Marlin Hotel

We arrived to find a tiny, filthy room that smelled of cigarettes. The sheets were badly stained, and the floor felt sticky underfoot. The new owners didn’t show up to let us in, and when I said we couldn’t stay there with our small child, the woman present just shrugged and walked away. I’m still waiting for a refund because I don’t think the room was fit to stay in. In my view, the four-star rating and the positive reviews belong to the previous owners, and the current listing is misleading. Do not stay here.

May and Dennis, the new hotel managers, treated us like family and went above and beyond throughout our stay. We booked a room in the main building, which was sparkling clean and modern, with a stunning harbour view from the balcony. The shared areas, balcony, and kitchen were great, and there was even a BBQ that was easy to use. Off-street parking was provided. We took day trips from Whangaroa to explore the beautiful area and beaches. Cape Reinga was only two hours away, and each day brought a new adventure. There was plenty of fishing around too, if that interests you. It’s a hidden gem for regular travellers. Thanks, May and Dennis!

I stayed here with my family a few weeks ago and loved the balcony room and its view. The boys and I went night fishing off the wharf across the road and caught a Kahawai. The pub across the road has great cheap drinks, and their beef burger is like the crabby patty come to life. I’ll definitely be back.

I couldn’t get the TV or ‘skybox’ working and there were no instructions, so I gave up in frustration. At 9:30, I felt it was too late to bother the owners. The place wasn’t cheap, considering the only amenity was a shared kitchen where you could make coffee. I was super annoyed that such a basic thing as the TV didn’t work. The owners are living on the hotel’s reputation.