Copthorne Hotel & Resort Bay Of Islands

1 Tau Henare Drive, Waitangi, 0293 Paihia, New Zealand
HOTEL OVERVIEW
Honestly, the Copthorne Bay of Islands caught me off guard in the best way possible. You pull up this winding drive off Tau Henare and suddenly you’re looking at this sprawling resort that feels way more polished than you’d expect for Paihia – I mean, let’s be real, most accommodation up here is pretty basic motels or backpacker joints. But this place actually has some serious grounds to it, with native bush rolling right down to the waterfront.
What really sells it though is the location – you’re literally in Waitangi, so the Treaty Grounds are basically next door, which is perfect if you want to do the cultural stuff without driving around. The ferry to Russell leaves from right nearby too, and honestly, that’s half the reason to stay here rather than in Paihia proper. The rooms are solid four-star standard, nothing revolutionary but they’ve got that clean, corporate hotel feel that works when you’ve been tramping around the Far North and just want reliable wifi and a decent shower. The views from the waterfront rooms are genuinely spectacular though – you wake up looking straight out over the bay with all those little islands dotting the horizon. Fair warning: the resort can get pretty busy during summer holidays, especially around New Year’s when every Aucklander descends on the Bay of Islands, but shoulder seasons are lovely and quiet.
You know what surprised me most? The restaurant is actually decent – not just resort food that tastes like it came from a packet. They do a good job with local seafood, and the breakfast spread is generous enough that you can basically skip lunch if you’re planning a day out on the water. The pool area gets good sun most of the day, and there’s enough space that it doesn’t feel cramped even when the place is full. Parking’s easy (which matters more than you’d think when you’re lugging dive gear or fishing tackle), and the staff seem to actually know the area well enough to give proper recommendations rather than just pointing you toward the obvious tourist traps. The 7.7 rating feels about right – it’s not going to blow your mind, but it’s a solid, comfortable base for exploring the Bay of Islands without the backpacker chaos or the eye-watering prices of some of the boutique places. If you’re doing the classic northern loop or using this as a stopover before heading up to Cape Reinga, it’s honestly one of the better options in the area.
HOTEL HIGHLIGHTS


Reviews
Staff: 8.7
Comfort: 8.2
Location: 9.2
Free WiFi: 8.2
Facilities: 7.9
Cleanliness: 8.1
Value for money: 7.6
Mike from New Zealand (23 June 2025)
Convenience
What could be improved: Pot holes in access road.
Tyme from New Zealand (20 June 2025)
Clean and pools. Comfortable beds.
What could be improved: Bathroom was too awkward in the way it was layout. TV didn’t work. Littler than expected.
Heather from New Zealand (19 June 2025)
Nice sized room with an internal patio. View was sea and river with a bridge and a quiet road. Beds were comfortable and bathroom modern.
What could be improved: Nothing
Paula from New Zealand (13 June 2025)
Located close to the golf course, which is why we went. Great outlook and facilities. Beds were ultra comfortable with lots of pillows What could be improved: A little bit of noise from other patrons. Ordered a whiskey sour at the bar but didn’t have any egg which was a surprise as there was a restaurant attached. Only one rosé wine available even...
Angelina from New Zealand (12 June 2025)
The staff were so lovely - there was a gentleman who really looked after my kids and offered them kiddy packs and was just so nice. The spa was a bonus too.
Jean from New Zealand (5 June 2025)
Great location. Comfortable. Friendly helpful staff
What could be improved: Musty smell in room. Bedside lights not working it clean and comfortable
Del from New Zealand (2 June 2025)
The View/ The Beds and the Rooms where very beautiful and worth what we paid for the room
What could be improved: The parking was to far from our room
Karyn from New Zealand (1 June 2025)
the buffet was awesome
Nadia from United Kingdom (25 May 2025)
Location, comfy bed. Lovely gardens and pool area
What could be improved: A bath as well as a shower would be nice
Anza from New Zealand (20 May 2025)
Kids loved the pool and the buffet breakfast was really good
What could be improved: Rooms were quite small for a family
SURROUNDINGS
What's nearby:
- Flagstaff Hill: 6 km
- Russell Museum: 5 km
- Bledisloe Domain: 5 km
- Waitangi Treaty Grounds: 800 m
- Waitangi Mountain Bike Park: 3.1 km
Restaurants & cafes:
- Restaurant TI Bay Takeaways: 1.2 km
- Restaurant Glasshouse Kitchen & Bar: 1.4 km
- Restaurant Greens Paihia - Thai Cuisine: 1.9 km
Natural beauty:
- Forest Opua Forest: 9 km
- Waterfall Haruru Falls: 6 km
Beaches in the neighbourhood:
- Long Beach: 7 km
- Paihia Beach: 2.1 km
- Te Ti Bay Beach: 350 m
- Tapeka Point Beach: 7 km
Public transport:
- Train Kawakawa: 18 km
Closest airports:
- Kaikohe Aerodrome: 38 km
- Whangarei Airport: 78 km
- Bay of Islands Airport: 21 km
ROOMS
- Estimated price from: $136. Gardenview 2 Doubles with 2 double beds for Max persons: 2
- Estimated price from: $136. Gardenview 1 King with 1 double bed for Max persons: 2
- Estimated price from: $151. Superior Gardenview 1 Queen with 1 double bed for Max persons: 2
- Estimated price from: $151. Accessible Room with 1 large double bed for Max persons: 2
- Estimated price from: $166. Superior Harbourview 1 King with 1 extra-large double bed for Max persons: 2
- Estimated price from: $166. Superior Harbourview 2 Doubles with 2 double beds for Max persons: 2
- Estimated price from: $179. Seaview 1 King with 1 extra-large double bed for Max persons: 2
- Estimated price from: $179. Seaview 2 Doubles with 2 double beds for Max persons: 2
- Estimated price from: $203. Deluxe Seaview 1 King with 1 extra-large double bed for Max persons: 2
- Estimated price from: $243. Suite with Gardenview 1 King with 1 extra-large double bed for Max persons: 2
- Estimated price from: $255. Suite with Seaview 1 King with 1 extra-large double bed for Max persons: 2


