My Honest Spaceships Rentals Campervan Review (NZ)

Thinking of hiring a Spaceships Rentals campervan in NZ? Read on for my honest & detailed opinion about Spaceships campervans, plus lots of tips to help you plan your dream New Zealand campervan trip.

My partner Ty and I recently hired a Dream Sleeper Mini campervan from Spaceships Rentals in Christchurch for a 10-day South Island road trip.

We’ve just returned the van after a fantastic campervan holiday, and I wanted to write up a review of our experience while it’s still fresh in my memories. 

I hope this will help you out if you’re thinking of hiring a Spaceships van for your own NZ campervan trip.

For a bit of background: my partner & I live in New Zealand and are avid campers and frequent NZ road trippers, but don’t own a campervan of our own (just yet). 

We often go camping with our regular car & tent on our weekends, but for longer holidays, we sometimes hire a campervan. 

I love testing out different companies and van models to get ideas for our own future van one day (and to get campervan rental intel for my readers!).

Our Spaceships Dream Sleeper Mini was basic but perfect for what we needed, and we had a blast on our trip (sorry, but I couldn’t resist that pun).

In this guide, I’ll go over the details of the van, what I liked about it and what I didn’t like about it, and some tips to help you make the most of your own campervan trip.

Disclaimer: My campervan hire was not sponsored. However, I’m a fan of Spaceships and am therefore an affiliate for them. If you book your campervan through my affiliate links, I’ll receive a small commission at no extra cost to you (and I truly appreciate your support!).

Spaceships campervans overview

Spaceships offers 4 different campervan models, all of which are converted Toyota Estimas (aka soccer mom vans!). 

All 4 models include a sleeping area & camp kitchen equipment, but they vary in levels of comfort and functionality.

The 4 van options are as follows:

• Beta: seats 4 people (sleeps 2); most basic & cheapest option; not self-contained
  
  
• Beta 2S: seats & sleeps 2 people; slightly more spacious than the Beta; not self-contained
  
  
• Beta 2S self-contained: seats & sleeps 2 people; certified self-contained (includes a toilet) < this is the van to choose if you want to camp at freedom campsites.
  
  
• Dream Sleeper Mini: seats & sleeps 2 people; the most spacious & comfortable option in the Spaceships fleet; not self-contained

There are two Spaceships depots in New Zealand—one in Auckland (North Island) and one in Christchurch (South Island). You can either hire and return your van at the same location, or travel one-way between the North Island and South Island without any extra fees.

Their compact vans are quite a unique offering in that they drive like a car, but offer the freedom and fun of a campervan experience. 

The vans all come with beds, kitchen equipment, and everything you need to have a campervan trip around NZ. 

They’ve been deemed the “Swiss army knife” of campervans and I agree with that title!

The Spaceships van I chose: the Dream Sleeper Mini campervan

I hired a Dream Sleeper Mini campervan, which is the most comfortable van in the Spaceships fleet. 

The Dream Sleeper Mini is NOT self-contained, which is perfectly fine by me, but worth noting if that’s what you’re looking for.

I’ll go into this in more detail later, but I usually prefer staying at proper campsites (DOC sites or private campsites) instead of freedom campsites, so a self-contained van was not a requirement for me.

If you want a self-contained van so you can camp at freedom campsites, go for the Beta 2S self-contained model.

Driving the Dream Sleeper Mini campervan

The Dream Sleeper Mini seats and sleeps up to 2 adults. 

The van is an automatic vehicle and we found it easy to drive. My partner Ty is all good with driving larger vehicles/motorhomes, but I’m not—and I felt totally comfortable driving this van. 

It takes regular (91) petrol and got good gas mileage in comparison to some larger campervans we’ve hired in the past.

We found the seats to be really comfortable on long drives. 

Our van had a handy phone charger that plugged into the cigarette lighter and could charge both USB and lightning cables. We were easily able to keep our phones charged throughout most of the trip.

There’s a bluetooth audio system that works well, and a phone holder mounted to the dashboard which is great if you need to use your phone for navigation.

There was a backup camera in our van, but it really didn’t work that well. We weren’t expecting to have one in the first place, so this wasn’t an issue for us. 

