The Dome Boutique Apartments

We hated our stay with dome. The pictures made the old, worn property look different from what it was. The rooms smelled, and the carpets were old and worn out. With no contact person on site, communication was really difficult. We asked for at least one day's refund, but the strict non-refundable policy meant our anniversary stay was really pathetic.

Our travel agent recommended this place during our month-long tour of NZ. We agreed after looking at the published photos, but the Pacific View double-occupancy room we were assigned was nothing like we expected. It faced the ocean, the one thing in its favour, but seemed to be the worst room in the property and smaller than any other room there, and smaller than any five-star hotel room I've stayed in. The room felt tired. The carpet was badly worn at the foot of the bed, the two chairs were basic metal frames, there was no colour or décor except one night-sky print, and the walls and skirting boards were badly marked. This wasn't five-star accommodation. The common areas felt tired too, and there were no staff on site. I can't speak for the other rooms, which may have been fine, but ours, Pacific View Studio 1, wasn't. We spoke to our agent and moved to another hotel.

The room was very good, with a nice bathroom, free laundry and a little sun terrace. The location was very good as well, though parking was a nightmare until I figured out the different zones, charges and times. I'd recommend visiting the Art Deco Trust on the next street and taking a tour. There's no reception, so you need to check in online beforehand. As UK travellers, we couldn't do it without Internet access, but eventually the faceless voice let us in.

Video I supplied showed that the key for the neighboring apartment, #2, also opened my room. A guest used it one evening, thinking it was their own room, and I found the unexpected entry deeply unsettling. I reported it straight away. The hotel initially blamed me for supposedly leaving my door unlocked, without investigating. They had assured me that no other guest or apartment could get in. They still didn’t take responsibility or offer a satisfactory solution after I showed them what had happened. For a place to stay, that disregard for guests’ privacy and security was alarming. I wouldn’t recommend it if those things matter to you.