Swiss-Belhotel Napier

The rooms are spacious and welcoming, and mine even had a little ocean view. I liked having a kitchenette with a milk frother and a choice of instant or Nespresso coffee maker. Breakfast was the real highlight: Sandra cooks eggs to order, and the muffins are delicious.

Breakfast was decent, but the menu stayed the same for all five days and the coffee was consistently cold. Our first breakfast was also uncomfortable because a restaurant attendant was rude and dismissive when we asked about our breakfast entitlements, and the issue was handled poorly. The bathroom layout was also a letdown. It was extremely cramped, especially around the toilet, and didn't match the photos online. It was difficult to use with our toddler, who bruised her hand because the vanity was so close. Staff apologized, but with the hotel fully booked they couldn't offer another room. We stayed at Swiss-Belhotel Napier for five nights in December. Check-in was friendly and smooth thanks to Jessica, who confirmed our details and arranged a portacot for our toddler. The room was spacious, modern and comfortable, with a coffee machine, but the view from our first-floor room was very limited. We were also disappointed by the $15 a day parking fee, which we don't recall being clearly mentioned when we booked. Nearby places along Marine Parade offered free parking, so this felt like poor value for the price.

We spent three nights here and found it comfortable and quiet. The kitchen had no cutlery or plates, and while you could order from the kitchen, that was a hassle we could've done without, especially for the price we paid. The underground garage was okay, but when leaving you need to stay to the right to put your remote in the box. The ramp has a steep gradient, so it's awkward to get out of your car.

The room was okay, but it sat right above the garage roller door, which rattled up and down and made a lot of noise. The single glazing let in sound from both the door and the road, and the walls were thin enough that we could hear our neighbour coughing. We could also hear a dog barking. We had requested a car park when we booked, but were told none were available that night. Check-in was delayed because nobody was at the desk at first, though someone came after a short wait. At checkout, breakfast charges had been added even though we never ate breakfast there. They were reversed.