Northlanders offering free rooms to Lions fans

This two-bedroom upstairs apartment in central Whangarei is being advertised for $1000 a night while Northlanders are offering rooms to Lions fans for free. PHOTO/JOHN STONE

Some Northlanders are cashing in on the British and Irish Lions' tour - including an eye-watering $1000 a night for a two-bedroom apartment in central Whangarei.

But others are offering their homes to rugby fans for free.

All hotels, motels and camp grounds are booked for June 3 when the Lions play the New Zealand Provincial Barbarians at Toll Stadium that night but 232 listings for accommodation were available at midday on Friday through booking site Airbnb.

The cost ranged from $55 to $351 per night in areas including Raumanga, Tikipunga, Tutukaka, Ngunguru, Oakura Bay, Kauri, and Waipu Cove.

By comparison, a large, open plan two-bedroom apartment at the corner of Bank St and Vine St is being offered for $1000 a night for a maximum of six people.

The owner, who did not wish to comment, admitted the apartment was not flash but was located in a prime area.

"I won't sugar coat anything... cupboard doors are a little tricky to shut, the tiles are worn in the bathroom and the whole place could probably do with a lick of paint but that makes it that much more appealing to me," she posted online.

The $1000 a night price tag is not only during the Lions' match but for the whole of June, July and August.

About 3km up the road, a four-bedroom Californian bungalow in Kensington that can accommodate eight people is going for $400 a night on game day.

Northlanders are also offering free rooms to rugby fans mostly from the United Kingdom through the Adopt a Lions' Fan Facebook page.

La Pointe Beach Estate retirees Peter and Jill Northcott will host three young English fans - two travelling from Australia and one from England - for between two and four nights.

"The prices hotels and hotels are charging are a rip-off. It doesn't give Northland and New Zealand in general a good name. The problem seems to be throughout the country," Mr Northcott said.

Two other homeowners in One Tree Point have opened up their rooms for rugby fans.

"Free accommodation is one way of showcasing the Kiwi hospitality. It's good for our image. Looking at the other extreme, it's bad for our image. The fans will go back home and talk about their experiences," Mr Northcott said.

Northland Inc's regional promotions and tourism general manager, Paul Davis, said $1000 a night was "over the top".

"There's plenty of capacity in the Bay of Islands which is just an hour's drive from Whangarei that visitors can utilise. We'd expect better value options than them paying $1000 a night which is way over the top."

The Adopt a Lions Fan (rest of the North Island) Facebook page said accommodation prices were beyond some fans' reach.

"We are not wanting the hosts to charge for any accommodation, but simply to do some old-fashioned billeting, and we are sure you'll make some friends for life by doing this.

"We are hoping that Kiwis will get into the spirit of this, and show the world just why New Zealand is the rugby capital of the world."