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.

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)!!!

Peaceful, relaxing and classy. This is the perfect spot to stay and enjoy Russell within a nice…read moreeasy walking distance of the waterfront. The cottages themselves are lovely and have everything you would have at home. Big plus is the pool and communal bbq area. Can't wait to head back and stay here again.

I am sorry to say that we were unable to stay at this accommodation. My sister and I became ill…read moreduring our recent travel and notified the motel immediately and within the 24 hour cancellation time frame as advertised on their web page when booking. I am sad to report that no sooner did I cancel our accommodation than they charged my credit card. I have exchanged numerous emails with the management and they refuse to reverse these charges so I have no choice than to contest this with my credit card company. Be very careful with this accommodation as they do not honor their own policy.

Fantastic and pleasant experience all around! Don't let the word "motel" turn you off. While this…read moremay not be the most glamorous of places from the outside, it is modern, clean, functional, and very cozy. Our room was a suite with a living room and a kitchen. It was quiet, comfortable, and everything looked brand new inside. Convenient parking spot is 2 steps away from the door. The hosts were friendly, and very informative. They gave us great tips on thjngs to do, and rescued our day when one of our bookings got canceled. I definitely recommend it and would gladly stay here again!

We've stayed at 6 different hotels during our trip to Hawaii, New Zealand and Australia this hotel…read morewas the best by far. Huge room, clean, new bathrooms and great location and price can't beat it.

Had a lovely stay here, room was very nice, clean and spacious. Such a good location, easy walk to…read moredinner. The lovely lady at reception recommended to eat at Greens Indian and Thai and it did not disappoint!

We pre booked the Sea Spray for a three night stay using the suites as a base for exploring the Bay…read moreof Islands. First impressions were average at best. The parking was very tight for our four wheel drive, plus we had to lug all our suitcases up the stairs to get to our room. However we found the rooms to be quite large, well equipped and clean. The beds were comfortable. The rooms were in need of a touch of paint here and there. The complex was not full being mid winter so the place was quiet. It proved to be a good choice for walking to the beach, which was just over the road, and walking to the Paihia town centre to shop and to go on our ferry and other trips. There is a supermarket and petrol station close by also. It is not a luxury hotel but it fits the bill for a reasonably priced beachside holiday suite.

My friend recommended this hotel because of its proximity to the town and the wharf. In terms of…read morelocation, this is a terrific place to stay. In 5 minutes you are in downtown Paihia and/or at the wharf ready to take the ferry to Russell or hop on a helicopter ride or take one of the dolphin cruises. Location, location, location. Also, there is a sparkling clean pool on the frontage road side and it has a terrific view of the bay, including these great little islands. The room was comfortable and the bed super, but the BIG PROBLEM was a sliding door on the bathroom instead of one that seals shut tight. You can hear everything that's going on when someone's on the toilet. Very embarrassing. I could hear my wife giggling from bed while I FARTED ON THE THRONE. Another big problem is the hoards of motor coaches and tourist buses that park outside your window idling, kicking up clouds of diesel and gas exhaust. We were lucky to check out before more arrived. I would stay here again only in the off-season when the coaches/buses weren't around and only if they gave us a room without a sliding bathroom door. ps. the WIFI is FREE, but only for the first half an hour.

Terrible experience. They charge extra for WiFi, only give you 2 towels per room and would not…read moreprovide more when we asked, gave a fridge in room but when we asked to use a microwave to heat up some leftovers they told us we weren't supposed to bring food in the hotel. Breakfast was also a joke. $23 for very minimal food. Only plus was that the rooms were clean.

Two years later, we still have fond memories of this place. Beautiful area and good proximity…read morewithin the North Island. Highly recommend!