NEW: Thee Write Away - Writers Retreats in New Zealand

Introducing Thee Write Away - where you design your own special retreat experience.

Lose the crowds in this fully customisable writer's retreat in Rotorua, the heart of the Hot Tub Valley, New Zealand

Created by writers for writers  - our retreats are designed with your personal wellness in mind. Ideal for singles, couples or small groups. 

Next Group Dates: starting 14 October 2024 or pick your own date.

Search accommodation based on your interests.

Write, cycle, walk, play golf, sample wine, take photos, sing, sail, fish or swim.  

Isn't it time to look after me?

The Great Write Inn is a Literary Workshop for writers.

We have two events coming up in Dunedin October 2023 'book-eding' the Dunedin Writer and Reader's Festival.

The Great Write Inn - Romance at Olveston Historic Home or The Great Write Inn @ Larnarch's Castle on Monday 16th of October 2023.

Find your tribe. 

Free your voice.

Tell your story!

Writer's Workshop and Retreat

Rotorua

Monday 26th September -  Sunday 2 October 2022

Replays now available

Be the writer you've always wanted to be.

Tell the world something it needs to hear.

Single session, single and multi-day tickets for The Great Write Away  - our new Writer's Retreat and workshops in Rotorua are now available.

We have created a seven step programme covering the end-to-end process of creating a story, then editing, formating, publishing and marketing a story. 

With scheduled time for writing, learning and relaxing - it's a unique 'write-seeing' holiday retreat experience, created by writers, for writers.

The Great Write Inn - a

Masterclasses, creative exercises and step-by-step guides and templates for the DIY Writer. 

Looking for some inspiration to ignite your passion as a story teller?

Want the thrill of a writer's festival hearing from the best tutors without the anxiety of large, live events?

Fancy learning at learn at your own pace, in the privacy of your own home?

A fresh, collborative, community-led approach has breathed life into a new Tourism Concept.

The concept is a fusion between traditional hotels and cloud-based software.

It provides singles, couples and small groups with a clean, safe and more regenerative way to travel.

They were winners of the Major Raffle Prize for The Festival in the Gardens fundraising event presented by the Zonta Club of Rotorua, held at Palmers in late 2020.

The prize draw was sponsored by local Accommodation and Events company Look After Me. 

Rejuvenate your mind, body and soul. Soothing thermal springs for deep relaxation.

Be nurtured by nature - fresh forests, tranquil lakes, mesmerising hot springs.

Leisure, family and hard-out mountain bike trails for all kinds of cycling.

#SoakCycle #Soak&Cycle

Are you a Homeowner who offers accommodation to paying guests?

Sweeney Townsend have develope a new Insurance product especially for you.

Comprehensive yet affordable Insurance Policy with specific wording tailored to hosts renting out their properties or vehicles. 

Exceptional value, fasdiously clean and great for people who wish to prepare their own meals while on holiday. 

This is going to be a huge year for Dunedin with many talented sportsmen and artists performing at Forsyth Barr Stadium. With a whole range of different events, there will be something for everyone!

If you are planning on coming to any of these events check out the details below and book your accommodation early on our new mobile-friendly website www.staydunedin.com

Director Dr Julia Charity who founded the company just ahead of the 2011 Rugby World Cup said they were delighted to be helping with the three Auckland and two Dunedin shows in March 2018.

Why choose commercial accommodation when you can have the luxury of staying with friendly hosts at a homestay property?

Now Nationwide, New Zealand's Homestay Network has properties in beach, lake, bush and city locations all over New Zealand. It is helping pioneer the Sharing Economy in New Zealand and offers a small, boutique local experience.

By Monica Lewis

Traveling incites some wonderful sayings. One of my favourite quotes is this;

“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.”

I couldn’t agree more and personally I’d like to read all the pages and see the greenest of grass on the other side. But even if you have retired we may have the time to travel, there is the sordid question of the 'means'.

When one grows-up, intrepid travel does seem less romantic. Sleeping in a tent or in bunk beds in a dormitory loses its appeal for some of us and understandably so. There are the physical restrictions once the bones have gone weary. 

Is Look After Me good for New Zealand? What do some on New Zealand's leading business people and key influencers think about the idea? 

Charity’s company, ‘Look After Me’ launched in July 2011, ahead of the Rugby World Cup. It is an on-line market place that sells accommodation for short-term stays all over New Zealand.

Recent research shows at least 70 per cent of Kiwis want to work remotely or at least telecommute part-time. Some Rotorua residents tell us how they’ve made the shift from corporate life to the world of working from home.

Disabled Diving NZ's Hielke Oppers inspired the 100 plus crowd and the judges to win both Best Social Enterprise Pitch and the People's Choice Award at Rotorua X's Start-up Pitch night.

Julia Charity's 'Look After Me' accommodation business, won Best Commercial Pitch at the event, held this week.

Both took a share of the $8000 prize pool of business support services, mentoring and training.

Two Rotorua businesses have been named as national finalists in The David Awards for 2015.

Ros Morshead, of Morshead Law is a finalist in the ‘Most Outstanding Lifestyle Business’ for her work in epitomising the ability to use technology to integrate business and lifestyle.

Dr Julia Charity who founded Look After Me – an online market place for accommodation all over New Zealand, is a finalist for ‘The Solo Meo Award’ which recognises a business owner who runs their business single-handedly.

Look After Me is also a finalist for the ‘Most Outstanding Triumph over Adversity’ in recognition for success in spite of challenges beyond the usual.

Julia explains why Look After Me specialy describes how the local council has got behind her and discusses inplications for the tourism industry of New Zealand.

What follows is the transcript of the interview. 

To go straight to the interview click here.

What to do, once you’ve withdrawn from the daily duty of putting bread on the table? Have you ever wondered about turning your home into your business?

A wonderful Robert Palmer song sums it up in the opening line; “the fight to make ends meet keep a man on his feet” (click to hear the song)

Despite our moaning about the traffic when we were obliged to travel to the office every day - maybe now we miss it! Without the deadlines and obligations which in turn give the drive to get started in the morning; what to do with all that available time?  Sure for some there are family demands, clubs or volunteer commitments that help fill the day but those activities take up time and money and give back – let’s say - a non-material return on investment . For some of us the chance to make a bit of pocket money while doing something we love doesn’t sound so bad. 

Q&A Session With New Zealand entrepreneur Dr. Julia Charity.  She talks with Caitlin Sykes about the online marketplace.

Published in Business section of the New Zealand Herald.

Accommodation is filling up as farmers and football fans prepare to pour into Hamilton next week.

An overlap of Fieldays and the Fifa U-20s World Cup has seen much of the accommodation snapped up, but there are still some rooms remaining in the city's motel sector. 

It's now the school holidays and that's the perfect excuse to take one or two of your grandkids away and really have a wonderful time together.

Rotorua scientist-turned-entrepreneur Julia Charity led a panel discussion of seven prominent Kiwi businesswomen to launch a female entrepreneur week.

With the Cricket World Cup 2015 underway, the seven host cities are expected to reach full capacity. Backpackers, hotels and motels are being snapped up as thousands of supporters from around the world support one of the biggest sporting events in the world.

Recently we published a blog from European Film Makers Natalie and Mael’s journey to Rotorua. Today we are following another couple Rafa& Veronica who also work for bedycasa. We will be following their trip to through Matamata, Te Aroha & Cambridge.