Riccarton Motor Lodge

I booked the wrong dates, and they were already full with very few rooms available around Christchurch. Even so, they made several calls and found me a room for the second night. It took a lot of their time, and they didn't get paid for helping me. That's real service. I know where I'll stay next time, and I'll be back as a paying guest.

On checkout morning, my husband left at 7:30 am to run errands while I planned to sleep until checkout. At exactly 10 am, the owner banged on the door and snapped at me as soon as I opened it, demanding that I leave. I was already going to go. I had spent about ten minutes doing basic cleaning out of habit, separating recyclables, wiping the sink and counter, and tidying the floor and bed, as the photos show. I left at 10:06. If the owner hadn't spent two minutes berating me, and I hadn't lost another half minute feeling upset, I could have been out by 10:03. It was absurd. During my two-night stay I caused no trouble or damage and made no unreasonable requests. I wasn't being shouted at for still being in bed after 10, or for leaving half an hour, ten minutes, or even one minute late. I was yelled at right at 10, as if he couldn't stand me staying even a minute longer. I felt treated like an enemy rather than a guest. His behavior made me feel discriminated against as an Asian. Otherwise, it seems unreasonable to knock at the exact checkout time just to verbally abuse a guest and drive them out. In all my years staying in accommodations, including more than ten years living in New Zealand, I've never had a host this rude or been treated with such hostility and malice. The room itself was cramped: we could only sit on the bed, and the stool was stuck in the narrow passage where it was awkward to pull out. We had to open our carry-on on the kitchen floor and kept tripping over it. The bathroom sink was tiny, with no room for women's toiletries, and the stiff taps made it hard to adjust the water flow and temperature. The air-conditioning was loud, and we could hear units outside other rooms too. The smoke alarm battery seemed faulty, and the alarm went off several times overnight. The blackout curtains did a poor job, leaving the room bright all night and affecting our sleep. Even as someone who is usually easygoing in reviews, this experience made me feel I had to speak up.

We had a really nice two-night stay with our kids. There was everything we needed, including Sky TV and a TV in the bedroom. The shower stood out most, the water pressure was amazing. We'd happily come back if we need a place in Christchurch. Honestly, A+. Thanks!

The bed was comfy, the room spacious and clean, and the air conditioning kept things cool. Hot water was good too, and town was within walking distance. Everything about my stay was perfect.