Akaroa on the Beach Apartments

We stayed in the penthouse suite, and the harbour views made it worthwhile. The place was peaceful, and our host was lovely. There’s a short walk to the Britomart Monument, where the views over the harbour are amazing. We also spotted two little Hector’s dolphins playing in the bay below.

The room was clean and pleasant, though the furnishings felt old and dated. One floor lamp had a broken shade, and the decor was very dusty. There were no toiletries such as shampoo or conditioner, which I found unusual. The shower was hot with good pressure. It’s quiet here, with a lovely view, and town is a 15-20 minute walk away. A nearby set of steps leads down to the water, though the shore is quite rocky for swimming. I would have liked fresh air, but with no window screens, leaving the windows open means getting eaten alive by mosquitoes.

We stayed in the Seaview apartment from 11-14 Oct 2018. The kitchen was well equipped, the bed was nice, and the laundry facilities were very good. It’s quiet, with only local traffic, and an easy walk to the center of Akaroa. The location across the road from the water is beautiful. I only got to meet our host Maria briefly in the upstairs hallway on our second day.

I booked through Expedia on 2/26/24 for 12/23 - 12/25, then cancelled and learned there was a one-night fee of $171.53. Expedia normally doesn’t charge me cancellation fees, but this hotel did. I contacted the property right away to ask Mary to restore the same dates, which still showed as available, so I could avoid the hefty penalty. She didn’t respond to my requests. I know it was my mistake to book without checking the cancellation terms, but the stay was still eight months away and I was only trying to keep the same itinerary. The whole thing left a bad taste in my mouth, and that’s why I’m leaving this review.