Manukau City Lodge

I was here for work and wanted to give this place some credit. It’s emergency housing for people who haven’t had the same good fortune as you or me. I found the residents warm and welcoming, and the building was clean and tidy. Most people probably come here because they need somewhere to stay, and the people running it do a wonderful job caring for members of our community.

Even knowing this is a lodge, I wouldn’t recommend staying here. The building had a really strong, bad smell, worse in the rooms, and I had a bad feeling as soon as I arrived. My room looked like it hadn’t been cleaned for a long time. I honestly don’t think it was worth $150. There were many tenants living there permanently, and I woke early to people arguing. Don’t book here.

The location is the one good thing about this lodge. The rooms are tiny, with the toilet and bath separate and the wash basin inside the room. The doors are mouldy, the place is dirty, and there’s a strange smoky smell in the rooms. Upkeep and maintenance are poor, and it feels like corners were cut wherever possible. The rooms need proper maintenance and design. One stay was enough for us. Never again.

The room looked only half finished, had no bedding and didn’t feel secure. It’s a terrifying little place, though cheap if you need somewhere filthy to sleep. Noise was awful, with people coming and going all night and walls so thin you could hear everything. I slept in my clothes in case I had to get out in a hurry.