Distinction Heritage Gateway Hotel

The onsite bar and restaurant were the highlight. Dinner was a buffet with plenty of fresh salads, soup, chicken tikka masala and a roast meat station, and the desserts were amazing. We were glad to find this gem. The room was large, clean and comfortable, and it was handy to have laundry access. The staff were helpful and friendly. Sure, it's a bit dated, but who cares? So am I.

The clean bedding and powerful hot shower were positives, and there was a bike rack area where I could keep my bike. But the hotel badly needs refurbishment. The room was very dated and had a strange, pungent smell, probably from the old carpet. With no air-conditioning or fans, it could be tricky on a hot summer day. If I needed a hotel in Omarama, I'd check the other options, whose rooms are much better quality. I've also stayed in some fantastic rooms at the Boots and Jandals pub down the road. I'd book there instead.

This place wasn't worth $220 a night at all. On arrival, the room smelled strange, the bathroom was worn out, I could feel the bed springs, and there was mold in the shower. The Wi-Fi didn't work in the room either. When we asked how to fix it, the receptionist was rude. She said she couldn't do anything because she wasn't the manager, but there was no way to contact the manager. She also said, “It is not hard to understand that the Wi-Fi is not working,” as if it were unreasonable to expect a solution when an advertised service doesn't work. Awful place.

The room was clean and the sheets spotless, but it was dark and difficult to access. The fridge or heater wasn't working. Staff weren't especially friendly, particularly in the bar and restaurant.