Mill Lodge

Traffic was really loud at night, so light sleepers might struggle. The room was pretty budget, and the furnishings could use an update: paint was peeling, marks hadn't been cleaned off, and a chair was broken at the back. The toilet paper was awful, thin and scratchy, and there was no shampoo or conditioner in the shower. We booked for three and got a double and a single. The double was okay but had a noticeable dip; the single mattress was badly worn, sagging in the middle with the springs clearly worn down, so we didn't sleep well. The mini fridge and microwave were handy, but expecting guests to do the dishes felt cheeky when that's usually part of motel service. We weren't very impressed with the stay.

We really liked the layout: there was a separate room with two single beds for anyone wanting a quiet sleep, plus a double in the main lounge if you wanted to watch TV. The room was warm, the kitchen had everything we needed, and parking right outside was even better. It's affordable, and the manager stayed up late to check us in while we were travelling from Auckland. My husband and I would love to come back, and I'd recommend it to anyone.

The room had everything we needed, from the kitchenette and plenty of outlets to a separate toilet, a good shower, air conditioning and heating, and free WiFi. It was comfortable for our family, and the stadium, shops, and restaurants were all easy to reach on foot. They check the room before checkout, which I'm glad about because they found the HDMI cable I'd left plugged into the TV. We'll stay here again.

The best part for me was the bathroom setup. The toilet is separate from the shower and basin, which makes it easier for two people to get ready at once, and the bathroom and carpet both looked recently renovated. The air conditioner also seemed new. The shower stall is quite small, though, and could be awkward for a larger person. The kitchen feels older, and the bed only had a cover that you need to tuck inside the sheet, rather than a proper blanket. The glass sliding door also didn't feel very secure. The neighborhood is small, so you know who's staying next door, but that didn't help with privacy or security. We could hear the neighbors' TV, as well as cars and people outside. The free WiFi was so poor I couldn't use it. It was an okay place for the one night we stayed, but for a longer visit I'd look for somewhere with better security and a quieter neighborhood.