Summer Splendor: Deсember to February

Vibrant Festivities and Outdoor Bliss

Summer in Hamilton is a time of warmth, extended daylight hours, and abundant sunshine, making it an ideal season for exploring the great outdoors. The сity сomes alive with a festive spirit, hosting an array of events like the Hamilton Gardens Arts Festival, whiсh showсases loсal art, musiс, and theater in the stunning setting of the Hamilton Gardens.

Exploring the Gardens and River Walks

This season is perfeсt for meandering through the internationally aссlaimed Hamilton Gardens, where the full bloom of flowers сreates a piсturesque panorama. The Waikato River, New Zealand’s longest river, offers serene riverside walks and ample opportunities for kayaking or сruising, providing a refreshing retreat from the summer heat.

Why Visit in Summer?

Сhoose summer for the lively atmosphere, outdoor сonсerts, and the сhanсe to explore the сity’s natural landsсapes under the generous Kiwi sun. It’s the season to experienсe Hamilton at its most vibrant, with long, sunny days that transition into mild, pleasant evenings, ideal for nighttime strolls or enjoying al fresсo dining at loсal eateries.

Autumn Allure: Marсh to May

A Сanvas of Сolors and Сultural Сelebrations

Autumn in Hamilton transforms the landsсape into a сanvas of riсh golds, reds, and oranges. The сooler temperatures and сhanging foliage invite leisurely exploration of the сity’s parks and outdoor spaсes. The Waikato Balloon Festival, held annually, fills the sky with сolorful hot air balloons, сreating a speсtaсular sight against the autumn baсkdrop.

Tranquil Ambianсe and Harvest Delights

This season is less сrowded, offering a tranquil ambianсe. It’s an exсellent time to savor loсal produсe at the Hamilton Farmers’ Market, where the harvest is сelebrated with fresh, seasonal fruits and vegetables, artisanal produсts, and gourmet treats.

Why Visit in Autumn?

Autumn’s allure lies in its mild weather, sсeniс beauty, and the opportunity to experienсe Hamilton’s natural environment in a peaсeful, unhurried manner. The сity’s gardens and parks, like the Hamilton Lake Domain, are espeсially enсhanting, offering tranquil spots to enjoy the сrisp, сool air and the rustling of autumn leaves.

Winter Wonders: June to August

Сozy Retreats and Сultural Exploration

Winter in Hamilton might be сooler, but it’s far from devoid of warmth. The сity’s riсh сultural sсene shines in winter, with theaters, galleries, and museums like the Waikato Museum offering insightful exhibits and performanсes that delve into the loсal Maori heritage and сontemporary Kiwi artistry.

Froliсking in Nearby Winter Wonderlands

For snow enthusiasts, Hamilton serves as a сonvenient base to explore nearby winter sports destinations. The proximity to the renowned slopes of Mount Ruapehu allows for exhilarating ski and snowboarding day trips, promising adventure-filled winter exсursions.

Why Visit in Winter?

Winter is the season to enjoy Hamilton’s indoor attraсtions, warm сafes, and vibrant arts sсene. It’s a time for enjoying the warmth of loсal hospitality, indulging in сulinary delights, and embraсing the сity’s сultural offerings, from musiс to art to historiсal exploration.

Spring Sensations: September to November

Blooming Beauty and Garden Galore

Spring in Hamilton is a сelebration of renewal and rejuvenation. The сity bursts into сolor as flowers bloom, making it the perfeсt time to revisit the Hamilton Gardens, where eaсh themed garden tells a different story, from traditional Maori hortiсulture to Italian Renaissanсe gardens.

Festivals and Outdoor Enthusiasm

The mild spring weather is ideal for outdoor adventures, from leisurely strolls along the Waikato River to exploring the nearby Hobbiton Movie Set, whiсh is just a short drive from Hamilton. The сity also hosts the Hamilton Fringe Festival, showсasing innovative and independent arts.

Why Visit in Spring?

Opt for spring to witness Hamilton’s natural landsсapes in their most vibrant form. The сomfortable temperatures, сombined with the сity’s green spaсes and outdoor aсtivities, offer a refreshing and revitalizing travel experienсe, perfeсt for nature lovers and those seeking a serene esсape in a blooming сity.

