A self-contained vehicle meets all the requirements of the NZS 5465:2001 standard. It must display a current self-containment warrant card on the left front or left side window and a blue self-containment sticker on the rear. Your vehicle must be equipped with a toilet that is readily usable within the vehicle, with sufficient head and elbow room, even with the bed made up.

Host are not campgrounds so they don’t provide electricity or toilets. Your vehicle must be self-contained to stay with Okay2stay hosts (and to freedom camp in most places in NZ). During the colder months your vehicle will also need gas or diesel heating if you want to stay toasty warm.

Your motorhome will have two batteries – a starter battery as in a normal vehicle, and a leisure battery which runs the lights and probably the refrigerator. Normal driving during the day recharges both of these batteries and therefore you should have enough charge in the leisure battery to run your lights etc overnight.

Self-containment rules allow for a portable toilet, but only if there is sufficient head and elbow room that it can be always used inside the vehicle – even when the bed is made up. Ideally, your vehicle would have a separate toilet cubicle.

Our hosts are all committed to their land and the production of quality food and wine. They love what they do, but they aren’t in it for entertainment – they need to make a living. So, as a member of Okay2stay they welcome you to stay overnight and to take a look, purchase and enjoy some of their delicious wares. That way it’s a win/win!

Currently we have over 100 hosts all over New Zealand. The majority of them are rural but reasonably close to main tourist roads. They are located where products grow best. Some areas have quite a few hosts and some have none. For instance, there are no hosts in Te Anau or Milford Sound (it’s mainly national park) but there is a great selection of hosts in Nelson and Marlborough! Take a look at the map on our host page to see if there are hosts along your route.

We select hosts because they produce something that will be desirable and practical for people travelling in motorhomes to buy – so no large stone sculptures! You will find boutique and artisan producers such as vineyards and breweries, as well as olive, lavender and berry growers. There are cheese makers, nut, fruit & vegie producers, organic producers and gourmet sausage makers, etc. Not only do they grow this delicious produce, they turn it into a mouth-watering array of preserves, chutneys, jams, pickles, sweets, ice creams, lotions and sometimes, potent brews! As well as producers of fine food and wine, there are rural award-winning restaurants, cafes and places that offer unique Kiwi experiences such as a high-country farm stay or unique museum. There are also a couple of ‘Pay2stays’ where a charge is made to stay but usually a discount is given for Okay2stay members.

Okay2stay is based on win/win. We ask that you make a purchase either for yourself or as a gift for family and friends to show your appreciation to your host. When considering how much you should spend with a host, please be generous and keep in mind how much you are saving by not staying at a campground. Many of the hosts have on-site cafes and restaurants which showcase their products. Gain the satisfaction of knowing where your food comes from and in supporting small family-operated farms.

There is no formal booking system with Okay2stay. However, for most hosts it is essential that you email or phone ahead to let them know that you would like to stay - preferably at least the day before. Their listing will say if this is not necessary. There may occasionally be reasons why it is not suitable for hosts to have members to stay, or it may be that all allocated parks are taken. In that unlikely event, you will need to make alternative arrangements. Hosts are often away at Farmers' Markets at weekends so it pays to check a suitable arrival time. You may prefer to email a host well ahead of time if you would like more certainty. This usually works well for hosts too.

In most areas there is a selection of hosts – and the selection is growing all the time. So if you don't drink wine you may prefer to choose a host that makes something else you would like to buy. However, having said that, some of our wineries are in magic locations with stunning views that you won't want to miss. Fortunately many of them have cafés or restaurants on site where you can purchase a legendary flat white coffee and delicious homemade muffin.

The cost of joining Okay2stay is NZ$59 per van (not per person) and gives members access to host details for one year. If there are two or more vans travelling together, a membership will need to be purchased for each van. The average cost of a holiday park for two people for just one night is around $50. Stay two nights with Okay2stay hosts and you have recovered your accommodation costs as well as enjoying great local products and meeting real Kiwis!

When you join Okay2stay, payment is made online through the secure Stripe system. If you do not wish to use your debit or credit card then payment can be made through a direct bank payment. This may incur charges from your bank. Please use the Contact form to request Okay2stay bank details.

To join Okay2stay go to our sign-up page and set yourself a password. Once your payment is processed and your membership created, you will receive an email confirming your membership. After logging in with your email and password you will have access to the 'members only' area. Here you will find details of all our hosts. You will be able to sort hosts by region or by what they produce, save your 'Favourites' and leave comments and photos. You will be able to view host details in List view, even when you are out of mobile coverage.

Your proof of your membership ID is shown in the My Details page. It gives your name, membership ID No and the expiry date of your membership. Display this ID on your device to your hosts on arrival, along with another form of ID such as a passport or driver licence.

In an effort to keep membership fees low and host listings as up-to-date as possible, we do not issue printed host directories. You will need to carry a smart phone, tablet or other device which can connect to the internet to receive updates.