--- title: "Maruia Hot Springs vs Waikite Valley Thermal Pools: Which is more popular in New Zealand?" description: "Is Maruia Hot Springs or Waikite Valley Thermal Pools more popular in search? Compare estimated monthly branded-search demand and Share of Search inside the Hot pools set in New Zealand. Branded searches tell you how often people look for a brand by name or related terms. Comparing these searches across competitors helps you see how popular each brand is over time." canonical: "https://gobrandwave.com/demand/nz/compare/maruia-hot-springs-vs-waikite-valley-thermal-pools" publisher: "Brandwave" --- # Maruia Hot Springs vs Waikite Valley Thermal Pools: Which is more popular in New Zealand? Is Maruia Hot Springs or Waikite Valley Thermal Pools more popular in search? Compare estimated monthly branded-search demand and Share of Search inside the Hot pools set in New Zealand. Branded searches tell you how often people look for a brand by name or related terms. Comparing these searches across competitors helps you see how popular each brand is over time. ## Key facts - **Compared**: Maruia Hot Springs and Waikite Valley Thermal Pools - **Competitive set**: Hot pools - **Market**: New Zealand - **Month measured**: Oct 2026 - **Maruia Hot Springs Share of Search**: 11.8% - **Waikite Valley Thermal Pools Share of Search**: 16.3% ## Is Maruia Hot Springs or Waikite Valley Thermal Pools more popular in search? - In October 2026, Waikite Valley Thermal Pools had more branded searches than Maruia Hot Springs among hot pools in New Zealand. Waikite Valley Thermal Pools had about 11,500 branded searches, while Maruia Hot Springs had 8,300. Waikite Valley Thermal Pools made up 16.3% of all hot pool searches we track, and Maruia Hot Springs accounted for 11.8%. - The lead changed hands 4 times in the 12 months ending October 2026: Maruia Hot Springs took it in January 2026, Waikite Valley Thermal Pools took it in April 2026, Maruia Hot Springs took it in June 2026, Waikite Valley Thermal Pools took it in July 2026. - Across the 12 months ending October 2026, Maruia Hot Springs’ share of searches among hot pools in New Zealand moved from 12.4% to 11.8%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 10.2K to 8.3K. - Across the 12 months ending October 2026, Waikite Valley Thermal Pools’ share of searches among hot pools in New Zealand moved from 13.9% to 16.3%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 11.4K to 11.5K. ## Top hot pools in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews In three ChatGPT questions and one Google AI Overview, Maruia Hot Springs was mentioned in three out of four: in two of the three ChatGPT answers and in the Google AI Overview. Waikite Valley Thermal Pools was mentioned in two out of four: in one of the three ChatGPT answers and in the Google AI Overview. Maruia Hot Springs and Waikite Valley Thermal Pools were each listed first in one of the two answers that named either. Brands get a higher AI rank if they are mentioned earlier in the answers that list options. | Brand | AI rank | ChatGPT answers that named it | Google AI Overviews that named it | All answers that named it | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Onsen Hot Pools | 1st | 3 of 3 | 1 of 1 | 4 of 4 | | Polynesian Spa | 2nd | 2 of 3 | 1 of 1 | 3 of 4 | | Tekapo Springs | 3rd | 3 of 3 | 1 of 1 | 4 of 4 | | Hanmer Springs Thermal Pools | 4th | 2 of 3 | 1 of 1 | 3 of 4 | | Maruia Hot Springs | 5th | 2 of 3 | 1 of 1 | 3 of 4 | | Waikite Valley Thermal Pools | 6th | 1 of 3 | 1 of 1 | 2 of 4 | | Wairakei Terraces | Not ranked | 0 of 3 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 4 | ## Every AI answer about hot pools - Asked ChatGPT "Which hot pool should I go to in New Zealand?": 1. Onsen Hot Pools, 2. Tekapo Springs, 3. Hanmer Springs Thermal Pools - Asked ChatGPT "What are the best hot pools in New Zealand?": 1. Polynesian Spa, 2. Onsen Hot Pools, 3. Hanmer Springs Thermal Pools, 