Aotea Motor Lodge

The staff were welcoming, and the rooms were pristine. We were out travelling most of the time, but back at the motel we enjoyed a soak in the bath, the comfortable queen bed and a few movies. Supermarkets are across the road and restaurants are very close. A pleasant stay, and I’d come back.

At least the room was clean, but please get rid of the door in front of the little fridge. Our room was dark, locked up, and had dark, depressing Tudor dark ages style furniture. It’s near a busy intersection, opposite a petrol station, and was one of the noisiest motels we’ve stayed in.

We couldn’t stay in the room we were given, so after driving around the area we found somewhere more suitable at a nearby motel. We’d booked two nights at Aotea Motor Lodge, Whanganui, for mid January 2026, but arrived to find a small, dark corner room under the stairs to the upstairs verandah. It seemed more like a place for storing cleaning equipment than tourist accommodation. The proprietors didn’t seem surprised when we checked out without unpacking, and offered neither an apology nor a refund of the money already paid. This is damaging Whanganui’s reputation as a tourist destination. We wouldn’t recommend Aotea Motor Lodge to anyone.

Bob at reception gave us outstanding service. The rooms were spacious and spotlessly clean, with three supermarkets next door and an easy walk down Victoria Ave to the CBD. Highly recommend!