Where to Stay in Wellington
Five places to sleep in the capital, which suits which trip, and what each gives up
For a first visit of two or three nights, stay in Te Aro. It is flat, central and walkable to everything, from Te Papa to the cable car, and it has the most places to eat. If you are catching the ferry, stay in Thorndon & the Quay instead.
If you want something else from the stop:
- The Interislander ferry or an early train — Thorndon & the Quay.
- A city beach and a calmer evening — Oriental Bay.
- Green streets and the Botanic Garden — Kelburn.
- An early flight, or a morning at Wētā Workshop — Miramar.
Wellington is where our North Island itinerary ends and the ferry to the South Island leaves, and our guide to Wellington covers what to do while you are here.
How this page was madeWe have not stayed in Wellington. This page is researched, from the official visitor site, the hotels’ own websites and our own sample of prices, and we name only places we could confirm are trading. When we stay, we will say so here.
Areas and places to stay reviewed 28 September 2026.
How the areas compare
| Area | First visit | Nightlife | Families | Transport | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thorndon & the Quay | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | $$$ |
| Te Aro | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | $$ |
| Oriental Bay | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | $$$ |
| Kelburn | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | Not sampled |
| Miramar | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | $$ |
The stars are a quick read across the qualities most travellers weigh up — more stars means a stronger fit for that quality, not “better” overall. Price is shown as a band rather than stars, since cheaper isn’t a virtue in itself. Transport here means how much you can do without a car.
Price positions are relative to the other areas in this table, not market rates. They come from our own sample of 53 places on one weekday night in late November 2026, two adults, read on 28 September 2026. Te Aro and Miramar came out lowest, and Thorndon & the Quay and Oriental Bay about a fifth higher. The Oriental Bay and Miramar samples were small — four places and two — and Kelburn had none, so treat those bands as a rough guide.
Where the areas are
Thorndon & the Quay is the northern end of the centre, with the railway station and the ferry shuttle. Te Aro is the flat grid south of Lambton Quay, running down to Te Papa. Oriental Bay follows the harbour east from Te Papa. Kelburn is on the hill above, at the top of the cable car, and Miramar is by the airport, twenty minutes away.
A guide to each area
Thorndon & the Quay
$$$ · for the ferryWhy stay here?
This is the institutional half of the city: Parliament, the railway station and the government offices, with Lambton Quay running south as the main shopping street. Thorndon behind it is a heritage residential area of old wooden houses. It is quiet once the offices empty, and it is the only part of town in reach of the free Interislander shuttle, which leaves Platform 10 at the railway station seventy minutes before each sailing. Choose it if you are catching a ferry or a train, and for a family that wants quiet nights.
Good for
- The ferry shuttle and the trains on foot
- Quiet nights for a family
- Lambton Quay and the cable car close by
Watch for
- The dearest area for a standard room
- Quiet after the offices close
- A walk to the bars and restaurants
Te Aro
$$ · the lively centreWhy stay here?
Te Aro takes in the Cuba Quarter and Courtenay Place: the bars, the theatres, the restaurants and the street life, with Te Papa and the waterfront on its edge. It is walkable to everything, and it has the widest choice of beds and the lowest middle price in our sample. It is also the noisiest part of town, and the council has been open about the safety and upkeep problems it is working on around Courtenay Place late at night. Choose it for a first visit and for evenings out; families should ask for a quiet room.
Good for
- Everything on foot, Te Papa included
- The most places to eat and drink
- The widest choice of rooms
Watch for
- Noise late at night, especially at weekends
- Courtenay Place after midnight
- Hotel parking is extra
Oriental Bay
$$$ · the calm choiceWhy stay here?
Oriental Bay is a real beach on the harbour, ten minutes’ walk round the water from Te Papa, with a promenade along Oriental Parade and Mount Victoria behind. It is the calm choice: a swimmable city beach, with the centre still on foot, which makes it good for a family in summer. Its few hotels sit at the upper end of the city’s prices. Choose it for the water and a quieter evening, and walk into Te Aro to eat.
