The Mayfair

The only real drawback for a quick Christchurch stopover is that the area isn't very exciting, though having a car makes that less of an issue. Otherwise, my one night at the Mayfair was fantastic and exceeded my expectations. The modern, clean room was fairly large, the bed was comfortable, and the surroundings were fairly quiet. Unlimited tea and coffee at the restaurant downstairs, plus single-use vouchers for alcoholic drinks, felt quite generous. Breakfast at the hotel restaurant was delicious, if a bit pricey. Reception and cafe staff were all friendly and welcoming.

The rooms were very nice, and the food was great. Staff were kind and the location was good too. We did notice ants all over the place when we first checked in, which made us cringe a bit, but the cleaners did an excellent job getting rid of them. Very pleased 🙏

The rooms were spacious, clean, and comfortable, and housekeeping was very friendly. Still, for a hotel that claims to be five star, the service and amenities felt lacking. On our two-night stay after the last leg of our South Island honeymoon, we had quite a bit of luggage. Nobody offered to help bring it up, and I had to ask for a luggage cart, unload everything myself, and haul it to the room. We also had a car and were assigned self-serve parking, but someone else was in our spot. It took quite a bit of back and forth with the front desk to explain the problem and get another space. With that service and no gym, it didn't feel like a five star experience. Overall it was a good stay, but definitely not five star.

We booked a suite with modern rooms and all the amenities. Tea and coffee at the cafe and minibar snacks were included, and breakfast was a la carte. The food was good. The location was just fine, about a 15-20 minute walk from the centre.