Sleeping in the Dream Sleeper Mini campervan

The van comes with a bed that you set up yourself. To set up the bed, the front seats swivel towards the back, and there’s a storage platform that pulls out to reach the seats and form a bed base.

You then set up the mattresses on top of the platform and seats—there are 3 separate mattress pads that you fit together to form the bed. 

The van comes with complete bedding—a fitted sheet, top sheet, duvet, and two pillows. The linens were freshly laundered and cosy (2 towels are included, too).

Next to the bed are cup/drink bottle holders and USB charging ports. The charging ports run off the domestic battery (meaning that you won’t drain the car battery if you charge your phones/devices while the van isn’t being driven).

There are privacy curtains for nighttime and these were easy to set up.

Dream Sleeper Mini campervan storage

The platform that forms the bed base lifts up to allow you to store things below. 

We each brought one piece of luggage (soft sided) and day hike backpacks. In addition, we had a large collapsible tote bag that was handy for containing things like our hiking boots, my partner’s wetsuit, and other random bits and bobs.

All of this fit well under the storage space, but keeping things minimal is key (easier said than done if you’re my partner, who brought along his surfboard, fly fishing gear, and plenty of other outdoor gear along with him per usual 😂).

Cooking in the Dream Sleeper Mini campervan 

In the back of the van is a handy little camp kitchen, complete with a stainless steel bench, sink, and drawers containing cutlery and cooking utensils. 

Beneath all of this are two baskets containing your plates, coffee cups, drink glasses, frying pan, pot, and kettle.

The van comes with 2 camp stoves that use butane canisters—you’ll get two of these with the van, but you’ll probably need to pick up more along your trip (you can get a 3 pack of them at Kmart for around $5). We only needed one of the stoves, but it was nice to have a backup.

There’s a flat drawer that pulls out of the back for you to place the stove on when you want to cook or boil water.

Dish towels, dish soap, and a scrubby brush were included for washing up after cooking. 

The best part, for me, was the mini fridge at the back of the van. It was a game changer! We were able to store and cook fresh meals out of our van and keep our drinks icy cold. 

The fridge runs off the domestic battery in the van and stayed cold even when we camped at a spot for 2 nights in a row without driving.

What I liked about my Spaceships Dream Sleeper Mini campervan

The van is easy to drive.

Unlike a large, bulky campervan or motorhome, Spaceships vans drive just like a regular car.

Our campervan zipped up mountains and gravel roads without issue, and handled twisty and narrow roads like a pro. We could park our van in normal car parks, so parking was never an issue like it can be with a larger van.

Gas mileage is pretty good.

Again, unlike a large, heavy campervan, the Spaceships vans get pretty good gas mileage.

We drove 1,481 km and spent a total of $263.81 NZD on petrol, for reference (bear in mind that petrol is quite expensive in NZ).

The van was cosy and comfortable.

The bed was pretty comfortable for a campervan bed. We slept quite well in our van.

I did layer another blanket on top of the mattress to add some extra cushion (I have a packable Rumpl blanket I often take with me on camping trips). I get hip pain often on camping mats/thin mattresses, and this worked great for me.

We hired our van at the end of April, which is peak autumn season, and had some chilly nights but we never felt cold inside of the van.

If you’re campervanning in winter and are worried about being cold, they offer a “Winter Warmer Pack” for $50.

The kitchen & fridge were great.

The mini fridge at the back of the van held enough food and drinks for 2-3 days at a time. It was so nice to not have to deal with a chilly bin (cooler) and ice.

The kitchen setup is simple but perfect for cooking your own meals, and I found the cooking equipment to be basic but completely adequate. We were able to cook some delicious meals in our van.

There are no hidden fees or strict restrictions on driving.

There’s no charge for one-way trips with Spaceships vans. There’s also no charge for an extra driver.

They have a fair cancellation policy and you can easily make changes to your booking online.

Another thing I love about Spaceships is that they allow you to drive their vans on unsealed/gravel roads (which we did quite a few times!).

You can’t drive the van on a beach (which is totally reasonable; I can’t think of a single rental company that’d allow this) or 3 specific roads in New Zealand, but essentially, you can drive your van almost anywhere within reason. This allows you to get off the beaten path if you so desire.

They also have no restrictions on kilometres. Basically, these vans were made for adventuring.

I like Spaceships’ transparency and how simple it is to book, add, or change things on their self-service portal online.

