Bo-Jangles

I have only been during the week and never seen such a long street of such unsavoury (empty) bars and takeaway gaffs, I am amazed that they manage to stay in business, unless they get some big crowds in at the weekend.

We went looking for somewhere to eat / have a drink at 10pm and everywhere was closing up. We were told the only place where there's any action and a 'late one' is Sky City and even that was on last knockings and dead as the proverbial dodo.

higgy2

Saved a visit to the Dentist then. pmsl

Hamilton closes early about the same time the Spanish (In Spain) are just going out for the night.

Manuka Bar in Chartwell cheap beer very interesting waitresses and the Hamilton Working Mens Club cheap beer decent food and as much Line Dancing as you would care to throw your 10 Gallon Hat at.

Hamilton is on it's last legs, far too many empty shops with Charity Shops filling the void. The girls high school is also down the pan.

Hamilton Lake is excellent for a stroll around and the coffee is okay in the Cafe, beware of the Mens Loo's. Cottaging abounds.











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Nikki W

Thank you so much for all the replies, what a great bunch of people you are and so helpful too. We've been looking around Auckland the last couple of days and are
liking St Heliers to Mission Bay and Devonport. Tomorrow we're off to cruise around Hamilton, I'm really looking forward to seeing whats down that way.

Nikki W

I think I'm going to love it there

MrsFychan

maybe not the best term to use after some of the comments, or maybe it is

keeny

I have lived in Hamilton for 3&half years since we first arrived in NZ. Admittedly we did not sit at home in the UK and say oh let's go live in Hamilton, this is where husband's job is so this is where we live. And I personally really like it here. OK at first when we walked around the city centre we thought it was old fashioned and stuff, it just wasn't what we were used to. But we settled in a good area, and the more time we spent in Hamilton the more we liked it. I think it doesn't deserve the bad rep!

padozwi

I would pick Hamilton any day over Auckland.We moved here nearly 5 years ago and think it's a great place to bring up our young family.Hamilton has everything you need and its so central to places like Auckland,Taupo etc.We lived in Auckland for a year when we first got here and I much prefer Hamilton.
I really dont get why Hamilton gets such a bad rap.And the people on here bagging Hamilton,how many have actually lived here?

love30stm

Yep you get lots that bag places they have not lived or just heard the bad reputations , I personally thought Hamilton looked fine, had a great meal out there, has a good shopping mall and is pretty close to Auckland

Nikki W

I'm afraid Hamilton wasn't for us we didn't take to it at all. I'm having second thoughts about Auclkland too, the weather hasn't exactly been favourable the last few days.

We're feeling a bit deflated now, not sure what to do next.

Dumbo

Have you tried Sydney or Melbourne?

Nikki W

Funny you should say that, we're doing an extended stopover on the way back.

Dumbo

I personally prefer Auckland, but I could be tempted by Melbourne its a really nice city and the weather might be more to your liking. Best of luck whatever you choose to do.

Browner_

Im not surprised, Hamilton is pretty much a dump in my experience.

Where are you from and whats your expectations ? If good weather is a top priority then Tauranga or Hawkes Bay is going to be far more likely to meet your expectations. Personally I couldnt live in Hawkes Bay either - nothing there at all.

Bo-Jangles

Now I dare say it:

mikesurf

The fourth largest New Zealand city is called Bondi, a suburb of Sydney. It has more New Zealanders in it than Hamilton.

Hardly suprising that's where I would be if I was a kiwi