The best bed and breakfasts in Palmerston North run from an architecturally designed home a short walk from the Manawātū River to farm suites in the countryside north east of the city. Bed and breakfasts in Palmerston North come with breakfast, off street parking and hosts who know the district, which suits couples on a weekend away, business visitors and travellers breaking a journey between Wellington and the north. Refreshstay in Hokowhitu and Hiwinui Country Estate are two of the places covered below.
1Refreshstay
Refreshstay is a hosted bed and breakfast in Hokowhitu, where Terri and Vince give guests the whole upper floor of their architecturally designed home on a quiet tree lined avenue. The level holds two queen bedrooms, a private lounge and a guest bathroom, and breakfast is included with every booking. It suits couples, solo travellers and business visitors who would rather have a house to settle into than a room off a corridor.
Services
- Bed and breakfast accommodation with exclusive use of the upstairs level
- Two queen bedrooms with a private guest lounge and bathroom
- Breakfast made to order, with cafe quality coffee
- Pre-arranged home-cooked evening meals
- Transfers, and office space for guests preparing for next-day presentations
Highlights
- Recipient of a KAYAK Travel Award for Palmerston North, 2025
- Secure off-road parking, daily on-site management and no extra charge for housekeeping
- Ultrafast broadband, heating, air conditioning and electric blankets in the guest rooms
- Fifteen minute walk to the city centre or the Manawātū River pathway, and ten minutes on foot to the Manawātū Golf Club
- Seven minute drive to Massey University and ten minutes to the airport
Location & Contact
Name: Refreshstay
Address: Hokowhitu, Palmerston North
Phone: 027 440 5607
Website: refreshstay.co.nz
2Hiwinui Country Estate
Hiwinui Country Estate is a boutique lodge on the Stewart family’s 1500 acre working farm at Hiwinui, about ten minutes drive north east of Palmerston North. The main lodge holds two super king suites and a queen suite, with a separate one bedroom Tree Tops apartment, and continental breakfast is included with the rooms. It suits couples and small groups after a rural stay with lodge lounges, gardens and an outdoor spa pool, and the property also runs weddings and corporate retreats.
Services
- Super king suites with an en suite spa bath or a double walk-in shower
- Queen suite with a walk-in shower and use of the lodge lounge and dining areas
- Tree Tops one bedroom apartment, self contained with continental breakfast provisions
- Exclusive use of the lodge for groups of up to six guests
- Weddings, elopements, corporate retreats and events on the farm
Highlights
- Owned and run by the fifth generation of the Stewart family, hosted by Jan and Dave Stewart with daughter Julia
- Farm tours of Stewart Dairylands, with pet sheep, ducks, a resident cat and Jan’s vegetable gardens and glasshouse
- Complimentary use of the outdoor spa pool and fire area for lodge guests
- Rooms are for guests aged 12 and over unless the property is booked for exclusive use
Location & Contact
Name: Hiwinui Country Estate
Address: 465 Ashhurst Road, Hiwinui, Palmerston North 4481
Phone: 06 329 2838
Website: hiwinui.co.nz
3Kaitahi Chef’s Table & Lodge
Kaitahi Chef’s Table & Lodge sits on three acres of native bush at Aokautere, a ten minute drive from the Palmerston North CBD and close to Te Ahu a Turanga. Hosts Ryan and Jazz pair two guest suites with hosted dining, and breakfast is brought to the suite in the morning. It suits couples and small groups of up to six who want the meal and the stay in one place.
