Great location! This…read moreis a great downtown hotel, with all the amenities. Restaurant, bar, indoor pool, gym and conference rooms. Although it may be a little dated, it was clean the rooms were large, free wifi and a well stocked mini bar. It is a very easy walk to the town basin where all manner of restaurants and cafes are available.

My family and I stayed here for two nights, in the 2-bedroom suite (room #1). In our pre-stay…read morecorrespondence with the hosts, Lyn was very prompt in responding to our request for the room and in confirming our requests for the room (e.g. king-size bed, portable cots). Upon arrival, the room was more beautiful and comfortable than the online pictures give it credit for. The bathroom is gorgeous and the toiletries very nice. We were pleasantly surprised to see that the items in the room (snacks, drinks, etc.) were actually very reasonably priced and not excessively marked-up as is the usual case in hotel room mini-bars. We had a bottle of wine each night and it was great. We enjoyed the room so much we contemplated staying another day, but it was already booked and we had to be on our way. After we'd left the hotel, we received a call from Lyn, informing us that we'd accidentally left my son's lovie behind. If your're a parent, you know the chaos that can erupt when these things go missing. She had it couriered down to our home in Hamilton and it arrived the very next day (at no expense to us). We will definitely stay here in the future if we are back in the area. One thing that is really cool is that they have a frequent visitor card. If you stay a certain number of nights, you get a night free (I think, 4 nights). That's a pretty sweet deal and I hope we can take advantage of it in the future. Overall, this was an awesome place to stay and I'd highly recommend it to friends and family members.

What a lovely little hotel. We stayed one night and had a lovely stay. Our room was large and…read morecomfortable. The small kitchen was a nice bonus. The bed was very comfortable, and the shower was great! A short walk to a Woolworths and some restaurants. We're glad we booked it again on our way back to Auckland.

What a charming little motel! I didn't think "charming" and "motel" would go together in the same…read moresentence, but it does. We were recently in NZ on holiday, and we had a long drive up to the Bay of Islands, so we decided to break it up with an overnight stay just north of Auckland. The first place we reserved told us they didn't allow children (??), so we (with our toddler) had to scramble to find another place. I found the Beachcomber's website, advertising it as a boutique motel, and thought it was worth a try. We were able to book a room for that very night. Orewa is not too far north of Auckland, but there's a nice wide strip of beach and a small walkable commercial area. I'm sure it's a lovely beach getaway in the summer, but even winter was fine. This motel is a short walk from the centre and directly across from the beach park. Every room has its own personality. They seemed to be different sizes and layouts. Ours, Room 12 on the top floor, had a living/dining/kitchen area, and a bedroom in the back with ensuite. Our suite was red/white/black and the bedroom was very instagrammable. Black and white damask wallpaper, black chandelier, white tables. The living area up front had lots of seating options, funky wiry barrel-shaped tables, and a modern four-seat dining table. Room for our child's cot, too. Sliding glass doors (which we kept closed) would be lovely thrown open in summer, with the net curtain drawn to keep insects out. Probably necessary in summer - there is no central heating or air-conditioning, so we had to use a space heater from the closet (and there was a fan, for summer). A small door opened to a back outdoor walkway. The kitchen had a mini refrigerator, a microwave, sink, cooktop, kettle, glasses, utensils, plates. Large bathroom behind a barn-style door, and a generous-sized shower with a rainfall shower head. They have such a boutique vibe going on, they have surprisingly uninspired toiletries. Just dispensers hanging on the wall of the shower for shampoo and body wash, which is unfortunate, because it seems just a bit low-end for this kind of establishment. No guest elevator, at least none that I saw. Parking area is a little awkward because it's small - we parked on the end and reversed in, but if you had to park further in, getting out could be a little challenging, especially for large vehicles. Free wi-fi. Super cute! Probably my favorite accommodations the whole trip.

I stayed for 4 nights in a sea view room. The renovations since my last visit were nice in the…read moreroom, however they did skimp on a few areas. The tiny work area by the tv was the only place I could use my computer however no Power plugs nearby made this difficult. The table and chairs inside were uncomfortable with hard backs. We also had no outdoor furniture like the pictures had shown, I did notice some rooms had nice outdoor comfortable furniture. The door to outside was not aligned with the frame and there was a clear visible gap which wind whistled in. The bed and bedding were lovely as was the bathroom. We had buffet dinner one night, this was a rip off, still 2 hours till close and plenty of dishes empty and not being replenished. Large Australian tour group in front of us raided the entire dessert table and only left ice cream. Coffee was also empty and after repeated requests remained so.

