What is a quarantine hotel?
Quarantine hotels are used in some countries as a way to ensure that travellers return safely. This means that usually a traveler will stay in quarantine hotels away from the general population to ensure they do not have COVID-19 for a length of time determined by the government. Stays in quarantine hotels vary from country to country, but generally they are about 14 days. Countries quarantine travellers as they believe it is an efficient way to keep COVID-19 out of the community so that people can live a some-what normal life during the pandemic.
The level of strictness varies by country. Some countries such as Japan allow travellers to manage their own quarantine at home (unless you are from a high risk country, whereas you will be expected to stay in a managed isolation quarantine hotel for 3-10 days). Travellers going to countries like Australia and New Zealand all undergo managed isolation. Managed isolation basically means your quarantine hotel stay is out of your control. It must be completed under strict border control regulations. The NZ Army manages New Zealand’s quarantine hotels.
Which hotels are used as Quarantine Hotels?
Quarantine Hotel Locations
When you travel to New Zealand you are put into one of the quarantine hotels chosen by the government for the managed isolation stay of 14 days. You can find the full list here. There is absolutely no choice in where you go. You might think you are a gryffindor, yet the sorting hat labels you a Hufflepuff, and off you go to Hamilton (yes, that is a dig on Hamilton). How is it decided? No one will ever know. Magic, I can only assume.
Quarantine Hotel Quality
Luckily, the hotels are all generally 4-5 star hotels so it’s kind of like going on a forced holiday. It all depends on how many spaces are available at the hotel and the level of risk. The hotels are spread over New Zealand from Auckland to Hamilton to Rotorua to Wellington to Christchurch. All flights fly into Auckland. If you are *lucky* enough that your quarantine hotel is located outside of Auckland, you will be put on another bus or flight out.
It has nothing to do with your personal end destination. If you are planning to go to your home in Auckland, but you flew into Auckland only to find out your hotel quarantine has been booked in at Christchurch, they will fly you out to Christchurch. Oh, you don’t want to go to Christchurch? Too bad. You will be put back on a flight to Auckland after you finish managed isolation.
Do I get To Choose my quarantine hotel?
You might be saying to yourself “But Sara – that sounds so unfair!” Well, that is the kind of attitude you are going to have to leave behind if you want to have any sort of enjoyment in managed isolation in New Zealand. This is all intricately planned by professionals based on flight numbers, risk, and vacancy at hotels. Flexibility is a must. Give into the flow. I also recommend a glass of wine.
What is the cost of staying in quarantine hotels in New Zealand?
Quarantine hotel prices depend on your residency and the time you will spend in New Zealand. The current prices can be found here. Basically, if you’re not a New Zealand citizen, sharing a room with a New Zealand citizen, or permanent resident that is staying longer than 180 days in New Zealand, you will probably be liable for charges. The room costs about $4,000 New Zealand dollars (NZD) for 2 adults.
What is like it like staying in quarantine hotels in New Zealand?
The Preparation
The preparation is probably the most anxiety-inducing experience. Not only do you have to secure flights but you also have to secure a spot for a room in a quarantine hotel on the day you arrive to New Zealand. These are like golden eggs and always highly sought after. Considering flights are difficult to get your hands on and so are quarantine hotel tickets, the chances of having those two align at the same time can seem like an impossible task.
My fiance and I were flying on the 18th of December, right around the busiest time of the year. Consider planning in advance and giving yourself some flexibility with times. We were leaving Japan for good in order to move to Melbourne, Australia. All of our belongings had been sent to Australia, we had cancelled our apartment rental, and not renewed our work visas for Japan. We didn’t have much choice in timing.
Organising the flight and quarantine hotels
We did everything we could to guarantee that we would have a flight out. This meant booking a back-up plan of a direct flight to Sydney (when flying to Australia, you do not need to organize your quarantine hotel booking yourself). We could not book a direct flight to Melbourne as Melbourne was not accepting international flights due to a COVID-19 outbreak. Because of this, our ideal flight would be via New Zealand.
This would mean we would quarantine in New Zealand and then I could spend a couple of weeks with my family before we flew to Australia. Since New Zealand and Australia have a travel bubble, we would be able to travel to Australia from New Zealand without having to quarantine again.
Getting an exemption
But in order to get to New Zealand, my fiancé also had to apply for an exemption to fly into New Zealand and quarantine there as he is not a New Zealand citizen. This process takes weeks and we luckily had it approved just in time – the week we flew out. That week was one of the most stressful weeks of my life, and we called immigration every day. I’m not sure if it helped speed up the process but it made me feel a little better!
The Flight
Since we were in Tokyo and they were also experiencing a covid outbreak, we decided to rent a car to drive to the airport. We had a lot of luggage so it worked out the best option since Narita is pretty far from Tokyo. Check in was smooth and we were surprised to see many people were not wearing masks in the airport. Our plane was mostly empty. We had the whole left rows to ourselves.