FACILITIES
Bedroom:
- Linen
- Wardrobe or closet
Kitchen:
- Electric kettle
- Refrigerator
Bathroom:
- Toilet paper
- Towels
- Private bathroom
- Free toiletries
- Hairdryer
- Shower
Outdoors:
- Picnic area
- Outdoor furniture
- Beachfront
- Patio
- Garden
Wellness:
- Kids' pool
- Full body massage
- Hand massage
- Head massage
- Couples massage
- Foot massage
- Neck massage
- Back massage
- Spa/wellness packages
- Foot bath
- Spa facilities
- Light therapy
- Body treatments
- Pedicure
- Manicure
- Make up services
- Waxing services
- Facial treatments
- Beauty Services
- Sun umbrellas
- Sun loungers or beach chairs
- Hot tub/Jacuzzi
- Massage Additional charge
- Spa and wellness centre Additional charge
Activities:
- Beach
- Tennis equipment
- Horse riding Additional charge Off-site
- Cycling Off-site
- Hiking Off-site
- Canoeing Additional charge Off-site
- Fishing Additional charge Off-site
- Golf course (within 3 km) Additional charge
- Tennis court
Living Area:
- Desk
Food & Drink:
- Coffee house on site
- Fruits Additional charge
- Wine/champagne Additional charge
- Kid-friendly buffet
- Kid meals Additional charge
- Special diet menus (on request)
- Breakfast in the room
- Bar
- Restaurant
Accessibility:
- Toilet with grab rails
- Wheelchair accessible
Room Amenities:
- Socket near the bed
- Clothes rack
Languages spoken:
- German
- English
- Hindi
- Chinese
Cleaning services:
- Daily housekeeping
- Dry cleaning Additional charge
Safety & security:
- Fire extinguishers
- CCTV outside property
- CCTV in common areas
- Smoke alarms
- Key card access
- 24-hour security
- Safety deposit box
Media & Technology:
- Flat-screen TV
- Satellite channels
- Telephone
- TV
Reception services:
- Invoice provided
- Concierge service
- Luggage storage
- Tour desk
Business facilities:
- Fax/photocopying Additional charge
- Meeting/banquet facilities Additional charge
Great for your stay:
- Spa and wellness centre
- Private bathroom
- Restaurant
- Parking
- Free WiFi
- Air conditioning
- Flat-screen TV
- Free parking
- Family rooms
- Non-smoking rooms
Outdoor swimming pool:
- Opening times
- Open all year
- All ages welcome
- Pool with view
- Shallow end
- Pool/beach towels
- Sun loungers or beach chairs
- Sun umbrellas
- Fence around pool
Entertainment and family services:
- Board games/puzzles
Parking Free private parking is possible on site (reservation is not needed).:
- Electric vehicle charging station
- Accessible parking
Other for your stay:
- Shared lounge/T V area
- Non-smoking throughout
- Wake-up service
- Heating
- Carpeted
- Fan
- Family rooms
- Ironing facilities
- Facilities for disabled guests
- Non-smoking rooms
- Iron
- Air conditioning


HOUSE RULES
Pets:
- Pets are not allowed.
Groups:
- When booking more than 4 rooms, different policies and additional supplements may apply.
Check-in:
- From 14:00
- Guests are required to show a photo identification and credit card upon check-in
Check-out:
- Until 10:00
Age restriction:
- The minimum age for check-in is 18
Cancellation/prepayment:
- Cancellation and prepayment policies vary according to accommodation type. Please check what conditions may apply to each option when making your selection.
HOTEL ADDRESS
1 Tau Henare Drive, Waitangi, 0293 Paihia, New Zealand
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