Alpin Motel & Conference Centre

The pool was warm, and there’s an outdoor space with a BBQ and picnic tables, though I didn’t take any pictures of it. The two-bedroom room with a hot tub had everything we needed, and the service was great. The guy made sure we were happy. We booked direct with the hotel, and at check-in he asked if he could charge the card we’d used, so we said yes and they processed it automatically. The rate was $620, but the card was charged $638.60, so it seems they add 3% for credit or debit cards. I hadn’t noticed that in the T&Cs, just something to be aware of. The hot tub is basically a large plastic tub with no jets or anything, so we didn’t use it. If you’ve got kids, I’d highly recommend the place. The master bed was super comfy and had a selection of pillows.

The kids were especially taken with the heated toilet seat, and we really liked the resort-style setup with pool access. Service was excellent and honest. After we left, they texted to let us know our son had forgotten his charger and headphones. We couldn't try the uncovered hot tub because there was thunder and lightning.

Our family of five fit comfortably in the clean, well-kept unit, and check-in and checkout were straightforward. Having parking right outside the door, a private outdoor tub by the ranch slider, and a heated pool just beyond the gate made this a great choice. The smart toilet was pretty buzzy. We may have been a bit loud with the kids that weekend, so apologies for that, lol. We'd stay again if we're back in Rotorua. Thanks, Alpin Motel.

The team were quick to bring extra towels and help with anything we needed. There was one small snag: our room wasn't serviced despite us requesting it, but that didn't outweigh the rest of the stay. The room was warm, spotless, and had a surprisingly comfy bed and pillows. It's around 3km from the main city attractions and about 4km from the Redwoods, so it worked well as a base. When wild weather disrupted our plans, reception kindly moved our dates and kept us in the same room without charging extra, even though we'd booked a strict no-cancellations rate. The rooms were already reasonably priced. One tip, the toilet flushes using a sensor, with a discreet black touch point near the bottom that might catch you off guard. We travel often and don't give five stars lightly, but this stay earned them. We'll be back.