Ibis Styles Invercargill

The location made getting around easy, with K mart, the food court, and restaurants at different price points nearby. We especially liked Main Street eatery and Toasted, both about a 7-10 minute walk away. A taxi from the airport cost us $25, and the Uber back was around $15. The room was a standard Ibis setup with what I needed for a short stay, and it felt like fair value for the price. The shower head moved, which is always a nice bonus. Laundry was $4 a wash, I think. The receptionist was lovely and helped us with our luggage. I’d stay at Ibis again if I came back to Invercargill.

The rooms were very clean, warm, and the beds were really comfortable. There were lots of plugs too. For a midtown budget hotel, it was good value, even though the place felt pretty soulless. It has a strange feel, like an office turned into a hotel. The basin was incredibly low and the shower tiny. There was never anyone at reception, and they were slow to pick up the phone.

The parking information in the Accor app needs updating. There’s no hotel parking, just street parking: NZD2.80 an hour for the first 2 hours, then NZD5.60 an hour, with free parking from 4pm until 8am the next day. The first 30 minutes are free, but you have to enter your plate number at the meter. I arrived at 6pm and had to phone reception because nobody was at the desk. My fourth-floor hallway smelled strongly of someone cooking onions. As an Accor silver member, I wasn’t treated as one: there was no welcome drink, and I had to ask for late checkout, even though the default checkout for members is 11am.

There’s a large communal kitchen with plenty of bench space, stovetops, and ovens. The freezer compartment in the room is only about ice-tray size, though, so it won’t hold much frozen food if you’re cooking all week. Pac N Save is an easy walk away. The place is warm and clean, and pretty much what you’d expect from an Ibis, without extras. Staff were friendly, accommodating, and available to contact at any time. They have quieter rooms away from the main entrances for longer stays. It looks like they’ve responded to feedback and made some good improvements. Secure parking across the road costs $10 a night and closes at 10pm, reopening at 6am. Street parking outside the hotel feels safe at night.