Rotorua Hotels

Rotorua is a city on the southern shores of the lake of the same name, in the Bay of Plenty region of the North Island of New Zealand. The city is the seat of the Rotorua District, a territorial authority encompassing the city and several other nearby towns. Rotorua city has an estimated permanent population of 55,600, with the Rotorua district having a total estimated population of 68,000. The city is in the heart of the North Island, just 60 kilometres south of Tauranga, 80 kilometres north of Taupo, 105 kilometres east of Hamilton, and 230 kilometres southeast of Auckland. Rotorua is a major destination for both domestic and international tourists, with the tourism industry being by far the largest industry in the district. The city is known for its geothermal activity, with number of geysers, notably the Pohutu Geyser at Whakarewarewa, and hot mud pools located in the city. This thermal activity owes itself to the Rotorua caldera on which the city lies. Rotorua is also a top adventure destination and is New Zealand's Maori cultural heartland. Rotorua city is renowned for its unique "rotten eggs" aroma, which is caused by the geothermal activity releasing sulphur compounds into the atmosphere. Rotorua is also home to the largest tertiary institute outside of the university centres, Waiariki Institute of Technology. Rotorua has its own regional television channel, TV Rotorua. The name Rotorua comes from Mâori, the full name being Te Rotorua-nui-a-Kahumatamomoe; roto means lake and rua two - Rotorua thus meaning 'Second lake'. Kahumatamomoe was the uncle of the Mâori chief Ihenga, the ancestral explorer of the Te Arawa. It was the second major lake the chief discovered, and he dedicated it to his uncle. It is the largest of a multitude found to the northeast of the city, all connected with the Rotorua Caldera and nearby Mount Tarawera. The name can also mean the equally appropriate 'crater lake'