Chelmswood Motel Taupo

A decent affordable option for Lake Taupo, especially if you want a kitchen. Our lakeside room was fairly nice, and the kitchen and carpet were very nice too. The bathroom needs renovating, though. Its floor was dirty, with grime in the vinyl grain, and the TV could use an upgrade and a better stand. Service could have been better as well. The sign outside said laundry was free, but I had to pay for it. That felt like completely false advertising.

The unit was clean and had been reconditioned with a new bed and carpet, but the old toilet and shower hadn't been replaced. Having previously provided emergency accommodation, we didn't go in with high expectations. The grounds look very tired, with overgrown gardens and little sign of reinvestment or pride. The pool's condition, shown in the photo, says enough.

The bed was comfortable and the location was great, but the place is outdated and rundown despite having so much potential. The pool and function centre weren't in use. Rooms seem to vary, and ours had air conditioning. I think the kitchen had been renovated, though there were still holes and cracks in the flooring. The bathroom walls were cracked all over, and the floor had holes and uneven joins. The shower head was broken, but they replaced it the same day after we asked. Cleanliness was poor. The table had sticky stains when we arrived, so I had to clean it, and there were fingerprints all over the cupboards and doors. During our five day stay the room wasn't serviced, so we had to ask for towels, toilet paper and coffee. I was told the business would change hands at the end of November, so hopefully the new owners improve standards and update the facilities.

The beds were comfortable and the room itself was clean. Still, someone had left underwear hanging over the bathroom curtain, so the cleaning could have been more thorough.