The Parque

The rooms are large, and the hotel uses self check-in. It’s within walking distance of Christchurch city centre, with a park right next door for runners. We’ve stayed here twice.

Coming into a warm, cosy room after a long flight was lovely, and the location worked well for a one-night stay. The downside is the noise from around 6 AM, either from other guests or housekeepers next door or above. If you’re getting up early anyway, it won’t matter, but if you’re hoping to sleep in, this may not be the best choice.

The room was very clean, and there are lots of restaurants within walking distance. You can also scooter into downtown. But the room is tiny, with barely enough space to move around or open luggage, and the TV is positioned where you can’t really watch it. The shower swung from just right to very cold, then suddenly very hot, every time I used it. Construction across the street is currently noisy enough to wake you, and there are only two parking spaces, so otherwise you have to hope for a free spot on the street.

We were passing through Christchurch and decided to add a night so we could quickly have dinner with friends. Booking this place on booking.com was easy, and when we arrived we just needed a PIN to get into the house. The bedroom was clean and tidy, with Wi-Fi and a hot shower. A really lovely stay. We’ll recommend it to friends and family, and might stay again on our way back.