Сonсlusion

Eaсh season in Hamilton unveils unique experienсes, making the сity a year-round destination. Whether you’re basking in the summer sun, admiring autumn’s сolorful tapestry, сozying up in the wintery сharm, or delighting in the spring bloom, Hamilton’s seasonal rhythms promise memorable experienсes tailored to diverse preferenсes. Align your visit with the season that resonates with your travel desires, and let Hamilton enсhant you with its timeless beauty and evolving landsсapes.

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If you’re not an avid surfer, Ocean Beach is a great place to go swimming, bodyboarding, or even take a surf lesson at Raglan Surf School (opens in new window). Lifeguards patrol the western part of the beach during the summer months – it’s safest to swim between the flags.

There are some great walks in the Raglan area. In just 10 minutes you can walk to the top of Bridal Veil Falls (55 meters). If you want a more challenging adventure, you can climb to the top of Mount Karioi – on a good day, you can see all the way to Taranaki Maunga, one of the highest mountains on the North Island. The Te Toto Gorge Trail is another option – it’s a route that was once widely used by the Maori, and in some places you can still see the remains of stone walls.

Cycle the Pipiwarauroa Trail, which takes you close to the 137-meter wind turbines at the Te Uku Wind Farm or Te Ara Kakariki, Raglan’s newest mountain bike trail. Other popular activities include kayaking, stand-up paddling, and harbor cruises, as well as rock climbing and canyoning.

Be sure to set aside a couple of hours for the town of Raglan. It’s an entertaining mix of cafes, bars, surf shops and galleries. This part of New Zealand has always attracted people who lead an environmentally friendly lifestyle, so the residents are full of character.

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This fantastic world of horticulture began humbly in 1960 when an empty landfill was handed over to Hamilton City Council for development.

In the early 1980s, Dr. Peter Sergel set a groundbreaking path for Hamilton Gardens . Instead of focusing on botany, he proposed to create a theatrical collection of gardens from around the world, describing the evolution of garden design and planting over the centuries of horticultural history.

Fifty years later, Hamilton Gardens now spans 54 hectares with more than twenty gardens and walks. These beautiful retreats include everything from the exquisite Italian, Tudor and Japanese gardens to the inventive Kitchen, Herb and Te Parapara production gardens.

A stroll through Hamilton Gardens is educational, entertaining and relaxing, and you’ll soon see why it won the prestigious Garden of the Year award at the International Garden Tourism Awards!

Museum of Classics

With beautiful roads, a strong import market, and a resourceful “fix it, don’t throw it away” attitude, it’s no wonder New Zealand is home to many of the world’s most desirable and defining classic cars.

Created from a personal collection of cars and automotive memorabilia, the Hamilton Classic Museum celebrates the history of the automobile and the spirit of freedom it brought, recreating those gloriously colorful days when cars brought liberation.

With more than 100 cars and an authentic 50s American diner serving classic dishes with great modern standards, the classic museum is a must-see in Hamilton for all ages.

Hamilton Zoo

The Hamilton Zoo has over 25 acres of lush, green and tranquil grounds to stroll through and 600 local and exotic animals to keep you entertained for the day.

The zoo is open daily from 9:30 to 16:30 and is located on the northeastern outskirts of the city, a couple of kilometers from the center.

Waikato Museum

At the award-winning Waikato Museum, you can get a detailed look at regional and international history and end up with science, art and culture where you can get a detailed look at the region and much more.

Waikato River Explorer

The 425km-long Waikato River is New Zealand’s longest and most important river. Starting on the slopes of Mount Ruapehu, the river merges with the Tongariro River, flows into Lake Taupo, and descends to Huka Falls. It then flows into several more lakes, passing through King Country, before meandering through Cambridge and Hamilton and finally emptying into the Tasman Sea halfway between Hamilton and Auckland.

This incredible course has made the Waikato River very important in history, providing water transportation from the forest-rich interior of New Zealand to the sea for export. With so much history and many stories taking place on and around the river, there is no better way to learn about Hamilton and Waikato than by traveling on this mighty waterway.

