Regent of Rotorua

The staff were the standout for us at the Regent of Roturua. Despite the awful weather, every one we met was cheerful and very helpful. They seemed proud of both the hotel and the town, and we'd choose the Regent if we visited the area again. Its location is another big plus, right in the heart of Rotorua and an easy walk from the main eateries. The room was a good size and the beds were comfortable. On site parking is limited, though free parking is available on the road.

The Saturday night noise made it feel like the party in town was happening inside our room. Drunk people were shouting at each other in the parking lot directly behind us, and it didn't die down until 2am. If you want to sleep on a Saturday, don't stay here. There were no outlets anywhere near a mirror in the room or bathroom, which made using hair styling tools in front of one impossible. It's ridiculous for a hotel to have no bathroom outlet. If you're lucky, they'll give you a 50ft extension cord so you can use your tools by a mirror. On our last day, the fire alarm went off at 7am. The staff investigated and said it was because of one of the rooms we were staying in. We had already been out of the room for 10+ minutes, and have no idea what state it was in when the alarm sounded. Instead of talking normally with us, they were nasty and unprofessional, insisting we'd caused it. They said we'd taken a shower that was too hot and let the room fill with steam. You'd think they'd listen when we said that, since there was clearly a problem with the room. Don't stay here.

The location is good, but I wouldn't stay here again. The air conditioning in my room didn't work, and it was 82 degrees when I checked in. The manager didn't respond. Our tour guide stepped in, and they moved me to a better room where the air conditioning worked. Even so, insects were everywhere in my room each night. Breakfast was modest.

The hotel is in a great location, but poor management seemed to be behind too many problems. I wouldn't recommend it or stay again. We spent three nights in a boutique suite. It looked recently renovated, and the room was clean and spacious. But we slept very poorly on two nights because the fire alarm went off twice, around 1/2am, and we had to evacuate both times. They were false alarms. Nobody explained why they happened or apologized, even when I mentioned it at reception on leaving. There was also confusion over breakfast. At check in, we were told it wasn't included, but on our last morning we found out it was. We'd already paid for breakfast at local cafes on two mornings. We complained and were compensated, so we weren't out of pocket. I also had to chase them by email about an incorrect security deposit refund. Apparently they'd undercharged us by $50 at check in, so they just took it from the deposit without telling us. If there's been an undercharge, they should communicate that.