We came here with Gate 1 Travel. Please keep in mind that this is nothing to do with the hotel's…read moreShuttle service as Josh was more than helpful with driving us to and from the hotel into the Town Square in a timely manner! He even pointed out several interesting spots to hang out and made sure to borrow us umbrellas in case of unexpected rain. Our main issue is with their housekeeping service. First of all, they are very slow in getting our rooms cleaned up. Second of all, upon entering the bathroom (when we return from our excursion at 4:30 pm), there are many significant dirty areas left unclean (with brown spots showing in the sink)! Third of all, the housekeeping left one rubbish bin (or trash can) lying on the floor in the bathroom and another one both not lined, even though they left two plastic bags on the bathroom sink table. We ended up lining the rubbish bins (or trash cans) ourselves!!! Finally, the complimentary toiletries were not replenished, as with our coffee cups and drinking glasses (only our previous used cups remained)!!!

Did you know that the Grand Hotel Helensville's claim to fame is that they were the first…read morecommercial pub, restaurant and accommodation in New Zealand? This grand old dame, it is also the "original" Grand Hotel, is still holding up well and recently came under new ownership and management so we think there is a bit of a renaissance in store. I had a drink here the other day and the facilities are friendly, laid back and family friendly. The back garden bar is a nice space to hang out with friends. Rosso Restaurant recently got a revamp and the two new chefs Shaun and Stevie have great plans for the menu. If you are into Scottish food then come on out for a meal as Shaun did his cheffing there so has treats in store.

From the owner: Hotel Accommodation. Fine Dining. Family Meals. Catering. Weddings. Birthday Events. Film Location…read more Large Quiet Bedrooms. Truck Driver challenge Meal. Bar Food. El Fresco Dining. Friendly Country Accommodation.

We had a comfortable stay. The staff were always polite. Sarah, the main cleaner for the lodge was…read morefantastic. She was always helpful and smiling. She always made sure we were taken care of. Eg: cleaning the room if needed, top up coffee or milk (if we asked), clean towels. The room was a standard room. The price was cheap for 3 people. The bed could be split into single beds if you needed. The room had a small kitchen area, dinning table. stove and fridge. We stayed in the bigger room that was designed for a person with disabilities. It was on the ground floor, had room for a wheelchair (a bit tight, but managble), or a walker and a big bathroom with a shower seat and no barriers to use facilities. There was a ramp to get to room, perfect for someone with disabilities. There is also a little courtyard and spa private spa. In walking distance there are thermal hot pools. A colorful playground with public BBQ's, a campsite, a decent size four square, a bakery, a takeaways, a bottle store (if you want a wine or some beers). There is also Craigweil rest home close if you are from out of town visiting a loved one. Will definitely recommend Parakai Springs Lodge if you want cheap accommodation close to amenities and hot pools. Sarah was fantastic and made our stay welcome.

This is a little bit of a surprise in the very quiet and dated Parakai neighbourhood, a…read morecontemporary development, that is totally needed in the area. I stayed here for a night over the weekend, to escape the rush of the city and enjoy some quiet time. This was a wonderful first time experience, the property I would say has been functioning for less than a year, as it all was very new and fresh. I loved the well planned and designed rooms, with kitchenette, bathroom along with a jacuzzi bath and out on the balcony your very own spa bath with thermal water. Located on a suburban street across the road from a small commercial thermal pool, the west setting sun in the winter afternoon was sublime. Take a five minute walk to the main village shops, where you can purchase groceries and any items you might have forgotten to bring. Before I arrived, my partner and I had to pop into the mineral park motel near by and pre pay the accommodation at the office and pick up keys, however this might just be a present occurrence, as at the lodge I could see that a reception area was in place but at the time not in use. The Premier rooms are the bigger of the two choices, with a super king bed and the thermal outdoor private pools, located on the downstairs block, whilst the upstairs rooms have smaller beds and only the indoor jacuzzi bath. For forty dollars extra I would always recommend the premier room. A wonderful relaxed spot, do explore and check it out.

Great atmosphere, great view, great service. We came at an odd hour (3pm) and they weren't serving…read moremeals at that time, so we had drinks and bar snacks instead (chips and kumara bread). This place is sort of the crown jewel in Russell's tourist scene, with its legendary history (it was founded in the 1830s by an ex-convict during a time when Russell was a "hell hole" filled with whalers and prostitutes). But its founder quickly worked to transform it into a genteel and elegant hotel, and this is the elegance you notice today, both in the interior pub/dining room and in the expansive outdoor decks. The drinks list is extensive and reasonably priced (although I noticed most of the wine was sold by the bottle, not by the glass). The kumara bread was AMAZING (it's like thick slices of dense bread with a faint sweet potato taste, and you dip it in extra-virgin olive oil....oh my goodness, I want the recipe, it's that good). One serving of kumara bread was enough for 3 people. The chips, however, were actually quite gross. They tasted really fishy, like someone had cooked the chips next to some fish. That's really gross for many people who hate seafood or are vegan/vegetarian -- when you order a seemingly innocuous menu item like chips, you don't expect it to taste like fish!! So that was disgusting. Atmosphere-wise, it's great, though, with a view right onto the water and plenty of outdoor seating to enjoy the nice weather. Definitely worth a visit during your stay in Russell.