Waikato River Explorer runs 90-minute cruises exploring the river. Departing from Hamilton Gardens, the Waikato River Explorer pairs perfectly with walks through Hamilton’s famous gardens.

Hiking and cycling in Hamilton

Hamilton has an extensive network of walking and cycling paths and trails that run along the river. There’s nothing easier than renting a bike or e-bike and exploring the city’s tranquil trails and riverside parks for a leisurely evening.

You won’t need a map, as the trails run along the river for the entire length of the city. On the west bank, the trail is continuous, and the trails on the east bank connect to Hamilton Gardens, Memorial Park and the Munroe Trail. The seven city bridges make it easy to zigzag from side to side and explore this entire beautiful bike network.

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Dine like a hobbit

Immerse yourself in an unparalleled evening of Middle Earth magic on the Hobbiton set in Matamata with an evening dinner tour. Discover Bag End, Party Tree and the Green Dragon Inn on your guided tour, then enjoy a banquet in the Green Dragon Dining Room. Standard tours are also available during the day.

Admire the twinkling fireflies in Waitomo

Beneath Waitomo’s verdant farmland lies an underground labyrinth of spectacular limestone caves. Take a guided tour to the heart of the Waitomo Caves and marvel at the limestone formations and the huge cave before taking a boat ride under thousands of flickering fireflies.

Learn to surf at Raglan

To the west of Hamilton lies Raglan, a beautifully scenic stretch of black sand coastline. Featured in the 1966 surf movie The Endless Summer, Raglan is a surfing mecca and home to one of the longest and most consistent left-handers in the world. See what all the fuss is about with a surf lesson from Raglan Surf School (opens in new window).

Take a stroll through Hamilton Gardens

Learn about the history of the gardens at one of the region’s most visited sites. Instead of focusing on a variety of plants, Hamilton Gardens showcases different types of garden design through themed collections. Step into another world in their Fantasy collection or explore different civilizations in their Paradise collection.

Enjoy afternoon tea at Zealong Tea Estate

Visit New Zealand’s only tea plantation, Zealong Tea Estate, and enjoy a delicious afternoon tea. Created by passionate tea masters, Zealong tea is one of the purest teas in the world and is organically grown on the fertile land of the Waikato region.

Visit the Maungatautari Mountain Sanctuary

A refuge for many of New Zealand’s endangered bird species, the conservation mountain is a mainland “island” formed by a pest-proof fence. Get up close and personal with takahē, tuatara, giant wētā and kākā amidst the beauty of Mount Maungatautari, an ancient forested volcano.

Spend a day at the Waikato Museum and Hamilton Zoo

Immerse yourself in the rich art and culture of the Waikato region at the Waikato Museum. Highlights include a majestic military waka (Mā ori canoe), galleries with local artwork, and Waikato’s World War II history, For Us They Fell. If you want to spend the day outdoors and have fun, visit the Hamilton Zoo, home to over 600 native and exotic animals. With New Zealand’s largest walk-through enclosure and free zookeeper talks, there’s plenty to see and do with the family.

Ride one of Waikato’s cycling routes

In the Waikato region, you can find forest trails, Waikato River trails and the Hauraki Railroad. Go through the center of the North Island on the forest trail that winds through the Pureora forest. Try the Waikato River Trails for an adventurous walk along the mighty Waikato River. Or take a more leisurely ride through New Zealand’s pioneering history on the Hauraki Railway.

Take in the stunning views on a hot air balloon tour

There’s no better way to start the day than with a hot air balloon ride as the sun rises. This unique adventure will give you breathtaking views of the Mighty Waikato River, vast farmland and see the city of Hamilton waking up to a new day. If you’re in the region in March, be sure to check out Balloons Over Waikato (opens in new window), an annual festival that showcases the best hot air balloons.

Explore Waikato with Lake District Adventures

Whether you’re looking to kayak on Lake Karapiro, take a guided mountain bike ride along New Zealand’s longest river, or a little bit of both, Lake District Adventures offers a range of exciting outdoor experiences. With tours that offer insight into the local history, culture, flora and fauna of the region, it’s a great way to see what makes Waikato so special.

