arborist) had cut down, and that Mario was a Dutchman who had moved to NZ about 20 years earlier as part of a program to encourage European farmers to immigrate. When we tired, we headed down to our room and were delighted to find that Gwen had turned on the electric blankets when we texted to say we were close. The bed was deliciously warm.

Their house isn’t in Rotorua itself — it’s about 30 minutes out, close to the Blue and Green Lakes, the Buried Village, and other attractions. Not at all a hard drive into town. We stayed for two nights — hiking and exploring during the day and enjoying conversations by the wood stove at night.

A few weeks later my sister came to visit. A quick call to Gwen and we were set for two more nights. It was like seeing old friends again.

If you’re traveling through New Zealand and want something that feels less like a transaction and more like an experience, Look After Me is worth a look. It’s one of the best things about traveling here. Another good NZ-specific option is Book a Bach — self-contained baches and holiday homes all over the country, no sharing required!