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Acapulco Motel
20 Shelly Beach Road, Auckland Central, Auckland 1011 New Zealand
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About
#10 of 12 motels in Auckland Central
Location
Rooms
Value
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Acapulco Motel has a reputation with business people and leisure travelers alike for being a friendly, cosy, clean and comfortable establishment, with a homely atmosphere. Acapulco Motel is situated in the Herne Bay residential area, minutes from the central city.An excellent bus service called "The Link" is about 5-min walk away, which does a circuit around the city. And all the fabulous shops and restaurants on Jervois Rd/Ponsonby area are within walking distance.Acapulco Motel combines the convenience of its location with spacious, well-appointed rooms designed to offer a quiet retreat at the end of the day.Acapulco Motel is located just 1.5km from Auckland's city centre, Wynyard Quarter, Auckland harbour ferries, Auckland Zoo and MOTAT (Museum Of Transport And Technology), Walking distance to Westhaven Yacht Marina, Pt. Erin Park Fun Pool, fashionable Ponsonby restaurants and cafés. Motorway exits at Nelson Street/City Centre from the south and Shelly Beach Rd/Ponsonby from the north.* Recommended by "Been There"
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Property amenities
Free parking
Free High Speed Internet (WiFi)
Wifi
Babysitting
Business Centre with Internet Access
Non-smoking hotel
Laundry service
Room features
Room service
Kitchenette
Minibar
Refrigerator
Room types
Non-smoking rooms
Suites
Family rooms
Good to know
HOTEL STYLE
Mid-range
Location
20 Shelly Beach Road, Auckland Central, Auckland 1011 New Zealand
Getting there
Somewhat walkable
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travellers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
Grade: 69 out of 100
69
Auckland Intl Airport
19.3 km•
See all flights
Car Hire
20 Restaurants
within 0.5 kilometers
1 Attraction
within 0.5 kilometers
ReviewsWe perform checks on reviews.Tripadvisor’s approach to reviewsBefore posting, each Tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. If the system detects something that potentially contradicts our community guidelines, the review is not published.
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Our team checks each review posted on the site disputed by our community as not meeting our community guidelines.
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We perform checks on reviews.
Tripadvisor’s approach to reviews
Before posting, each Tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. If the system detects something that potentially contradicts our community guidelines, the review is not published.
When the system detects a problem, a review may be automatically rejected, sent to the reviewer for validation, or manually reviewed by our team of content specialists, who work 24/7 to maintain the quality of the reviews on our site.
Our team checks each review posted on the site disputed by our community as not meeting our community guidelines.
Learn more about our review moderation.
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Detailed Reviews
Very clean motel with excellent facilities for the price. Location cannot be better, just off Ponsonby Rd with its bars and restaurants but also within walking distance to the CBD.
Helpful staff means we would not hesitate to stay again if we required a high level of accommodation, at the right price in the right, central, location.
Dan, Leeds, UK
Helpful staff means we would not hesitate to stay again if we required a high level of accommodation, at the right price in the right, central, location.
Dan, Leeds, UK
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Date of stay: May 2008Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Check-in / front desk
Service
Business service (e.g., internet access)
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I have stayed at the Acapulco several times when in Auckland for business. I have always found it to be clean and comfortable with friendly owners and staff. On occasion, there have been minor faults, eg. a blown light bulb, but these have been dealt with in a timely manner when I have pointed them out. I applaud the owners on the work that they are doing to refurbish and modernise the units.
I happily recommend the Acapulco to people as a quiet haven close to public transport.
Mary
Christchurch, NZ
I happily recommend the Acapulco to people as a quiet haven close to public transport.
Mary
Christchurch, NZ
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Date of stay: June 2008
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
very basic, & a bit dated, but very well priced, & a great location. the staff are very great, very friendly & helpful. pillows are a bit thick, but i guess that is personal preference. and the tv remote could do with a clean.
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Date of stay: April 2013Trip type: Travelled solo
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip: just ask the staff, they will help you to choose a room that suits you.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We have just spent a week at the Acapulco Motel in Herne Bay, Auckland, New Zealand. While this motel offered family accommodation they were certainly not keen on families and complained about the fact that we had children with us the whole time we were there.
The stove was more than 40 years old and I got shocks when stirring something in a pot. The curtains were so old that they ripped a bit more every time we opened and closed them. The wallpaper was mouldy in several places. Many items had not been replaced i.e. part of the toilet seat which kept slipping off, and a couple of light bulbs and even though these things were pointed out to the owner nothing was done about them. The tap in the kitchen leaked continuously and the toilet cistern had to be worked manually. The cleaning was not thorough and when we spoke to the management about this he said it might have been because it was Easter. It was quite difficult to see out of the windows.
There was confusion over the internet access.
The stove was more than 40 years old and I got shocks when stirring something in a pot. The curtains were so old that they ripped a bit more every time we opened and closed them. The wallpaper was mouldy in several places. Many items had not been replaced i.e. part of the toilet seat which kept slipping off, and a couple of light bulbs and even though these things were pointed out to the owner nothing was done about them. The tap in the kitchen leaked continuously and the toilet cistern had to be worked manually. The cleaning was not thorough and when we spoke to the management about this he said it might have been because it was Easter. It was quite difficult to see out of the windows.
There was confusion over the internet access.
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Date of stay: April 2006
Value
Rooms
Cleanliness
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.



