With a stay at Sanctuary Palms in Paihia, you'll be near the beach, within a 10-minute walk of Bay of Islands and Paihia Wharf. .This luxury apartment is 0.5 mi (0.9 km) from Paihia Beach and 1.7 mi (2.7 km) from Waitangi Treaty Grounds.
You'll have the entire apartment to yourself and will only share it with other guests in your party.
Sanctuary Palms
Adults-only apartment in Paihia
Sanctuary Palms offers 4 air-conditioned accommodations with fireplaces and washers/dryers. These individually decorated and furnished accommodations have separate sitting areas and include dining tables. Beds feature premium bedding. Accommodations at this 4.5-star apartment have kitchens with refrigerators, stovetops, microwaves, and cookware/dishes/utensils. Bathrooms include bathtubs or showers, bathrobes, slippers, and complimentary toiletries.
This Paihia apartment provides complimentary wireless Internet access. 40-inch flat-screen televisions come with satellite channels and DVD players. Additionally, rooms include espresso makers and complimentary bottled water. Change of towels and change of bedsheets can be requested. Housekeeping is provided on a limited basis.
The recreational activities listed below are available either on site or nearby; fees may apply.
Treat yourself to a stay in one of the 4 individually decorated guestrooms, featuring fireplaces and flat-screen televisions. Kitchens are outfitted with refrigerators, ovens, and stovetops. Satellite programming and DVD players are provided for your entertainment, while complimentary wireless internet access keeps you connected. Conveniences include separate sitting areas and microwaves, and housekeeping is provided on request.
Take in the views from a garden and make use of amenities such as complimentary wireless internet access and a living plant wall.
Continental breakfasts are available daily from 8:00 AM to 9:00 AM for a fee.
Featured amenities include luggage storage and laundry facilities. A roundtrip airport shuttle is provided for a surcharge (available on request), and self parking (subject to charges) is available onsite.
Continental breakfasts are available for a surcharge and are served each morning between 8:00 AM and 9:00 AM.
Languages
English
Property amenities
Beach
Sandy beach nearby
Internet
Available in the apartment: Free WiFi
Available in some public areas: Free WiFi
Parking and transport
Return airport shuttle (surcharge) from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM on request
Parking on site (surcharge)
Kitchen
Coffee/tea maker
Cookware, dishware, and utensils
Dishwasher
Electric kettle
Espresso maker
Hob
Microwave
Oven
Paper towels
Refrigerator
Toaster
Dining
Daily continental breakfast available 8:00 AM to 9:00 AM for a fee: NZD 15 per person
Dining table
Bedrooms
Premium bedding
Bathroom
Bathtub or shower
Dressing gowns
Free toiletries
Hair dryer
Private bathroom
Shampoo
Slippers
Soap
Toilet paper
Towels provided
Living spaces
Dining table
Fireplace
Separate sitting area
Entertainment
40-inch flat-screen TV with satellite channels
DVD player
Outdoor areas
Garden
Laundry
Laundry detergent
Laundry facilities
Washer/dryer
Comfort
Air conditioning
Heating
Pets
Service animals only (pets not allowed)
Suitability/Accessibility
High-pile carpet in room
No lift
Tile flooring in room
Smoke-free property
Services and conveniences
Blackout drapes
Change of bedsheets (on request)
Change of towels on request
Free bottled water
Guidebooks
Housekeeping (on request)
Iron/ironing board
Local maps
Luggage storage
Restaurant dining guides
Tour and ticket assistance
Things to do
Kayaking nearby
Parasailing nearby
Sailing nearby
Safety features
Carbon monoxide detector not reported (host has not indicated whether there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property; consider bringing a portable detector)
Smoke detector not reported (host has not indicated whether there is a smoke detector on the property)
General
4 units
At least 80% lighting from LEDs
Bed sheets changed on request
Bulk dispensers for toiletries
Eco-friendly cleaning products used
Eco-friendly toiletries
Garden
Housekeeping (on request)
Individual decor
Individual furnishings
Living plant wall
Local culture and ecosystem education
Locally-owned and organised tours and activities
No plastic coffee stirrers
No plastic drinking straws
No plastic soft drink bottles
Recycling
Reusable cups
Reusable tableware
Towels (changed on request)
Policies
Check-in
Check-in start time: 3 PM; Check-in end time: 6:00 PM
Minimum check-in age: 18
Check-out
Check-out before 10 AM
Special check-in instructions
This property offers transfers from the airport (surcharges may apply); guests must contact the property with arrival details before travel, using the contact information on the booking confirmation
There is no front desk at this property
Guests will receive an email with check-in instructions and key retrieval information prior to arrival; your host will greet you
Access methods
Host will greet you, key retrieval
Pets
Pets not allowed (service animals are welcome, and are exempt from fees)
Children and extra beds
Children younger than 18 are not allowed at this adults-only property; all guests 18 and older are welcome
Rollaway/extra beds are not available
Cribs (infant beds) are not available
Payment types
Important information
Optional extras
Fee for continental breakfast: approximately NZD 15 per person
Airport shuttle fee: NZD 65 per vehicle (one-way, maximum occupancy 2)
The above list may not be comprehensive. Fees and deposits may not include tax and are subject to change.
