Touchwood Motor Inn

We just needed somewhere to sleep, and in the end it was fine. The location was good and the showers were free, though a bit dirty. For campervans, the owners should keep track of who is assigned to each spot so they don't get double-booked. I'm not sure whether the mix-up was accidental or on purpose, but arriving was a hassle. We'd booked and paid online, but there was no staff when we got there. Check-in apparently had to be before 7:30, though that wasn't on the booking site or in the FAQ. A sign said to call if checking in late, but we had no NZ phone number and the on-site phone booth wouldn't take our international cards. After we finally borrowed a phone, a worker told us where to park, but sent another woman who arrived at the same time to that very same spot. When she called him, he got angry, said he was far away, and blamed us for not arriving on time. We squeezed the vehicles in and shared the space. Later we heard other guys had the same problem that night.

We went as three people looking for an unpowered site. The woman quoted $55, so we said we'd take a quick look around. When we came back and were already partway through signing, she quietly changed it to $100. It felt sneaky, like she was trying to catch us off guard or rip us off.

The facilities were clean, and the location was fairly central and reasonably close to the airport. But the campsite was expensive, the spaces barely fit our camper, and there wasn't room to sit outside. Several locals were living at the campsite.

The location is good, but the condition of the unit felt harmful. I came away worried about mould, and the staff gave no response or apology when I told them at checkout how badly I'd been feeling. They shouldn't keep these units available for booking until the mould is dealt with. Two weeks earlier, I checked into unit 4. The windows were open, but I could still smell mustiness, and airing it out didn't help. I began coughing in the second half of the night and couldn't sleep again until I was exhausted. The next night it got worse. I coughed all night, even while sleeping in the living room. The dry cough lasted over a week, made my voice hoarse, and I still hadn't returned to normal when I wrote this. Just before leaving, I noticed what looked like mould covered by white paint above the mouldy wallpaper. I believe mould spores can be breathed into the lungs and make you ill, and my reaction felt intense. Your lungs aren't filters for mould spores. Don't let them put your health at risk.