The Grand Hotel Wanganui

I wish I'd read the other reviews before booking, because we found it so bad that we left for a motel even though we'd paid for two nights. I stayed at The Grand a few years ago and it was nice, but now it isn't so grand. There are too many things lacking to list, and the general feeling of sadness and neglect made the place feel almost unsafe. The friendliest staff member was an elderly gentleman who I think was the night porter. We handed him our room card and got out of there fast.

We went without hot water for two days. This isn't much of a grand hotel. The management wasn't very helpful, and I believe the owner (sunil) doesn't like spending money. It's a beautiful place gone to waste, with false advertising on the websites and the building.

The disappointment started before we even got to our room. Another guest was already having an issue over a booking that had been made and paid for. I was questioned too, and felt awkward, but fortunately I'd kept every email and could prove by bank record that I'd paid. It seemed odd to need that much verification before letting me through when I had a confirmed booking number. The room smelled musty, wallpaper was peeling, and there was a horrible brown stain on the bed. My husband got glass in his foot, and then we found several more pieces, so it was clear the room hadn't been cleaned properly. The replacement room wasn't much better. Its door handle was broken, the pillow was broken-up foam, the fridge sat on an unstable, unsafe block, and the jug was peeling inside with old water and particles in it. They hadn't even supplied a bath mat, which creates a fall risk. If every other local hotel hadn't been booked because of an event, we'd have asked for a refund and left. We were tired and needed to sleep. This place needs a makeover and a very thorough clean.

For $100 a night, our room was okay, with plenty of space and storage, and the oddly arranged bathroom worked fine. We booked expecting the worst after reading the reviews, but our stay wasn't as bad as we'd feared. The building is old and run down, so there aren't any five-star luxuries. The staff were the oddest part: the person at the main desk seemed unhappy and didn't offer help, and the next day another older staff member was asleep on the entry couch. We didn't see any other guests. Our first-floor room looked onto the car park, and its windows, which seemed to have been fire exits originally, had been nailed shut. The whole place felt strange. We probably won't return, since the owners don't seem to care.