Thames Accommodation: 10 Best Places to Stay in Thames, NZ

The best Thames accommodation for most visitors is Tuscany on Thames, a modern 14-unit motel with spa baths, a pool and the Hauraki Rail Trail next door. For a quiet night near town, book Rolleston Motel; for a hotel with sea views, Comfort Inn Sunset; and for heritage character, the 1868 Lady Bowen Bed & Breakfast.

Thames is the gateway town to the Coromandel Peninsula, about 115 km from Auckland, and most of its motels are within walking distance of Pollen Street. This guide ranks ten places to stay, then covers more B&Bs, coast stays, holiday parks and DOC campsites. Every place listed is a member business of the Thames Business Association, and the details come from their own listings, checked in October 2026. Rates change by season, so check with each place when you book.

Key takeaways

• Best overall: Tuscany on Thames, with spa baths, a pool and the rail trail on the doorstep.
• Motels: most Thames accommodation is motels, and Rolleston, Brookby and Avalon are all close to town.
• Hotels: Comfort Inn Sunset and the rooms above the Grahamstown Inn are the main hotel options.
• Sea views: Coastal Motor Lodge and Seaspray Motel sit on the coast road north of town.
• Book early: summer weekends and Easter fill quickly across the Coromandel.

Thames accommodation at a glance

How we picked

• Only places currently listed by the Thames Business Association, the town's own business group.
• Details and phone numbers taken from each business's own listing, not from booking or review sites.
• Ordered for a first-time visitor who wants to walk into town, then hotels, the coast and character stays.
• One honest drawback each, so you can pick the right fit.

1. Tuscany on Thames

Tuscany on Thames is the best all-round motel in Thames for most visitors: 14 modern units, a pool, and the Thames start of the Hauraki Rail Trail right next door.

• Type: Motel
• Where: Central Thames, a few minutes' walk from town
• Phone: 07 868 5099
• 14 units: studios plus one and two bedroom options.
• Spa baths in every unit except the two access units.
• Air conditioning or heat pumps, free internet, Sky TV and cooking facilities in all units.
• Outdoor swimming pool and guest laundry.

Best for: Rail trail riders and couples. Watch out: Reception is listed as open 7:30am to 9pm on weekdays and from 8am at weekends, so call ahead if you will arrive late.

2. Shortland Court Motel

Shortland Court Motel suits travellers who want experienced hosts: Billie and Bob have run it for about 20 years and know the area's sights, history and drive times well.

• Type: Motel
• Where: Thames township
• Phone: 07 868 6506
• Family and corporate units, some with spa baths.
• Access units with large wet-area showers.
• Cafe-style breakfast available.

Best for: Business trips and travellers who want local tips. Watch out: Spa baths are only in some units, so ask for one when you book.

3. Rolleston Motel

Rolleston Motel is the pick for a quiet stay within walking distance of town, set at the end of a no-exit street away from through traffic.

• Type: Motel
• Where: End of a no-exit street, walking distance from town
• Phone: 07 868 8091
• 17 units, serviced daily.
• Every unit opens onto a small terraced area.
• Walking distance to the town's shops and restaurants.

Best for: A quiet night close to Pollen Street. Watch out: Its listing does not mention a pool or spa, so look elsewhere if those matter.

4. Brookby Motel

Brookby Motel is a five-unit motel run by Yvonne and Keith in a bush setting beside a brook, and it is the closest motel to Thames Hospital.

• Type: Motel
• Where: Quiet residential lane, five minutes' walk to central Thames
• Phone: 07 868 6663
• Four one-bedroom units and one small studio, all self-contained.
• Balconies overlooking the brook, Sky TV and free WiFi.
• About 114 km from Auckland, roughly 80 minutes' drive from Auckland Airport.

Best for: Small and personal, or visiting Thames Hospital. Watch out: With only five units it books out quickly in summer.

5. Avalon Motel

Avalon Motel on Jellicoe Crescent is a practical base for day trips to Coromandel Town, Whitianga, Cathedral Cove and Hot Water Beach.

