In spite of our best efforts to avoid major events, we’ve discovered that Guns’n’Roses have a concert in Wellington on Thursday 2 February. This means things are booking up fast – so I encourage you to arrange your accommodation as soon as you can. It’s also unfortunately having an effect on prices.
The list below is of those hotels that still have space available (according to tripadvisor.co.nz,). I've also been told that hotels often have availability even when travel websites show them as full, since they do not release all rooms to travel websites - so there may be something to gain from contacting the hotesl directly. I will update this regularly. You could also try AirBnb, https://www.airbnb.com/.
Victoria University has space in one of their halls of residence. Please book with them directly by emailing Boulcott-hall@vuw.ac.nz. Here are the details of what they have:
They only have king single rooms available with shared facilities on each floor.
Location: Boulcott Street (so not very far from Rydges, and quite new)
Facilities: dining room, cinema room, games room, common rooms with kitchenettes on each floor, laundry room
King single with fully-cooked breakfast: $89 per night
Quest on Lambton serviced apartments.
These seem to have become available again on tripadvisor.com. Note that these are apartments, rather than a hotel: so often more space (and better kitchens, and usually a laundry), but they don’t have things like room service.
Rydges Wellington 4.5 stars
The conference venue. Quiet, stylish, comfortable, and very well appointed (in fact it will all be renovated by the time of the conference next year). If they’re available, ask for one of the harbour view rooms.
A limited number of rooms are still available at the conference rate of NZD319 per night: : quote the reference number H-VUW0117 when booking.
https://www.rydges.com/accommodation/new-zealand/wellington/hotel-rooms/
InterContinental Wellington 4.5 stars
One of the city’s top hotels: very comfortable, with prices to match.
https://www.ihg.com/intercontinental/hotels/gb/en/wellington/wlggs/hoteldetail
Travelodge Wellington
Well placed and comfortable, but very expensive (thanks to the concert, presumably; it normally starts from $170 per night). If you have the sort of money they’re asking, stay at the Intercontinental instead.
https://www.tfehotels.com/brands/travelodge-hotels/travelodge-wellington
Ibis Wellington 3 stars
5-10 minutes’ walk from Rydges. It’s fairly basic, and by the look of the reviews you might be better off at the Thorndon or Trinity if you don’t mind the walk. But it is closer than either of those.
http://www.ibis.com/gb/hotel-3049-ibis-wellington/index.shtml
Please note that the Best Western, which keeps coming up as cheap and available, is out in the suburbs – quite a long bus ride away.