Services
- Two guest suites sleeping up to six, with a choice of a spa or a bath for two
- Breakfast served in the suite
- Chef’s Table dinner of three to five courses, with matched wines
- Venue reservations for private dining and small events
Highlights
- Resident chef Ryan has more than 20 years in kitchens and ran Table 188 in Palmerston North for 13 years
- Nearly 450 square metres of lodge, with a glass walled wine cellar, an in-house cinema and a log fire set in a volcanic rock wall
- Runs on solar power with its own on-site water treatment system, and upholds the Tiaki Promise
Location & Contact
Name: Kaitahi Chef’s Table & Lodge
Address: Aokautere, Palmerston North
Phone: 027 603 9991
Website: kaitahilodge.nz
Bed and Breakfasts in Palmerston North at a Glance
| Business | Highlight |
|---|---|
| Refreshstay | Recipient of a KAYAK Travel Award for Palmerston North, 2025 |
| Hiwinui Country Estate | Owned and run by the fifth generation of the Stewart family |
| Kaitahi Chef's Table & Lodge | Resident chef Ryan has more than 20 years in kitchens and ran Table 1... |
How to Choose the Right Bed and Breakfast in Palmerston North
- Decide first whether you want to be in town or out of it. A Hokowhitu address puts the river pathway and the city centre within walking distance, while Aokautere and Hiwinui are a ten minute drive out into the countryside.
- Check what breakfast actually means at that property: cooked to order, delivered to your suite, or provisions left in a self contained apartment for you to make yourself.
- Ask about exclusive use if you are travelling as a group, since some hosts let the whole upstairs level or the whole lodge rather than single rooms.
- Confirm the age policy before you book, because some lodges take guests aged 12 and over only unless the property is booked out.
- Look at what comes with the room. An evening meal, transfers to the airport, a farm tour or an outdoor spa pool can matter more than the tariff if that is the reason for the trip.
Frequently Asked Questions About Palmerston North Bed and Breakfasts
What does a bed and breakfast in Palmerston North usually include?
A room or a private wing in the host’s home or lodge, breakfast the next morning, linen and towels, wifi and off street parking. Hosted properties tend to include more than a motel room of the same price, so it is worth reading what is bundled in before comparing tariffs.
Where are the bed and breakfasts in Palmerston North, and how far out do they sit?
They are scattered rather than clustered. Hokowhitu is the closest to the city centre, roughly a fifteen minute walk from The Square and near the Manawātū River pathway. Aokautere sits above the city on the way to the Manawātū Gorge, about ten minutes by car, and Hiwinui is farm country ten minutes north east. If you are here for an event at Central Energy Trust Arena or a hospital appointment, ask the host for the actual drive time rather than going by the map.
Is breakfast always included in the rate?
Almost always, but the format varies. Some hosts cook to order at a time that suits you, some deliver a tray to the suite, and self contained apartments are often stocked with continental provisions instead. Ask when you book if you have an early start or a dietary requirement.
How much does a bed and breakfast cost in Palmerston North?
It depends on whether you are booking a room or a whole property. Some hosts publish nightly rates on their own site while others quote on enquiry, and exclusive use of a lodge is priced separately from a single suite. Booking direct with the host is usually the way to get the accurate figure for your dates.
Can I get dinner as well as breakfast?
Yes, at some properties. Hosted dinners in the Manawātū range from a pre-arranged home-cooked meal to a multi-course chef’s table with matched wines. Dinner is nearly always arranged in advance rather than ordered on the night, so mention it when you make the booking.
Are bed and breakfasts a good option for families with children?
Sometimes, but check first. Small hosted properties often have an age limit or take children only when the whole place is booked out, because guests share lounges and dining areas. Farm stays can be a good fit for older children who want to see animals and a working dairy operation.
How can I check the standard of a place before booking?
Look at what the property itself publishes about rooms, bathrooms and inclusions, and check whether it holds a quality rating. Qualmark is the official quality assurance organisation for New Zealand tourism, and a rating there is independent of any review site.
Should I book direct or through a booking platform?
Booking direct puts you in contact with the host before you arrive, which matters when you need a late check-in, a transfer, a dinner or a dietary change. Platforms are useful for scanning what is free on your dates, but the details are easier to sort out by phone or email with the host.
How We Chose the Best Bed and Breakfasts in Palmerston North
Every business in this guide was found by searching for bed and breakfasts in Palmerston North, then checked against what the business publishes itself: its own website, or where it has none, its official social or booking page. Names, addresses and phone numbers come from those pages rather than a directory feed, so what you see here is what the business says about itself. We also check that each one is still trading and is actually based in or genuinely serving Palmerston North, rather than a national operator running a local landing page. A business we can’t confirm from its own pages is not listed.