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History of the old railroad bridge

The bridge was designed in 1880, and on November 3, 1881, W. Sims was awarded a contract for £5,519. Sir George Grey built the first railroad extension sod at Clodland in 1879, but there seems to have been little publicity about the bridge, with only a minimal mention in 1883. It was reported that the steelwork for the bridge was shipped in 1881. Progress was so slow that the contract was awarded on September 18, 1882 for 13s 6d and 4312 pounds plus a cost of 1376 pounds for four cast cylinders with an A (a total of 5688 pounds, equivalent to just under $1 million). J.R. Stone was re-signed by &G Price. However, the foundations proved to be inadequate and it was determined that the cylinders would need to be straightened and the foundations deepened by 3-24 feet (7.3 m), and construction ceased in November 1882. This was done. The bridge was completed on September 21, 1883, and was used by construction trains until the Hamilton and Morrinsville Railroad opened on October 1, 1884. It was initially tested with a load of 117 tons. Additional cylinders were added to the original two cylinders on either side of the main channel to handle the higher loads. Two new cylinders were ordered from S Luke & Co in 1906 for £2354 and a new deck from A & T Burt Ltd. It was built in 1907 for £5872.

Further reinforcement was designed in 1934 to accommodate 135-ton Class K locomotives. There was pressure to build a footbridge before the railroad opened. See also the newspaper report of 1893. A committee was appointed. The widening and strengthening of the bridge allowed for the construction of a pedestrian bridge in 1908, but there were complaints about the lack of lighting and the prohibition of bicycles. The pedestrian bridge was renovated in 1936. It was also soon under pressure to remove the railroad from the heart of the central business district. In 1912, the County Council proposed lowering the line. The 1938 project was canceled due to the war in 1939. The National Highway Commission then promoted the plan, and in September 1959, the Ministry of Labor began planning to put the railroad in a tunnel and replace the old bridge with a bridge at tunnel level.

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At Wintec, students are taught in a way that builds their confidence and prepares them for the workplace. We are different from other types of higher education providers in the way students are given the opportunity to put their theoretical knowledge into practice right from the start. You will work on real projects based on current topics, just like in the workplace. You will also participate in internships. This means that by the time you graduate, you will be confident in your skills and knowledge, and be able to apply what you have learned. Our academic staff have many years of industry experience, which means they can accompany you on your journey.

Wintec maintains collaborative relationships with local industry and iwi to identify the needs of the region and community. Developing strong networks that will benefit our students and graduates is a high priority for us. Understanding the needs of local industry, what kind of graduates they need now and what they will need in the future is critical to helping industry and our graduates.

City Campus

The City Campus is located in the heart of Hamilton’s central business district. Throughout the Hub, there is housing and snacking options, eateries, shops, the Waikato River, Hamilton’s Lake Rotoroa and public transportation links just minutes away. Wintec’s main library and Gallagher Hub are located on the city campus.

Rotorua Campus

The Rotokauri Campus (51 Akoranga Road) is located about a 10-minute drive north of the central business district and sits on a 56-hectare site. Whether you want to study Sports Science, Crafts, Engineering, Animal Care or Hospitality and Culinary, you will be based at our Rotorua Campus. You’ll study in some of the best purpose-built facilities in New Zealand and relax in a modern student center with access to a library, computers and coffee.

Hamilton Gardens Campus

The Horticulture Education Center is located in the famous Hamilton Gardens. The Gardens Campus gives you a unique opportunity to study forestry, horticulture or landscape design and construction in a practical, hands-on environment.

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Why you’ll love Hamilton Island Wildlife:

Central location. Hamilton Island Wildlife is conveniently located on the resort side of the island.

Unique experiences. Get to know all kinds of Australian marsupials, snakes, lizards, koalas and kangaroos. You may even meet the park’s own giant crocodile!

Guided tour. Take a fun guided tour with one of the experienced keepers who will help you feed, talk to, and touch Australian animals.

It’s a fun day out. When you’re done exploring the park, you can enjoy a coffee and a light lunch with the koalas at the Wildlife Park Cafe, which is open daily from 8:00 am.
Australian animal encounters. Get up close and personal with some of Australia’s most popular wildlife! This includes koalas, dingoes, pythons and lizards!

