Regal Palms 5 Star City Resort

The private spa pool was a lovely bonus, and our spacious, clean, well equipped room made for a comfortable, relaxing stay. Regal Palms Resort is well maintained and conveniently located for exploring Rotorua. We found it an enjoyable place to stay for the price range.

We had a great few days here. It's a really nice motel, though calling it a resort seems a stretch. There are some extra facilities, including mini golf and a pool. The friendly reception staff welcomed us, and parking close to the room was handy. Our Superior room was very large, with a well equipped kitchenette, a table and a seating area. There was plenty of space for breakfast, making lunch, or eating takeaway. The bed was very comfortable, the towels were large, and the big bathroom had a hydro bath and shower. Everything was clean and well maintained. WiFi was free and worked fine. There's no restaurant or car on site. The little seating area is outside the door, which wasn't ideal, though we didn't spend much time in the room.

My wife and I stayed for two nights in December 2025, booking through Agoda / Rocket Travel, which listed this as a 5-Star accommodation with an "Exceptional" rating. We paid over $300NZ per night for a Superior King 1 bedroom, expecting a great experience. The room was spacious, but the decor felt dated, the furniture was worn, the carpet was stained and dirty, and there was a dank smell throughout. This is far from what I'd consider a 5 star resort in 2025. Maybe it was one when it was built several decades ago, but it isn't now. There's no restaurant, room service, bell hop, or concierge, and there isn't much in the way of amenities or services. The small miniature golf setup in the middle of the parking lot is about all I can think of. For the price, I can't see how this place could fairly be rated above a 2 star motel. The glowing reviews from other guests don't seem authentic to me. This felt like a serious misrepresentation, and was an absolute disappointment, by far the worst accommodation of our time in New Zealand.

We totally loved our two nights at The Regal Palms Resort in Rotorua, staying in a huge two bedroom, two bathroom apartment. The full size kitchen had a full oven and cook top, dishwasher, microwave, large fridge/freezer, and all the cutlery and dishes we'd need. There were TVs in the lounge and both bedrooms. The second double bedroom could be closed off from the lounge, giving it privacy and its own bathroom. That bathroom had a laundry and the biggest spa bath we'd ever seen. The main bedroom was on suite. Only downside was the lounge couch. We think it was a sofa bed, and it was so hard to sit on, not relaxing after a long day of sightseeing. Still, we'd definitely recommend the property and stay again next time we're in Rotorua.