Suburban hotels count on overflow

Auckland hotels outside the city centre look likely to cash in on Apec, even though they will not be hosting visiting officials and the media.

More than 6000 central Auckland hotel rooms will be occupied by Apec visitors over the next two weeks, leaving tourists to the city with little option but to look to hotels and motels in the suburbs for accommodation.

Merrial Cameron, of the Peninsula Hotel in Avondale, says conference facilities there will be quiet during Apec but the hotel will have few vacancies.

"We're full at the moment, but not with Apec visitors.

"Most of our guests will be people who can't find accommodation in the city centre because of Apec."

Several hotels in West and East Auckland suburbs received bookings for Apec personnel months in advance. Many of those reservations have since been cancelled as accommodation needs turned out to be smaller than originally thought.

Lindsay Bolton, manager of West City Motor Inn, believes visitors to the city who are unaware of Apec's presence may boost the motel's guest numbers.

"Come weekend, people may arrive wanting accommodation when they find there's nothing available in town. We'll just have to wait and see."