Auckland Airport Kiwi Motel

The beds were comfortable, but we didn't feel very safe because the main entrance seemed no more secure than a bathroom door. The walls were in such poor condition that they shaped the whole feel of the room, so it was hard to tell how clean it really was. Management does seem to be updating things, though. Clearly still a work in progress.

The airport shuttle was handy, the Wi-Fi worked without problems, and some of the staff were friendly and polite. Those were about the only bright spots in what felt like a recent nightmare. I wish the money spent on the giant kiwi statue on the roof had gone toward the rooms and restaurant instead. The room door looked like it had taken more hits than a medieval knight. Inside, the chemical smell was overwhelming, and it left me wondering what it might be hiding. At first the place seemed tidy, the TV and air conditioning both worked, and things looked all right. Then I looked more closely at the bed and found several long hairs and odd stains I didn't want to think about. I slept fully dressed, with my jumper over the pillow. The shower was clean enough, at least, but around the toilet was a big handprint and a brown smear across the walls. It was a grim sight. Breakfast was worse. There was no hot food, so I tried cornflakes, but the milk had been left out long enough to turn into something like cottage cheese. It was roughly 20% liquid and 80% chunky, solidified milk. The tinned fruit and utensils were slimy, the croissants were very mediocre, and there wasn't much else beyond bread. No almond, soy, or oat milk was available, and when someone asked for an alternative, they got eye rolls and a bad attitude. That response wouldn't have been appropriate even if they'd asked for caviar and lobster. I've stayed at plenty of buffet breakfasts, from school camps to budget hotels, and this was the worst I've seen. I know this may sound like an AI-written review these days, but it's my own account of an experience I'm glad is over. Yours truly, a survivor of Auckland Airport Kiwi Motel.

After a long flight, the location was handy. Our room for two or three was clean enough, with comfortable beds and a basic kitchen. Breakfast was okay, but the woman serving needs to work on her customer service. Nobody made her take the job.

The room felt old and dirty, with patched paint and repairs. The shower was awful: thick mould, a blocked, smelly drain, and water coming back up as the shower filled. The bathroom tap was broken too, and the air conditioner made strange noises. We told reception about the air conditioning and the dirty shower. They said it would be fixed on Tuesday and that maintenance would be notified about the bathroom, but didn't offer another room or even a discount. Breakfast isn't worth bothering with. The photos are misleading, and I wish I'd read the reviews before booking. We stayed at a motel in Mt Wellington the previous night, and it was excellent.