VIP Animal Experience. Enjoy exploring the famous local wildlife at a relaxed pace with a 30-minute private/small group tour led by one of our experienced keepers and 4 keepsake photos to capture the fun.

Meet the Koalas

Come and meet one of our friendly koalas. The keepers will take you to the Café exhibit where you can get to know her better. Close enough to touch and smell the eucalyptus. The keepers will take a digital photo of you and the koala and send it to your email the same day.

Meeting with a reptile

Snakes and lizards have more personality than you think. Keepers will bring our wonderful reptiles to your cafe. You can meet a lizard or snake and learn a little about how cool they really are. You can get a digital photo of you holding one of our amazing reptiles and we will email it to you the same day.

Meet the Dingo

Come down to the cafe and meet our Australian wild dogs Albury, Piper or Cohen. Keepers will come to the coffee shop with Dingoes so you can sit with one and learn about their unique history and how they became a symbol of the Australian wild animal. We will take a digital photo and send it to you via email the same day.

Koala VIP

We will take you to their Café where you can get to know them better. Have a digital photo of you and the koala taken, then head to the koala exhibit and spend some quality personal VIP time with the keeper and the rest of our koala group. Spend 30 minutes learning about our special individuals and about wild koalas, their amazing lives, habitats and how we can protect them. Take more photos of you and your new cuddly friends and we’ll email them to you the same day.

VIP reptiles

Head up to our reptile deck and the keepers will bring out some of our gorgeous reptiles. You can spend 30 minutes of VIP time with our keeper and meet four of them. You can touch, hold, feel and learn a little bit about how cool they really are. You can get digital photos of you holding each of the amazing reptiles and we will email them to you the same day.

VIP Dingo

Come up and spend time in the Dingo exhibit with all three of our Dingos Albury, Piper and Cohen and one of our knowledgeable keepers. You’ll get 30 minutes of VIP time to sit with them and learn about their unique story and how they became an icon of Australian wildlife.

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The Waitomo community itself is small, although the village does attract many temporary workers who live there as well. The word “Waitomo” is formed by the Maori words “wai” – water and “tomo” – funnel; thus, the whole word can be translated as “water passing through an opening”.

It is truly a masterpiece of nature, which it has labored over for many millions of years. For centuries, the ocean ruled here, creating bizarre outgrowths of limestone and mysterious intricacies of passages. Then the water receded, creating a system of about 150 caves. The most famous of these is Glowworm Cave. It is inhabited by amazing creatures called Arachnocampa Luminosa. These are fireflies, which can be found only in New Zealand. Their green-blue glow makes the vault of the cave look like a starry sky on a frosty night. It’s really better to see it once… And also to feel and hear it: it smells extremely pleasant here, and in the Cathedral Hall of the cave on Christmas night they sing a cappella. Fans of extreme sports are advised to take part in rafting on the “black” water.

So, tourists come to Waitomo caves to see… the starry sky. This is how the ceilings of the cave look with the larvae of fireflies Arachnocampa luminosa, which, according to scientists, glow mainly from hunger. And the more acute hunger – the brighter the glow.

Thus, the researchers say, the larvae lure insects into their traps – threads of silk, which this little thing spins, hangs from the ceiling and makes them hang. In fact, other researchers have found that the amazing fireflies may well do without insects, and happily feed on fungal spores, which do not need to be lured anywhere. In addition, thousands of glowing from hunger larval ventricles are able to “turn off”, afraid of the approach of curious tourists. So the marvelous illumination in the cave darkness is simply the tiny creatures’ quest for beauty and perfection. These Caves are believed by some scientists to be more than two million years old.

The limestone formations surrounding the Caves Region have been the center of increasingly popular tourism and speleology since as early as 1900. Initially, the Caves were initially visited mainly by impromptu excursions conducted by the local Māori population. The Waitomo Caves were then placed under government supervision and since 1904 have become a permanent pilgrimage site for tourists, with numbers increasing year on year. Today there are many tour companies, large and small, specializing in guided tours throughout the Caves, from easily accessible areas with hundreds of tourists per hour during the peak winter season, to extreme speleological sporting events in difficult to access cave systems that can only be seen by a few tourists per day.

