Lake Matheson Motel

The price seems about right for a budget stay in an old building, especially given how hard it may be to fix some of these problems without rebuilding. It was quiet, away from the main road, but still just a short walk to the village center. The room was clean, although the carpet had a few stains. Getting in was a hassle: reception was unattended, and it took us a while to figure out that the bell key meant the # key. Inside, the kitchenette was tiny with little worktop space, and the walls were very thin. There were no fans in the kitchen or bathroom, so condensation could be a problem in colder weather. We also didn't want to leave windows open because there were no bug screens. The shower was powerful, but the wet room had a short curtain and a flat floor that didn't drain, which was a bad combination.

The only tricky part was the room keypad. It wasn't obvious how to unlock the door, and being cold and soaked probably didn't help. Still, I'd gladly come back. I was cycling the Tour Aotearoa and arrived early in a rainstorm, and they were able to fit me in, which I really appreciated. My room was modern and clean, with a good shower and everything I needed. Even the towel rail had room for all my wet cycling gear.

The location is quiet and it's a quick walk into the township, but at $209, Motel #2 was overpriced even for a budget place. I'm not fussy, but I do expect basic cleanliness when I'm paying for a room, and this fell well short. The garden outside was untidy, and plants had grown over the laundry sign and partly blocked the path. It felt very impersonal. Check-in was self-service, the office was only open from 10 to 1, and we saw no one to raise these issues with unless there was an emergency. The electronic door lock was hard to use. The room smelled musty when we opened it. The carpet still had lots of dust and food bits, the TV and bedside cabinets were very dusty, and there was dirt in the drawer with the cutlery and crockery. The bed cover didn't fit properly, and wallpaper behind the kitchen sink was peeling. The shower cubicle hadn't been cleaned well, with several marks on the outside of the glass. I had to use a hair tie to keep the shower head in a usable position. There was mould around the bathroom windows. Water flow in the shower changed when other taps in the room were used. With no insect screens, we couldn't leave the door or windows open. Even with the door locked, there was a significant gap, and closing it tightly didn't remove the gap. There was only enough tea and coffee for two cups, one each. The online compendium said torches were provided, but there wasn't one, and it offered texting as a contact option without giving a cellphone number. The welcome was essentially absent, which left us feeling they wanted the money without having to deal with guests. That's not the Kiwi way. I was born and raised here, and we welcome people to our country. I wouldn't stay again.

We found the rooms clean and comfortable, and the motel sits on a quiet road just outside Fox Glacier. I'd have rated it four stars, but it was basically self-service: the instructions and room entry PIN were left on the reception wall.