After reading some of the reviews on this site, I expected more. From my perspective this is…read morestrictly an average hotel, deserving 3 stars, with only a few redeeming features. I certainly have experienced "Above average" (4 stars) and "Wahoo...as good as it gets" (5 stars) elsewhere. There are three strong positives for this hotel: location, quality of sheets/ bedding/towels, and free wifi. The hotel is situated on the strand, as are so many other hotels. It is also centrally located in town; yet as the town is only 3 blocks long, so are all the hotels in Russell. Only a few of the rooms actually front the marina, and at a very high price. The side rooms, some of which are described as "small/cosy" (read tiny), have side views looking over parking lots, dirty & cluttered rooftops of adjoining buildings, or the workers service area. Aside from the aforementioned positives, the rest of the experience was merely average, or in some cases sub-par. We had a very average continental buffet breakfast (see photos). Canned juices, canned fruits (1 bowl of freshly cut fruit), and startlingly, no hot dishes...not even the "hot" water for the coffee (they provide large urns of initially hot water which turns tepid in short order). Check out time is 10AM, and though the hotel was only moderately full, and we asked for 11:30 checkout, management only was able to give us until 11AM. Not very accommodating. Most hotels don't even blink at saying yes to 12 Noon. We had our local friends join us for lunch, and we dined outside on the front porch overlooking the strand. While the venue was pleasing, and the weather cooperated, the food was decent, and yet the service was unprofessionally lackluster. Though we specifically requested no added herbs or parsley be put on our Bouillabaisse ($25), it was delivered with parsley (we sent it back). The other mains of Thai Beef salad ($17.50) and Venison Loin ($19.50) were similarly tasty, though smallish portions (see photos). Taking 15 minutes to receive a side order of bread ($3) to accompany the bouillabaisse is not acceptable. Note: if you're a local, ask for the discount.

Where to start! The room was perfection. We originally wanted to stay in the boatshed accommodation…read morebut they upgraded us free of charge to the bridge room-- which was absolutely incredible! The view was simply unreal. The accommodation itself was cozy and huge, with your own fireplace! From the bed and pillows to the lovely bathroom, it was also perfectly thought out, efficient, and just want you need on a quick two day holiday. The staff was incredible and amazing to chat with. We enjoyed speaking with every single employee who takes pride in what they do at the boatshed. The food was also perfect, the first night a lamb dinner was perfection, and the best thing we've eaten so far. Breakfast included was a cherry on top. The proximity to the beach is unbeatable and we enjoyed a swim early in the morning before we checked out-- a completely empty beach too! Plus it helps that the boatshed supplies you with the beach materials you may need as well. Lastly, I had a painful bike accident and when I got back to the boatshed, Barbara was quick to assist, giving me antiseptic and calling the local medical center for me. They truly care about their customers! I can't wait to come back again. Thank you Jonathon for a lovely stay!

Welcome home to paradise! From the instant you arrive, you are met with warmth, comfort,…read moreattention, a gorgeous view and delicious food. Rooms are beautifully appointed and probably the most comfortable bed EVER. The staff all go all out to make your experience the best. Be sure to also ask to be connected with Chris for driving, wine touring, etc and you'll have an experience you'll smile about for the rest of your life. Can't wait to come back!

Rooms are comfortable and most are a decent size. I've stayed here quite a bit with work. The rooms…read morelocated furtherest away from the road are quiet enough to sleep in during the day. The rooms have the normal features bed, tv,jug + own bathroom. The only fault here is the price of meals. They charge like a wounded bull but the food choices and portion sizes aren't great which is why I gave them a 3 star.

We needed a place to stop over in from our way back from Ninety Mile Beach as we didn't want to…read moretravel all the way back to Auckland. The hotel did the job to serve these weary travelers. It's not luxury if that's what you are looking for but it was clean and comfy. There is a restaurant on the premises. However - we didn't make it in time - think it closes around 8:30 PM but the bar stays open a bit longer. It's centrally located a quick walk to the harbor (where we grabbed breakfast in the morning). If you are going to stay in the area for a short time - this would be a good value.