Quayside Apartments

I don’t recommend this business. I cancelled four weeks before my stay by replying to the booking confirmation email, and there was no notice that replies weren’t monitored or that cancellations needed to go through another channel. I got no delivery failure message either. They still charged a $200 cancellation fee, and ignored several follow-up emails. When I phoned to sort it out, the owner, Rebecca, was rude and dismissive. The cancellation process was unclear and the customer service felt unprofessional.

The apartment had a huge living area and kitchen, and looked out over the water, though it was one street back. There was free parking onsite. It could suit families or people who like to cook, since the kitchen had plates, a jug, and other basics. Nearby, there are several restaurants, an Indian place across the road, and a French cafe around the corner with what I thought was the best coffee in town. I also highly recommend the Japanese restaurant: tasty food made while you wait, and about $13.50 for a filling meal. There are shops around too, though many were shut over the Christmas and New Year period. The pub on the corner was rowdy, but I put that down to the holiday season. The main problem was that we paid for a two bedroom apartment and couldn’t get into the second bedroom because it was locked. We only found out late, so I had to put up with my husband’s snoring. He’d had a few drinks while we were on holiday, and that brings on the snorting. The room was meant for one of us to sleep in. I was upset that we couldn’t use what we’d paid for, and I’m going to ask for a partial refund. Maybe locking it makes cleaning easier, but it wasn’t what we booked. A friend paid $50 less per night for a three bedroom apartment right on the waterfront. There was also a sewer smell from the bathroom, though closing the door sorted it out. The biggest gripe after the locked bedroom was having no internet, even though there was a router box in the room. Would I stay again? Yes, if I could access the second bedroom and get free Wi-Fi.

Rebecca in the office was so helpful, gave us great tips on things to see and do in Whakataneto, and nothing seemed like a problem. The rooms were large, super clean, and tidy, with secure off street parking. It’s right in the middle of everything. We had a lovely stay and will definitely be back.

Booking with them was a pretty bad experience. They cancelled my reservation because their system was outdated and wouldn’t accept either flexible credit cards or even a debit card. The staff were pretty rude too. Good luck staying competitive with service like that.