• Type: Motel
• Where: 104 Jellicoe Crescent, Thames
• Phone: 07 868 7755
• All rooms air conditioned, with flexible room sizes.
• Rooms have a microwave kitchenette, sofa, table and chairs, and Sky TV.
• Allocated parking for every room.

Best for: Day trips around the Coromandel. Watch out: Rooms have a microwave kitchenette rather than a full kitchen.

6. Comfort Inn Sunset

Comfort Inn Sunset is a hotel on Tararu Road, north of the town centre, with views over the Firth of Thames.

• Type: Hotel
• Where: 1017 Tararu Road, Thames
• Phone: 07 868 8573
• Free high-speed WiFi.
• Rooms with Smart TVs.
• Pitched at both leisure and business travellers.

Best for: Sea views and a hotel-style stay. Watch out: Reception is listed as open 8am to 6pm, so arrange late check-in in advance.

7. Grahamstown Inn

The Grahamstown Inn is a restaurant and bar with refurbished hotel rooms upstairs, in the heritage Grahamstown end of town.

• Type: Pub hotel
• Where: Grahamstown, at the north end of Pollen Street
• Phone: 07 868 6008
• Upstairs hotel rooms in the centre of Thames.
• The restaurant downstairs serves Tuesday to Sunday from 12pm to 8pm.
• One of the main nightlife venues in town.

Best for: Staying right in town above a restaurant. Watch out: It is a busy bar, and the restaurant is closed on Mondays, so light sleepers may prefer a motel.

8. Coastal Motor Lodge

Coastal Motor Lodge is a Qualmark four-star motel five minutes north of Thames, set in gardens directly opposite the Hauraki Gulf.

• Type: Motel and cottages
• Where: Five minutes north of Thames, opposite the Hauraki Gulf
• Phone: 07 868 6843
• Eight sea-view studio chalets for up to two adults.
• One family unit with sea views and two access units.
• Four larger bach-style cottages that are not star rated.

Best for: Sea views and families. Watch out: It is out of town, so you will drive in for dinner.

9. Lady Bowen Bed & Breakfast

The Lady Bowen is an 1868 building run as a family bed and breakfast, a short walk from the shops and cafes and close to the Hauraki Rail Trail.

• Type: B&B
• Where: A short walk from central Thames
• Phone: 07 868 8878
• Eight guest rooms.
• Large guest lounge with a pool table, plus a dining room, covered deck, balcony and garden.
• Cooked or continental breakfast included in the room price.

Best for: Heritage character and the rail trail. Watch out: The guest dining room has a microwave and hot water rather than a full guest kitchen.

10. Grafton Cottage & Chalets

Grafton Cottage & Chalets offers a studio and one and two bedroom cedar chalets in a secluded spot away from traffic noise.

• Type: Chalets
• Where: Secluded tree-lined setting in Thames
• Phone: 07 868 9971
• All units have en-suites, large decks, a fridge, microwave, TV and electric blankets.
• Three chalets are fully self-contained.
• On-site staff and daily housekeeping included in the rate.

Best for: Peace and quiet with housekeeping. Watch out: Only three of the chalets are fully self-contained, so ask if you need a kitchen.

More B&Bs, lodges and coast stays in Thames

These member businesses are smaller or further out, and suit couples, groups and anyone after a view.

Holiday parks and camping near Thames

Families, campervanners and trampers are well catered for around Thames. Dickson Holiday Park and the Department of Conservation (DOC) campsites in the Kauaeranga Valley, the starting point for the popular Pinnacles walk, cover most needs.

Dickson Holiday Park

Dickson Holiday Park is at 115 Victoria Street, Thames. It offers campsites, caravans, cabins, self-contained flats and backpacker rooms, and the park describes itself as sitting between a stream and the mountains. The office is open 8:30am to 8pm from November to April, and 8:30am to noon and 2pm to 6pm in winter, with an on-site phone service from 6 to 9pm. Phone 07 868 7308 or book through the park's website. Prices are not published on the site, so check when you book.

