Central Christchurch Cottage

The location worked well for us, roughly a 10-minute walk to the city centre, with Tram Junction and food near the stadium close by. The bedding was clean, but that was the best part of the room. Dust covered the headboard, the ceiling was dirty, and the bathroom had mould and peeling paint. Wallpaper was coming away from the ceiling too. There was a big brown mark on the vanity throughout our stay. I wiped most of it off myself and then took a photo, though I wish I'd photographed the dark brown smudge first. The room needs a proper regular clean. Its decor didn't help: there weren't enough power points, and a large chipped bowl on the dining table should be thrown out. It held a plastic tulip with fabric leaves, which just felt like cheap clutter. Room service made the bed but left a pillow face-down on the couch. When I asked for a clean pillowcase, I was given one politely. Still, it wasn't reassuring to think pillows might be put on dirty surfaces while beds are made. The privacy issue was worse. I was resting inside when the owner unlocked the door. He saw me through the glass, stepped back, then knocked. I put on some trousers and answered. He came in, turned the room service sign around, and explained that red means no service and green means I want service. It left me wondering if he'd have just entered the room if I hadn't been there. What happened to knocking first? Later he said he was locking unrented rooms and meant the room next door. That didn't make sense given where we were, with the other room near the corner. It seemed hard to mix them up. This is a 3-star motel trending down. The location is great, but cleanliness, privacy, and presentation need work.