You need to know
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
This property accepts credit cards, debit cards, and cash
This property uses eco-friendly cleaning products
Host has not indicated whether there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property; consider bringing a portable detector with you on the trip
Host has not indicated whether there is a smoke detector on the property
We should mention
This property does not have elevators
This property's policy is to refuse certain bookings for the purpose of group events or parties, including pre-wedding stag/bachelor and hen/bachelorette parties
Guests under 18 years old are not permitted at this adults-only property
Alcohol is not served at this property
National rating
For the benefit of our customers, we have provided a rating based on our rating system.
Property is also known as
Sanctuary Palms
Sanctuary Palms Apartment
Sanctuary Palms Apartment Paihia
Sanctuary Palms Paihia
Sanctuary Palms Paihia, Bay Of Islands
Sanctuary Palms Paihia
Sanctuary Palms Apartment
Sanctuary Palms Apartment Paihia
Sanctuary Palms Reviews
Reviews
9.2
Wonderful
All reviews shown are from real guest experiences. Only travellers who have booked a stay with us can submit a review. We verify reviews according to our guidelines and publish all reviews, positive or negative.
Rating 10 - Excellent. 20 out of 30 reviews
10 - Excellent
20
Rating 8 - Good. 8 out of 30 reviews
8 - Good
8
Rating 6 - Okay. 1 out of 30 reviews
6 - Okay
1
Rating 4 - Poor. 1 out of 30 reviews
4 - Poor
1
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 30 reviews
2 - Terrible
0
9.6/10
Cleanliness
9.8/10
Staff & service
9.2/10
Amenities
8.6/10
Property conditions & facilities
7.0/10
Eco-friendliness
Reviews
10/10 Excellent
Stephanie
20 Feb 2025
Liked: Cleanliness, room comfort
Wonderful place to stay.
Wonderful place to stay, with extra touches to make our stay special.
Accommodation was clean and comfortable with plenty of space, with a balcony offering beautiful views over Bay of Islands. Excellent location for getting to quay fir boat and ferry trips and within walking distance of Waitangi Treaty Grounds. (Although the steep walk back up hill after a day out is quite tough...but view was worth it).
Stephanie
Stayed 5 nights in Feb 2025
10/10 Excellent
francis
21 Jan 2025
Liked: Cleanliness, room comfort
Very nice self-service apartment
We stayed in the "Moulin Rouge" apartment, which was a very well appointed self-service unit with a wonderful view to the Bay of Islands at Pahia.
The entire property was covered in scaffolding. It looked like a construction site. Views out of windows and deck were obstructed by the scaffolding.
Colin
Stayed 4 nights in Apr 2024
10/10 Excellent
Simon
17 Feb 2024
Liked: Cleanliness, room comfort
Paihia stay
We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Sanctuary Palms everything is set up to allow for a relaxing stay. The photos really don’t do it justice it is a beautiful home from home.
Wouldn’t hesitate to recommend to anyone.
We were a little worried about negative reviews about the parking situation and yes, it is tight but it’s only a short walk to find plenty of free on street parking which we favoured so that our large rental car didn’t cause any bother to other guests. Thank you to Sharron & Paul for sharing this beautiful place with us.
Beautiful location , I had a perfect stay - thank you!!
Sarah
Stayed 3 nights in Jan 2024
10/10 Excellent
Joseph
30 Dec 2023
Liked: Cleanliness, room comfort
Joseph
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2023
8/10 Good
Morris
Travelled with partner
23 Jan 2023
Liked: Cleanliness, amenities
Central location although a difficult walk up a steep hill. The overall amenities were good. The air conditioner in the bedroom didn’t work and footsteps from the apartment above were noisy. THe curtains in the bedroom didn’t fit and looked like they were second hand. The car parks were very tight.
The view from the balcony was amazing. Thank you for the little extras in the bathroom and we loved the pod coffee machine.
Comfy couch and easy access to wifi.
We got the hang of airing the rooms, tricky in the wind.
Thank you.
Easy self check in and check out. Very clean and cosy apartment.
Lance
8/10 Good
Verified traveller
Travelled with family
25 June 2021
Liked: Cleanliness
We liked the space, and the view of the bay from the penthouse level. I think when this property was first built it would have indeed been 'luxury', but to describe it that way now, with the passing of time, is a little bit of a stretch. The decor and maintenance needs attention, and to have entertainment options running on wifi that does not cope, is poor. We did enjoy our time there, but for us the 'luxury' tag did not fit reality.
