eMotel

We had an apartment with a little outdoor space, and it was very well equipped. For the price, it was superb value. The location’s excellent too, within walking distance of both the lake and the centre. Calling it a motel almost undersells the place. I’d stay again.

The unit could use a thorough dusting. There was a thick layer on the blinds, bathroom vent, and other vertical surfaces, though other parts of the unit were clean. It was pretty icky. The kitchen had only very basic utensils and two small kitchen towels, with no paper towels. I emailed the manager to ask about it and never heard back. Unit 1 faces the parking area and street, both from the living room and bedroom, so it didn’t feel very private. The motel’s neon sign is right by the room and made it bright at night. The fabric blinds blocked most of the light, but then the room got stuffy without ventilation. It’s close to the town centre, but the street was surprisingly busy with lots of heavy goods vehicles. We found the traffic quite loud. It wasn’t a huge issue for us, but it’s something to be aware of.

We liked the private courtyard outside, and the refurbished apartment had modern amenities. Entering with a password also gave us the privacy we wanted. The location made the stay memorable, with the city, parks, and lovely lake views all accessible. The eMotel idea, a contemporary boutique motel, seemed well suited to a quiet trip. One disappointment was the broken washroom latch, which meant there was no privacy there.

We stayed two nights, April 23-25, 2024, and it was fantastic. Michelle, the manager, came by on the second night to ask if we needed anything and recommended Vines, which was an awesome restaurant. The place was clean and modern, with a washer and dryer and a full kitchen. It’s close to the lake and town, and we walked everywhere. Best accommodation we had in New Zealand. We’d definitely come back.