Picton Hotels

Picton is a town in the Marlborough region of New Zealand. It is near the head of Queen Charlotte Sound near the north-east corner of the South Island. The population was 2928 in the 2006 Census, a decrease of 72 from 2001. The town is named after Sir Thomas Picton, the military associate of the Duke of Wellington, who was killed at the Battle of Waterloo. Inter-island ferries to and from Wellington arrive and depart here by way of the Marlborough Sounds. Most of the sheltered part of the route is through Tory Channel, south of Arapawa Island. The township of Waikawa is a couple of minutes' drive from Picton, practically part of the same town. Waikawa hosts a marina, one of the largest in New Zealand. As of 2001, the unemployment rate in Picton was 4.3%, compared with 7.5% for all of New Zealand. Half-asleep in winter, but hyperactive (with 2000 ferry arrivals per day) in summer, Picton clusters around a deep gulch at the head of Queen Charlotte Sound. It’s the main marine access point to the South Island, and the best place from which to explore the Marlborough Sounds and tackle the Queen Charlotte Track. The vibe here is touristy and transient, but there are some great hostels, decent watering holes and plenty of good eateries.