Verified traveller
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2021
8/10 Good
Fay, Whangarei
Travelled with partner
28 July 2020
Liked: Cleanliness, amenities
Good location, very nicely decorated, big spa bath was bliss! Fabulous bed too.
Fay
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2020
10/10 Excellent
Verified traveller
Travelled with partner
5 Feb 2020
Liked: Cleanliness, amenities
What a lovely place! We had a lovely welcome and were made to feel special. Everything was thought of and suggestions were made for what we might do and Raykindly made a bookingfor us for a day tripon a cat sailing. Theapartment (Moulin Rouge) has every amenity; we appreciated the stocked fridge, washing powder, dishwasher tablets....The apartments are up quite a steep hill but easy o drive to te bottom and park if you dont want to walk back up! Lovely beach for swimming round the corner, towels are provided. Stunning sunrise but it was a bit hot sitting on the little balcony for breakfast - cant complain!
Verified traveller
Stayed 4 nights in Jan 2020
10/10 Excellent
Jo, Sydney
3 Feb 2020
Liked: Cleanliness, amenities
Very spacious, excellent location back from the main drag so quiet.
Absolutely beautiful property, fantastic location - didn’t need to use the car, and the hosts were wonderful. Would definitely stay there again and we highly recommend it!
Fantastic stay, fabulous bed so comfy. Loved the bottle of wine in the fridge. It’s a short walk down a fairly step hill. Ok going down but for elderly people they may have trouble returning to the apartments. The only negative for us was not being able to connect to wifi. However we were able to outside. I’ll definitely recommend & hopefully come back in the near future.
Carolyn
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2019
8/10 Good
Verified traveller
Travelled with partner
3 Mar 2019
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities
It was really quiet which was really nice. What we didn't like was the steep walk to the beach and also little problems like the dishwasher rocked when loading it the paint on the ceiling in the bathroom was peeling.
Lovely property with some luxurious touches. Nice views over Paihia.
All the mod cons, with aircon, heaters, washing machine, Sky TV, list goes on.
Steep hill to climb back from town, but it helped work off those calories!
Raj
Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2019
8/10 Good
Verified traveller
Travelled with family
23 Feb 2019
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
Beautiful place some redecorating needed. The second bedroom very plain. The hammock was dirty and smelly so could not be used. There where no fire alarms. The view was amazing.
This was a quiet, clean flat with everything we needed. There was a safe place to park on site. Our check in was easy and Helen gave us lots of great suggestions of what to see and where to eat. The kitchen had everything we needed to cook meals and the refrigerator was stocked with drinks to enjoy upon arrival. It has a very large comfortable bathroom with a big shower and a jetted tub. The towels and linens are all good quality and the bed was very comfortable. The air conditioner and fans were effective to keep the flat comfortable. There are only 4 units in the complex so it is very quiet. It is up a steep hill from the busy tourist area which we enjoyed because we like a bit of daily exercise and we like a quiet environment. It is still close and within walking distance to all the activities Paihia has to offer. There is a fabulous view of the ocean from the outdoor patio and a barbecue to cook the fresh fish we caught. This is a great place to relax out of the busy tourist area yet still just a few minutes walk to the activities Paihia has to offer.
We booked a room for 2 nights at this hotel for a relaxing end to a month-long holiday in New Zealand and it didn't disappoint. We arrived earlier than check-in time but Helen (one of the owners) was more than accommodating and we were able to access the room early which was a huge bonus. We had a complimentary mini-bar delivered by Ray which was extremely generous with wine, beer, orange juice and milk).
The location is ideal if you want to be away from all the regular hotels/motels in the area. It's in a quiet residential street, but the main centre is approximately only a 10-minute walk away so you're not far from the restaurants, beaches, attractions etc. It is a fairly steep walk uphill when returning to the hotel so bear this in mind.
Our room (The Pacifika Suite) was fantastic. It had a private balcony which we could see the sea from, and was surrounded by foliage; there was a full kitchen with a washer and dryer; the shower and bathtub were lovely to use; and the bedroom was gorgeous.
The town itself is fairly small but we spent time walking around the shops and eating at the restaurants, we'd already been to Russell but could have easily got the ferry over there fro the day; and we walked to the Waitangi Treaty Grounds from the hotel which was an easy walk.
All in all, our stay at Sanctuary Palms was a perfect ending to our holiday.
We have stayed in many apartments in our travels. The Sanctuary Palms was the best. Many times apartments are furnished obviously for short one time stays This is an apartment that we would be happy to live in. Everything was done unsparingly, tastefully and of high quality. The service was excellent and we were given complimentary bottles of wine, juice and milk. We really could not ask for more.