On Arrival at Quarantine Hotels
We arrived in Auckland absolutely exhausted. 12 hour flights are pretty rough but with an N-95 mask on it definitely took the fun out of flying. On arrival, the pilot announced our fate. All passengers were to disembark the plane only to catch another plane to Wellington, where we would be completing our quarantine hotel experience. We were herded through a separate part of the airport and each group from the flight had to answer a few questions and get their temperature checked.
Once we walked through the airport we noticed the iconic “Welcome to New Zealand” gates were cordoned off. We were not to be the lucky ones to walk through there. Everyone from our flight was put in a section of the airport and given (non-vegan) snacks. A little boy nearby started to cough uncontrollably. At this point I was over it.
On arrival to Wellington we were taken to a different building so we didn’t have to go to the main domestic airport building. There we were taught how to put on a mask properly and one by one we stood up and replaced our mask. This was non-negotiable. This process took a good hour, because the three step process of replacing a mask was lost on some, and each time someone did it wrong they were instructed to redo it. It was probably the most painful part of the whole process.
Check-in
When we finally arrived by bus to our hotel, The Grand Mercure Wellington, we were sent inside to check-in in small groups. We each had a consultation with a nurse. The Covid tests, mental health services, and general schedule were explained to us. Each person would have to take a covid test on the 3rd, 7th, and 13th day. Each group (the group you came on the flight with) would have an allocated hour each day to exercise outside the room in an empty car park.
A member of the army then had us identify our bags, which would be brought up to us, and took us to the lift. We were instructed not to touch anything – even the lift button. When our lift arrived at our floor, another member of the army greeted us and took us to our hotel room. He advised us to call reception if we would like to be collected for the daily walk.
Dietary Requirements
Every hotel differs, but at Grand Mercure Wellington a menu was sent to our room every day for us to order from. We have food allergies or dietary choices, so we informed reception on the first day. I am a vegan and my fiancé is lactose intolerant. Every meal was a surprise as we did not have the regular menu.
The Food Quality
I can tell you that the food was really good. Really, really good. Usually vegan options are quite limited (yes – I’m talking about you, Japan!), but Grand Mercure Wellington did not disappoint. There were cakes, pastas, pies – everything you could dream of!
I did find that the food was too much. I kept a lot of it in the fridge as extra snacks for when I got bored. If you are finding the meals too plentiful, you can call reception and ask them to skip your meal.
Reception will also bring you plant based milk alternatives for you to keep in your fridge. You can purchase extra snacks and alcohol too. You can also have UberEats, supermarket deliveries, and family drop offs arranged. Someone from the hotel will bring you the meal or supplies to your door.
We were in our quarantine hotel for both Christmas and New Years. Both holidays were celebrated with special foods and little gifts, as well as alcohol. All served by the hotel. All the staff dressed up which made things a little bit more festive. We ended up holding a zoom Christmas with family and watching lots of Christmas Movies.
Check-out
Finally, the day came when we were allowed to leave. The 14 days are officially up based on the time your original flight landed in Auckland. As long as you passed your final Covid-19 test you will be free to go the next day. You are free to move around as you wish after you leave the hotel. The bus took us back to the airport (if you want to go of course!) where we checked in for our flight to Auckland.
Paying for Quarantine Hotels
A bill will be sent a few months after your stay if you are eligible to pay.
Top Tips for Surviving Managed Isolation in quarantine hotels
1. Treat it like a holiday
You’re paying for that 4-5 star hotel (or getting it for free) – make the most of it! Long showers, little coffee sachets and room service. Enjoy the little things that make this time special.
2. Make yourself a Routine (that you can stick to)
Even though you’re technically on holiday, I always find it good to stick to a simple routine. Wake up at the same time each morning so you don’t ruin your sleeping patterns, make sure you utilise the outside walk time each day to breathe some fresh air, and give yourself time each day to do something you enjoy.
3. Ask for help if you need it
If you’re struggling, reach out. Everyone who worked at the hotel was absolutely lovely. They’re there to help. Make sure you read through the information brochures when you arrive so you know what resources you have. You can always ring reception and ask to speak to a nurse, too.
4. Bring Supplies
Even though it takes up space I highly recommend it. We brought our own cups, Christmas decorations, art supplies, and yoga mat.
5. plan for the future
Plan ahead! What are you going to do when you get out? Do you have a road-trip around Queenstown you need to plan? I used this time to set up all the boring stuff. All the things like bank accounts, doctors appointments, and address changes that I had to do that I would not want to waste time doing on the “outside”.
6. Stay Connected
I recommend joining the New Zealand Hotel Quarantine Facebook Group to keep in touch with other travelers in your hotel, get updates, and find quarantine hotel spots for your flight.
VERDICT
Is It Worth it?
It really depends on your situation. I know a lot of people who have struggled with quarantine hotels. I also know a lot that have found it to be a great excuse to relax and watch TV all day. Make sure you know what you’re getting yourself into. For us, since we were moving to Australia, it was the only option we had.
Did this article speak to you?
I’d love to hear your thoughts! If you’re on Instagram, you can find me over here: @apicturesquelife so feel free to reach out or use #apicturesquelife and I’d be happy to connect!