Good for
- A city beach at the door, good for a family
- The promenade walk into town
- Quieter than Te Aro, ten minutes from it
Watch for
- Few hotels, at the upper end of prices
- A walk into town for most evenings
- Exposed to the wind off the harbour
Walk out along the waterfront from Te Papa towards Oriental Bay in the early morning, before the offices fill. Along the way are the stones and sculptures of the Writers Walk, each carrying a few lines by a New Zealand writer about this city or this harbour. Stop at one, read it where it stands, and then look up at what the writer was looking at.
Kelburn
Not sampled · green and quietWhy stay here?
Kelburn sits above the city at the top of the cable car, next to the Botanic Garden and the university. It is quieter and greener, and a family can spend a morning in the garden without crossing a road. You rely on the cable car or a hill walk to get down, which is either charming or tiresome depending on your knees. The cable car runs every ten minutes until 8pm most weeknights and 9pm on Fridays and Saturdays, and costs $7 one way.
Good for
- The Botanic Garden on the doorstep, good for a family
- Quiet, green streets
- The cable car into town
Watch for
- A hill between you and dinner
- The cable car stops in the evening
- Very few places to stay
Miramar
$$ · for an early flightWhy stay here?
Miramar is the peninsula by the airport, twenty minutes from the centre by car, with Wētā Workshop for film fans and a family day. Stay here for an early flight or a Wētā morning, not for a first look at the city. The Airport Express bus runs between the airport and the city every ten to twenty minutes and takes twenty-five to thirty-five minutes, which makes the centre workable too.
Good for
- Minutes from the airport
- Wētā Workshop, and a family day
- The Airport Express into town
Watch for
- Twenty minutes from the centre
- Little to do in the evening
- Only one hotel we could name
Before you book
Our guide to accommodation in New Zealand covers what applies everywhere: motels, holiday parks, how prices are shown and what to expect at check-in. What follows is what is particular to Wellington.
What kind of place you will find
Wellington is a city of hotels and apartment hotels rather than motels. Most of the 53 places in our sample were in Te Aro and around Lambton Quay, with a handful on Oriental Parade and two by the airport. Prices shown to you in New Zealand must include GST, the 15% sales tax, unless they say otherwise.
When it fills up
Two events fill the city. World of WearableArt runs for about three weeks each spring at the TSB Arena; in 2026 it ran from 17 September to 4 October. Visa Wellington On a Plate, the food festival, runs through August. New Zealand school holidays tighten supply too. Check the event dates before you fix yours.
If you are catching the ferry
The Interislander terminal is at Kaiwharawhara, north of the centre. A free shuttle for foot passengers leaves from Platform 10 at the railway station seventy minutes before each sailing and takes about five minutes; it does not run for the 9.30pm sailing. If you have a car, you drive to the terminal yourself.
If you are flying
The Airport Express bus runs between the airport and the city seven days a week, every ten to twenty minutes, and takes twenty-five to thirty-five minutes. An adult fare is $12 by card or cash, less with a Snapper card.
Parking and a car
You do not need a car in central Wellington, and hotel parking is extra: we found $35 to $50 a night at the hotels we name. If you arrive by car at the end of a road trip, ask about parking when you book, or return the car before you check in.
Getting between the areas
Thorndon & the Quay, Te Aro and Oriental Bay are all on foot. For the rest, and for arriving and leaving:
| From and to | How | Time | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Te Papa to Oriental Bay | Walk round the waterfront | About 10 minutes | Free |
| Lambton Quay to Kelburn | Cable car | Every 10 minutes | $7 one way |
| Railway station to the ferry | Free Interislander shuttle, Platform 10 | About 5 minutes | Free for foot passengers |
| Airport to the city | Airport Express bus | 25–35 minutes | $12, less with Snapper |
Our guide to getting around New Zealand covers car hire and the roads.
A final word on staying in Wellington
Stay in Te Aro for a first visit and walk everywhere. Move up to Thorndon & the Quay if the ferry is the next day’s business, and out to Oriental Bay if you want the water and a quieter night. Kelburn and Miramar are for particular reasons. The city is small enough that almost any central bed works; the choice is about character rather than convenience.
Andrew + Margaret
- Wellington Overview
- Where to eat in Wellington Practical
- North Island itinerary Journeys
- Accommodation in New Zealand Practical
- Getting around New Zealand Practical