Leith Valley Holiday Park & Motels

The room was uncomfortable on a cold night: the heating kept switching off, and the sheets smelled unpleasant. On top of that, the way staff dealt with us was dismissive. We explained that our one-year-old was going through sleep regression and was restless, but the receptionist was abrupt and showed no empathy. When nearby guests complained about us trying to settle our child, our concerns still weren’t heard or handled helpfully. We left frustrated and disappointed. We’d expected a comfortable, welcoming stay, but found poor service and little consideration for guests’ needs. We won’t return or recommend the Holiday Inn.

The facilities are a little dated, but they were definitely clean and have some character 😊. The receptionists were really friendly and helpful, too. Best of all, the bush walks start right by our campsite, and they’re varied and fun. Thanks a lot!

The campsite is clean and well kept, and the receptionist gave us lots of ideas for things to do around Dunedin. One of the other travellers kindly let me use the toilet while it was being cleaned. People staying here were friendly, and I really enjoyed chatting with them. I’d have given five stars if not for an unpleasant interaction with the male worker responsible for the public areas. I was doing laundry late, and he said it would interrupt his rest upstairs. He stood watching while I collected my clothes instead of speaking to me more politely. There’s no posted laundry time, so I don’t feel I broke a campsite rule. I felt unfairly treated and bad about the whole exchange. The campsite should set clear laundry hours so visitors know when to use the machines and don’t disturb the neighbours upstairs. That’s an organisational issue, and visitors shouldn’t have to deal with an angry worker over a rule that hasn’t been stated. He called it “common sense” not to do laundry late at night, but people come from all over the world and have different backgrounds. One idea of common sense won’t fit everyone.

There’s hot water on tap and the showers are nice and hot. The lodge and bathrooms, though, were cold, with no heating and the doors and windows left open. The staff made the place feel uncomfortable and unwelcoming; they were aggressive, and I was followed whenever I went to the bathroom. I’d booked online and entered my credit card details, but because I hadn’t paid at the office, I was accused of trying to skip the bill. The man also said he wanted to charge me what he called a “bulls*** tax” for inconveniencing him.