Fernleaf Motel

We only lasted 10 minutes before switching hotels. The room was clean and in a good location, but we were tired from driving all day and would have picked somewhere else if we’d known what to expect. The pool was dirty and cold, and the thermal mineral bath was locked and boarded up, despite the website and FB site advertising a heated swimming pool and private mineral bath. The kitchenette was poorly stocked, with no spatula, tongs or skillet lid. We couldn’t get into the guest laundry either. We initially thought we’d have to sleep on the sofa bed, and when we pulled it out the mattress cover was very dirty. The manager said he’d “upgraded” us to a one bedroom apt, but hadn’t told us at check-in. The bedroom door was very hard to push open, and at first we thought it led to an adjoining room. Check-in was at another location 2 km away. The office wasn’t in use, and signs said it didn’t meet earthquake standard code.

It was OK, and the price seemed reasonable for what we got. The kitchenette was a big plus, since the chopping board and stovetop let us make simple breakfasts and snacks. Reception at the other hotel gave us a bottle of milk, and checking in there was no bother as we had a car. Towels, shampoo, body wash and kitchen towels were refreshed daily, but there wasn’t any other housekeeping. I don’t think the pool was open during our stay. A bit more attention to cleaning would help. The bathroom door wouldn’t slide, and there was a constant noise outside, possibly plumbing, that could bother light sleepers. The mattress was on the bouncy side. There was no air conditioning, but that was fine for us because March was quite cool.

The room was stuffy, with no AC, and the mattress sagged badly. I walked in and straight back out, then had to find accommodation at the last minute because the room wasn’t acceptable. I’d seen plenty of red flags and hope others don’t make the same mistake. I booked based on reviews without realizing the positive ones were from 4-5 years earlier, before COVID. The motel website and Facebook hadn’t been updated since 2019. It used to be owned by a couple who ran it like a typical NZ motel, but during COVID it was sold and turned into a transitional housing facility. There’s no reception, and you have to travel a mile to another property to collect your key. Rotorua city seems past its prime. After COVID, it felt like a lot of homeless people, drunks and 51/50 had moved there. Many motels have bad reviews because they’ve become transitional housing. Fenton St, the main street, doesn’t feel safe at night. You can Google and read about Rotorua homeless problems.

Willy and Cherie gave us really good advice, and there’s heaps to do in Rotorua. We enjoyed both the pool and the sulphur pool, and would certainly stay there again if we were in the area. The welcome was extremely friendly. We used the washing machine for $4, and the drying setup was ideal, either on the outside line or the poles in the laundry room. The room has thermal underfloor heating, which kept that space warm and dried things efficiently.