DOC campsites in the Kauaeranga Valley

DOC runs several campsites beside the Kauaeranga River. Two are useful to know about:

• Totara Flat Campsite: 7.5 km up the valley from the Kauaeranga Visitor Centre and open all year, including winter.
• Trestle View Campsite: at the top end of the valley, closest to the Webb Creek Track up to the Pinnacles.

At both, DOC charges $10 per adult (18 and over) and $5 per child (5 to 17) per night, and under-5s are free. Booking is required: DOC does not keep spaces for campers who arrive without a booking, so reserve on the DOC website before you drive up. Fees and booking windows change, so confirm them on DOC's campsite pages.

Coast camps north of Thames

• Tapu Camp: a family camp at Tapu with safe swimming in the sea or the creek swimming holes, and a playground next door at the school. Phone 07 868 4837.
• Tapu Creek Campervan Park: 20 landscaped sites on 2.3 acres beside the river on Tapu Coroglen Road, with a barbecue area, pizza oven and outdoor kitchen. Phone 07 868 4570.

Our full guide to camping near Thames lists all nine DOC campsites in the Kauaeranga Valley with prices and booking rules.

If you are planning to walk the Pinnacles or explore the ranges, read our guide to walks and tracks around Thames before you go.

How to choose where to stay in Thames

• Cycling the Hauraki Rail Trail: Tuscany on Thames, Corbett House or the Lady Bowen.
• Walking to dinner: Rolleston, Brookby or the Grahamstown Inn.
• A hotel room: Comfort Inn Sunset.
• Sea views: Coastal Motor Lodge, Seaspray Motel or Fantail Hill.
• Families: Coastal Motor Lodge cottages, Dickson Holiday Park or Tapu Camp.
• Walking the Pinnacles: a DOC campsite in the Kauaeranga Valley or Kauaeranga Valley Retreat.

Getting around from your base in Thames

Thames is compact enough to explore on foot once you have parked, and it is the natural launch point for day trips around the Coromandel. From your accommodation you can reach the Hauraki Rail Trail, the main things to do in Thames, and plenty of places to eat and drink along Pollen Street. Listings are sourced from the Thames Business Association accommodation directory, and our Thames business directory lists every member.

Thames on the map

Frequently asked questions

What is the best place to stay in Thames, NZ?

For most visitors the best place to stay in Thames is Tuscany on Thames, a 14-unit motel with spa baths, a pool and the Hauraki Rail Trail next door. For a quiet night, Rolleston Motel sits at the end of a no-exit street, and for heritage character the Lady Bowen is an 1868 bed and breakfast.

Does Thames have hotels?

Yes, but only a few. Comfort Inn Sunset on Tararu Road is the main hotel, and the Grahamstown Inn has refurbished rooms above its restaurant. Most Thames accommodation is motels, B&Bs and holiday parks.

Which Thames motels have spa baths?

Tuscany on Thames has spa baths in all units except its two access units, and Shortland Court Motel has spa baths in some units. Ask for a spa unit when you book.

Is there accommodation in Thames with a pool?

Tuscany on Thames has an outdoor pool. Corbett House, Thorold Country House and Chartré Manor also list pools, and Dickson Holiday Park has one in summer.

How far is Thames from Auckland?

Thames is about 115 km from Auckland, roughly 1 hour 30 minutes by car, which is why many visitors spend their first or last Coromandel night there.

Where can I camp near Thames?

Dickson Holiday Park at 115 Victoria Street has campsites, cabins and flats. The Department of Conservation runs nine campsites in the Kauaeranga Valley near the Pinnacles, and Tapu Camp and Tapu Creek Campervan Park are on the coast road north of town.

When should I book Thames accommodation?

Book well ahead for summer (December to February), Easter and long weekends, when Coromandel demand is highest. Small places like Brookby Motel, with five units, fill first.