Anchor Inn Motel

The owners have clearly put work into renovating the motel. The building is attractive, the rooms are spacious, and the location is excellent. But those positives counted for little after our experience. I asked whether the HVAC had been cleaned recently because my wife is allergic to mould and spores. The co-owning wife said it was virtually new and they cleaned it regularly. The room looked nice, but when we checked the unit, its filters were dirty and needed cleaning. It was a rather cool night, and we couldn’t use the HVAC. The next day I told the co-owning husband what had happened. He denied everything. I offered to show him the dirty filters, but he said, “No. I’m not doing that. Have a nice day.” Maybe other customers have had better treatment, but in our experience the couple need to understand service better and show customers some empathy. Good luck to them, but we won’t return.

We had a really enjoyable stay and will come back. The host was friendly and helpful, everything worked, including Sky TV, and the rooms were very clean and tidy. The view was stunning. Highly recommend.

We’ve stayed here three times, and it’s a great place. The beach is right across the road, with a stunning view from the studio. The garden-view rooms are handy for families travelling with furry friends. Rooms are clean and tidy, beds are comfy, and owners Christina and Jef are friendly and attentive. Amazing people and place!

The Anchor Inn felt like a home away from home: the rooms were clean, spacious, well presented, and had everything we could need. The hosts were lovely and incredibly helpful. If you’re staying in Kaikoura, this should be your first choice.