Paparoa Park Motel

We keep coming back to the Beachside Cottage. The view from its high spot on the bluff, looking along the coast towards Punakaiki, is glorious and hard to beat. Inside, there’s a well-equipped kitchen, one bathroom and two roomy bedrooms. The lounge and dining area has enough space for six to eat comfortably. It’s clean, and check-in is easy.

That balcony view is magnificent, and the sound of the waves was lovely. The location is excellent too. But our room smelled musty, and the bathroom floor felt damp underfoot. When pressure was put on the wooden floor, a little moisture came through, even wetting our socks. I think that may have caused the smell. We didn’t feel very comfortable or hygienic there.

We’d happily come back. The staff were really friendly, and the cottages were clean, roomy and had everything we needed for an overnight stop on the way through to Nelson.

The cottage was easy to find on Google Maps, with simple parking close by, and self check-in on the honour system was quick and hassle-free. It sits in green surroundings, with the occasional curious weka wandering past. We booked a cosy one-night stay through Booking.com. There was plenty of room for five to eat or lounge, though the double leather sofa sits below the TV, so you can’t really watch it from there. The Wi-Fi was strong and dependable, and the local TV channels were the usual ones, including TNVZ. Everything was clean and neatly arranged, a welcome change after days of hiking and hut stays. The kitchen had cutlery, pots, pans, dishes, glasses, portable electric stoves, a mini microwave, mini fridge and kettle. Tea sachets, a coffee decanter, tea towels, and salt and pepper were there too. The cottage had a twin room, a queen room, and an extra single bed in the foyer, plus a bathroom and a dining area with five seats. Beds had warm bedding, bedside tables and lamps, bath towels, and electric blankets. There was electric heating, and window mosquito netting let in fresh air while keeping bugs out. The bathroom came with eco-friendly shower gel and shampoo, a hand towel and bath mat. The hot shower was strong and steady. I especially liked the retro hot and cold taps, a nostalgic little detail.