A visit to Waitomo Caves was ranked 14th in the Automobile Association’s 2007 “101 Kiwi must-do’s” survey of the most popular tourist destinations among over 20,000 New Zealand motorists, and in 2004 the peak tourist visitation to the Caves was recorded at approximately 400,000 visitors.

Waitomo Cave Complex is: Waitomo Cave, Ruakuri Cave, Aranui Cave and Gardner’s Gut. They are world famous for their stunning stalactites and stalagmites, as well as for the presence of a large colony of fireflies (Arachnocampa luminosa). In the total darkness of the Caves, the fireflies shine brightly like stars on a cloudless night.

Waitomo is easier to reach by car from the town of Te Kuiti (only a few minutes), but hiking there is also popular. The caves are open daily without weekends and holidays: 9.00 am – 5.30 pm.

The caves were first explored in 1887 by local chief Tane Tioranu and English naturalist Fred Mays. At the time, local Māori people were aware of the existence of the caves, but the underground caverns had not been explored. Tane Tioranu and Fred Mays built a raft from flax stalks, took a light and swam to the caves. Once inside the caves, they were blinded by the light from the many bright lights. Once their eyes got used to the darkness they saw many lights reflecting off the water, looking up they found the ceilings dotted with many insects. Once back they continued to further explore the caves and the insects found in the caves.

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Hamilton Gardens waterfall

Hamilton Gardens Falls is the only waterfall in the Hamilton area. The waterfall is located in Hamilton Gardens, a public garden in south Hamilton. It is most beautiful in late fall.

Hamilton Gardens Falls is about a 10-minute drive from downtown Hamilton or 1.5-2 hours from Auckland. The road surface is always compacted.

From Auckland, head south on SH-1 until you reach Hamilton. In Hamilton, follow the SH-1, cross the Waikato River, and then you will see the botanical garden on your right. Follow the SH-1 for another kilometer, then at the roundabout turn right to the “Gate 1” entrance and follow the signs until you reach the official parking lot (approximately 500 m). There is a huge parking lot with additional parking on the grass. The Botanical Garden has toilets, a café, and picnic tables.

Follow the footpath around the lake and in the middle of the walk you will see a waterfall. From here you can either continue the walk or return.

The best colorful photos can be taken in late fall or early winter.

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There are three theaters in Hamilton: Founders Theater, Clarence Street Theater, and The Meteor.

Hamilton Gardens is the most popular tourist attraction in the region. The park consists of gardens of different types (English garden, French garden, Italian garden, Japanese garden, etc.), As well as small gazebos. The Hamilton Gardens Summer Festival is held here every year.

Hamilton has six public libraries, and the central library contains a significant historical collection. The city also has a zoo and a casino .

In 2004, the city council erected a bronze statue of Richard O’Brien, creator of The Rocky Horror Picture Show and former resident of the city, on the site of the former Embassy movie theater. The statue represents O’Brien as Riff Raff in his astronaut costume.

North of Hamilton is the village of Ngaruawahia, the capital of the Māori royalist movement during the Second Territorial War, a center of Māori culture, home to the Marae of Turangawaewa and the home of Māori king Tuheitia Paki.

Hotels, hostels and other

Microtel Backpackers. Nice hostel, but the single rooms are tiny. $29 for a bed, $49 for a single room, $69 for a double.

Backpackers Central, 846 Victoria St. Central location, breakfast included, but some rooms have no windows, so it gets hot in the summer.

City Center Hamilton Bed and Breakfast. The studio cottage sleeps up to three people and includes a kitchenette, bathroom, courtyard parking, free internet access. A five-minute walk from downtown Hamilton.

Shailers Bed & Breakfast. A luxury home or farm 12 minutes from Hamilton, in the heart of New Zealand’s most fertile region, the Waikato. Tours of a three hundred cow dairy farm.

Quest Apartments Hamilton. 26 1 bedroom apartments and 3 studio apartments in downtown Hamilton. Easy access to Hamilton’s main bars, casinos, stores and information center.

Heartland Ambassador Hotel Hamilton. Free Wi-Fi, outdoor pool, hot tub, BBQ facilities.
Ibis Tainui.
Novotel Hamilton. The city’s largest hotel and the only 4.5-star hotel near Hamilton’s only casino.

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