The Dream Sleeper Mini includes insect screens and rain shields.

This might sound minor, but we were so grateful for the insect screens that came with the van! They were magnetic and easy to set up, and did a great job of keeping out mosquitoes and sandflies while letting us keep the windows cracked open at night for fresh air.

The windows also have rain shields built in and we had no issues with rain getting into the van (we had one night of camping where it absolutely poured outside).

Note: the other van models do not include the insect screens, but you can add them to your booking for an extra fee (I’d definitely add them if I were you).

NZ Frenzy books are included.

Scott Cook’s NZ Frenzy books have long been my go-to’s for exploring New Zealand’s outdoors.

Simply put, they’re the best New Zealand outdoor travel guides out there. And the savvy people at Spaceships Rentals have included PDF copies of the books with your van hire!

Believe me, these books will help you have the most epic trip ever (you should buy them if you don’t end up booking with Spaceships).

Pickup is super easy.

Spaceships utilises a self-service van pickup system. They send you instructional videos and any details you need to know beforehand.

If you pickup the van during business hours, there will be staff on site who can assist you if you need it, but we found the pickup process seamless and speedy.

The price.

Campervan rentals in New Zealand are not cheap. However, compared to many campervan rentals in New Zealand, Spaceships are much more reasonably priced. They’re an excellent option for budget travellers.

For a 10-day van hire in April (autumn/shoulder season), I spent a total of $1,088.67 NZD, including full insurance.

Expect higher rates if you book your van in the peak spring/summer months between November and February (although you’ll still find Spaceships cheaper than most other campervan companies!).

What I didn’t like about my Spaceships campervan

The van was quite old and well-loved.

The Dream Sleeper Mini van may be the most luxurious van in the Spaceships fleet, but I certainly wouldn’t call it a luxury vehicle.

This is fine by me, because I enjoy simple camping and don’t need a fancy, brand-new setup, but I do think you should know what to expect!

Our van was clean and operated totally fine, but it was quite old, scuffed and scratched, as you might expect from a vehicle with over 250,000 kms on it.

Its compact size makes things feel a bit cramped after a while.

When I booked my campervan, I knew I was getting a compact van with limited space. But it’s worth reiterating that the van is small, and it doesn’t have a lot of storage space. 

You need to take down/set up the bed anytime you drive the vehicle, and that starts to feel a bit cumbersome after a while (although we got it down to a science after a couple of days!). 

If it’s raining outside, there’s not a lot of hangout space inside of the van (which, again, I knew to expect when I booked the van). We luckily only had a couple of rainy days during our trip, and just booked into campsites with hangout spaces and kitchen facilities on those days.

There were a few minor issues.

The side doors in our van were a bit fiddly sometimes (one of them didn’t want to shut at times, even when we turned off the automatic function).

The fridge hummed at night, although this didn’t bother me too much (and you can turn it off if you need to).

We had to change the battery in the car key (luckily, Spaceships had already provided an extra one for us in the van), and found that the car key had to be quite close to the car in order to lock or unlock it.

None of these were major issues for us at all, but are worth a mention.

There isn’t a transfer service to/from the airport and Spaceships depot.

The Spaceships Rentals depots in both Auckland and Christchurch are both located a fair distance from the airports.

Spaceships doesn’t offer a transfer service between the airport and Spaceships depot in either city. The easiest way to get to/from the campervan depots and airports is to book an Uber or a Super Shuttle.

Just a side note: this wasn’t an issue for us, as we booked a car rental before and after our campervan trip (we booked our car with Snap in Christchurch, which is located a 2-minute walk from the Spaceships depot). I do think it’s an important thing to know, though, as you’ll need to plan accordingly.

The van drop-off process requires a bit of admin.

Firstly, I should mention that dropping off the van is easy—it’s a self-service drop-off process (like the pickup process) and Spaceships gives you clear instructions on how to do this. 

However, I did find that it’s a bit of a hassle to have to return the van completely clean per Spaceship’s requirements—we ran the van through a car wash & vacuumed it out before returning it to avoid risking a fee. You can purchase an express return pack ($99) if you don’t want to deal with this.

Also, the van comes with a random level of petrol in the tank, and you’re meant to return it with the same level of petrol as at pickup. I think it’d be much simpler to pick up the van with a full tank and return it with a full tank.