4. Waikite Valley Thermal Pools, 5. Tekapo Springs, 6. Maruia Hot Springs - Asked ChatGPT "What's the best hot pool in New Zealand for a relaxing soak?": 1. Polynesian Spa, 2. Onsen Hot Pools, 3. Maruia Hot Springs, 4. Tekapo Springs - Searched Google, AI Overview "thermal pools nz": 1. Polynesian Spa, 2. Waikite Valley Thermal Pools, 3. Hanmer Springs Thermal Pools, 4. Tekapo Springs, 5. Onsen Hot Pools, 6. Maruia Hot Springs Not named in any answer: Wairakei Terraces. Brands are listed in the order each answer named them. The answers were collected in New Zealand on October 19, 2026. ## How did search popularity change for New Zealand hot pools in October 2026? - In October 2026, Maruia Hot Springs overtook Wairakei Terraces to rank 5th among hot pools in New Zealand, with 11.8% of the searches. - In October 2026, Waikite Valley Thermal Pools gained share of searches among hot pools in New Zealand, from 15.4% to 16.3%. ## How has branded search for Maruia Hot Springs and Waikite Valley Thermal Pools changed in New Zealand over the last 12 months? | Month | Maruia Hot Springs estimated searches | Maruia Hot Springs Share of Search | Maruia Hot Springs rank | Waikite Valley Thermal Pools estimated searches | Waikite Valley Thermal Pools Share of Search | Waikite Valley Thermal Pools rank | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Nov 2025 | 10.2K | 12.4% | 3 | 11.4K | 13.9% | 2 | | Dec 2025 | 14.3K | 12.5% | 4 | 16.4K | 14.3% | 2 | | Jan 2026 | 17.5K | 13.8% | 2 | 16.5K | 13% | 3 | | Feb 2026 | 11.7K | 12.7% | 2 | 11K | 11.9% | 4 | | Mar 2026 | 14.3K | 15.4% | 2 | 14.1K | 15.1% | 3 | | Apr 2026 | 12.5K | 11.9% | 5 | 16.5K | 15.7% | 2 | | May 2026 | 11K | 13.8% | 4 | 11.2K | 14% | 3 | | Jun 2026 | 11K | 14.2% | 3 | 9.2K | 11.8% | 4 | | Jul 2026 | 13.5K | 13.2% | 4 | 16.4K | 16.1% | 2 | | Aug 2026 | 9K | 11.4% | 6 | 9.3K | 11.7% | 4 | | Sep 2026 | 8.3K | 11.1% | 6 | 11.5K | 15.4% | 2 | | Oct 2026 | 8.3K | 11.8% | 5 | 11.5K | 16.3% | 2 | ## How are Maruia Hot Springs’ and Waikite Valley Thermal Pools’ branded searches counted? Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Maruia Hot Springs’ and Waikite Valley Thermal Pools’ names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading. - **Maruia Hot Springs**: Measured on the search terms “maruia hot springs” and “maruia springs”, summed into one figure. - **Waikite Valley Thermal Pools**: Measured on the search terms “waikite valley”, “waikite valley accommodation”, “waikite valley camping”, “waikite valley hot pools”, “waikite valley hot springs”, “waikite valley lodge”, “waikite valley pool” and “waikite valley road”, summed into one figure. - [Maruia Hot Springs profile](/demand/nz/brands/maruia-hot-springs) - [Waikite Valley Thermal Pools profile](/demand/nz/brands/waikite-valley-thermal-pools) - [All hot pools in New Zealand](/demand/nz/categories/nz-hot-pools): The set both shares are measured inside, 7 brands. ## Methodology - [How is the Brand Demand Index measured?](/demand/methodology): Where the figures come from, what they compare, and how they may be reused. ## Frequently asked questions ### Is Maruia Hot Springs or Waikite Valley Thermal Pools more popular in search? In October 2026, Waikite Valley Thermal Pools had more branded searches than Maruia Hot Springs among hot pools in New Zealand. Waikite Valley Thermal Pools had about 11,500 branded searches, while Maruia Hot Springs had 8,300. Waikite Valley Thermal Pools made up 16.3% of all hot pool searches we track, and Maruia Hot Springs accounted for 11.8%. ## Cite this page Brandwave. "Maruia Hot Springs vs Waikite Valley Thermal Pools: Which is more popular in New Zealand?". https://gobrandwave.com/demand/nz/compare/maruia-hot-springs-vs-waikite-valley-thermal-pools This page is also available as HTML at https://gobrandwave.com/demand/nz/compare/maruia-hot-springs-vs-waikite-valley-thermal-pools. Brandwave publishes an index of its Markdown pages at https://gobrandwave.com/llms.txt.