West Plaza Hotel

The food was amazing, and I had a really nice chat with Ronan, the young man behind the bar. He knew the city well and suggested great places to visit. Watching him work behind the bar was amazing, especially the way he shook my cocktail. It was mind-blowing.

Getting to the ferries takes only about five minutes, and there’s a back entrance on Broad St. so you don’t have to walk around to the main entrance on Wakefield. It’s a modern hotel close to shopping, waterfront attractions, and places to eat. The public garage on Broad St. behind the hotel is pricey, and collecting a car there takes longer. Rooms are modest in size, with dim lighting and a small bath. The shower valve was unusual, and a makeshift barrier on the floor caught the spray. There aren’t any a la carte breakfast options.

Breakfast was amazing, and the bed was comfy. The room felt stuffy and needed ventilation. Parking was dreadful, so I wouldn’t recommend it if you have a family vehicle. It was okay.

The staff were phenomenal, and the hotel’s location is hard to beat. It’s well placed for getting around Wellington while still tucked away enough that the city bustle didn’t reach us. We were there as part of a tour group, with buffet breakfast included. It was lovely, not extensive, but covered what you need. I especially liked how clearly the dietary information was given, which made it easy to tell what I could eat. The rooms were small but tidy and had the basics. One bed in our room was very firm, and the shower tended to splash water outside its area, so keep anything you want dry off the floor. Would I come back? Yep, it was a great spot.