—

All in all, there’s a lot more that I liked about the campervan compared to what I didn’t like. 

We had the van for 10 full days and easily could have extended this for another 10 (or more) if we’d had the time to. In fact, we were quite attached to our van by the end of our trip, and felt sad to part ways!

Where we camped in our Spaceships campervan

The Dream Sleeper Mini is not self-contained (there’s no toilet in the van), so you aren’t allowed to camp in this van at many freedom camping spots in New Zealand.

However, this wasn’t an issue for us at all. 

For the most part, I actually prefer camping in campgrounds rather than freedom camping spots, which are often just parking lots in random places with limited sites available (meaning you have to arrive early to secure a spot). In addition, I’m not that keen on having a toilet sitting in the middle of my campervan taking up valuable space!

We camped at a mix of DOC (Department of Conservation) sites and private campgrounds. All of the campsites we stayed at had toilets onsite, and some also had communal hangout areas, a camp kitchen, and hot showers.

Our zippy little campervan made it so easy to reach some epic remote campsites. We stayed at campsites in stunning locations near beaches, native forests, and coastal bays—it was an absolute dream of a road trip.

As for campsite prices, we paid between $10-$20 NZD (per person, per night) depending on the site.

Tip: if you’ll be campervanning in New Zealand for a while, consider purchasing a DOC campsite pass. They offer a 30-day pass for $95 NZD (per person), which is a great option for many campervan travellers who want to camp in beautiful places in the midst of nature (there’s also a 365-day option available, just FYI). 

Do check any restrictions, though, as certain campsites are excluded from the pass, particularly during peak summer season.

Some handy tips for your campervan hire with Spaceships

• There are curtains in the van to set up at night (or just for privacy), but some light still filters in after dark. Pack an eye mask to wear when you sleep if you’re at all sensitive to light.
  
  
• I brought along a few extra kitchen items that ended up being useful: my own sharp knife (I have a folding Opinel knife that I love), coffee dripper, and camp toaster.
  
  
• Camping chairs and a table are not included with the van hire, but you can rent them for around $60. We just brought along our own camp chairs, but you could pick some up from Kmart if you don’t want to hire them, or bring your own from home (if you have collapsible ones like Helinox chairs, those would be great). You’ll definitely want some camp chairs and a table since the indoor van space is limited.
  
  
• Pack soft-sided luggage to best fit under the storage compartment. I also recommend having packing cubes for keeping things organised. I brought a couple of packing cubes for my essential clothing items, and kept them by the front seat for easy access when the bed was set up and my luggage was stored away.
  
  
• Other random things I always find helpful for campervan trips: a headlamp; sandals, coins, and a tote bag for camp showers; & slip-on shoes/slides (I always find it annoying to lace up shoes when getting in/out of the van). I also like bringing along a packable blanket for extra warmth & cushion on top of campervan mattresses—I have a Rumpl blanket that I love.

Would I recommend hiring a Spaceships campervan in NZ?

Yes, I absolutely recommend hiring a Spaceships campervan for your NZ road trip!

However, I don’t recommend it for everyone.

If you want a plush, spacious campervan that’s the equivalent of a hotel room on wheels, then these are not the vans for you. 

If, on the other hand, you’re an intrepid traveller who enjoys camping and being out in nature—and you want the opportunity to travel off the beaten path in an easy-to-handle van—then a Spaceships campervan might be perfect for you.

I’d hire a Spaceships campervan again in a heartbeat, and am inspired now to buy and build out a similar campervan of my own to take on weekend adventures.

Thanks for reading my Spaceships campervan review!

I truly hope it’s helped you plan your NZ campervan adventure.

As always, please leave a comment or send me an email if you have any questions or feedback about this article. I always love hearing from you!

More resources for campervanning in New Zealand

• Everything you need to know about camping in New Zealand
  
  
• Can’t decide whether to hire a campervan or car? Check out my guide to choosing between a campervan or car rental in New Zealand.
  
  
• Discover the best campsites in the South Island and the best campsites in the North Island.
  
  
• Plan your campervan itinerary with my guides!
  • 3 week New Zealand campervan itinerary
  • 3 week South Island campervan itinerary
  • 14-day South Island campervan itinerary
  • 14-day North Island itinerary