My wife, brother-in-law and I stayed here for 3 nights at the end of our New Zealand holiday. This was the 15th place we stayed in, and was the most run-down. The motel was 2-3 miles from the city centre, but the Link bus stopped nearby and called at the main central attractions, departing every 10 minutes. It was a reasonably short walk to Ponsonby Road, with a good selection of cafes, bars and restaurants. Our unit had two bedrooms, a living room, kitchen, shower room and toilet.
POSITIVES - The rooms were spacious, the beds and armchairs were comfortable, there was a laundry on-site, free internet, and a balcony to sit outside. The owners were friendly and helpful.
NEGATIVES - The cooker was ancient, the bathroom mirror was broken, the walls and paintwork badly needed decorating, and the cleaning wasn't up to scratch (e.g. a lampshade with an obvious collection of dead flies).
We paid NZ$190/night, which was about the same as we paid for first class apartments in central Christchurch.
NOT RECOMMENDED.
POSITIVES - The rooms were spacious, the beds and armchairs were comfortable, there was a laundry on-site, free internet, and a balcony to sit outside. The owners were friendly and helpful.
NEGATIVES - The cooker was ancient, the bathroom mirror was broken, the walls and paintwork badly needed decorating, and the cleaning wasn't up to scratch (e.g. a lampshade with an obvious collection of dead flies).
We paid NZ$190/night, which was about the same as we paid for first class apartments in central Christchurch.
NOT RECOMMENDED.
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Date of stay: February 2007Trip type: Travelled with family
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Check-in / front desk
Service
Business service (e.g., internet access)
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I have stayed at Acapulco motel almost annually for at least 13 years for business trips as well as personal vacations. I have found the place to be excellent value. The rooms are very well equipped and clean and the location is excellent being only a few minutes from the city centre with regular bus services close by.
The Management and staff are always extremely helpful.
I would recommend this motel to any traveller wishing for a great auckland city location. Acapulco is considered to be my Auckland city home !.
The Management and staff are always extremely helpful.
I would recommend this motel to any traveller wishing for a great auckland city location. Acapulco is considered to be my Auckland city home !.
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Date of stay: October 2008Trip type: Travelled on business
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Check-in / front desk
Service
Business service (e.g., internet access)
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This motel looked perfectly located for our needs when I saw it on the AA site on the internet but on arrival we got rather a shock. Gardens needed weeding, our unit had not been cleaned thoroughly (with a past guest's facecloth hanging over the shower, a receipt and plastic bag seen easily under a bed), shabby lino was in shower/toilet area, a lot of fluff round edges of rooms seemed to indicate they had not been thoroughly vacuumed for quite a while etc etc. One of these things might have been okay - combined it was just not acceptable. Fortunately the beds proved comfortable and the units were peaceful - the only positive things I can say. It was a shame. As we departed I mentioned to the lady in the office that we were very disappointed in the standard of cleanliness. She heard me but just didn't seem interested. We were in Unit 5. Maybe other units were in better condition. The cost for three people was $155 but if everything was clean and the décor, garden beds etc updated this could be a lovely motel and we would have been very happy to pay more. I had hoped that we would find somewhere to stay whenever we visited Auckland because this location is very handy to the CBD but realistically am not likely to return to this motel.
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Date of stay: October 2013Trip type: Travelled with friends
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Great location but in desperate need of redecorating. Stayed here with 2 overseas friends and was rather embarrassed by the standard of rooms and the standard of room service each day. we were here for 5 days and everyday there were only towels left for two. Bed clothes were pulled up rather than remade. Bathroom towels had to hang on a towel rail in kitchen. The walls in bedroom were badly marked and there were badly ripped curtains in lounge. Plastic flowers had been stuck to walls in toilet and bedroom. A very outdated television. When I made comment to the owner he said that I could check out if I wished . As I had great difficulty booking accommodation as Auckland was really busy I told him this could not happen. The beds were comfortable and after complaining about the standard of room service care was taken to be more professional.
I have learnt after many years that one can rarely trust Internet photos. All in all it was not value for money at $900 for a five night stay!!
I have learnt after many years that one can rarely trust Internet photos. All in all it was not value for money at $900 for a five night stay!!
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Date of stay: February 2013Trip type: Travelled with family
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from acapulco_motel, Manager at Acapulco Motel
Responded 5 Mar 2013
Dear Guest We are quite sorry to hear that you were not happy about your staying at Acapulco motel. Our staffs made apology several times for not placing three towels in the unit on the one of days. We are sorry that we could not change new bed sheets everyday. We do change new sheets every third nights unless guests request. However, we tried to find any badly damaged mark on the bedroom wall even whole your unit, we could not find. We have been receiving many reviews ( 130 reviews from Tripadviser and AA travel) from our guests. We believe that our photos on the internet show our current exact building age and rooms. The tariff for our two bedroom unit is NZ$160.00 for 2adults and NZ$20.00 for an extra adult including Tax. You had free parking for your car and your friends' car without any additional charge. Our units are spacious, tidy and quiet . Our location is good. As you mentioned that Auckalnd was really busy. Even thought, most places increased their tariff, we did not. You were quite concern about the tariff when you made a booking. However, we were sorry that we could not give any discount.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
We stayed here when we first arrived in auckland for 3 nights then again at the end of our trip for 2 nights. On both visits the accomadation was clean & comfy. Nice spacious rooms. The hosts were friendly & very helpful. We would recommend this motel to anyone travelling to Auckland.
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Date of stay: April 2012Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Looking back at other motels we've stayed in in NZ, this was one of the nicest - featuring a separate bedroom, good kitchen and dining area, and modern furniture. It's a short bus ride from central Auckland; there are shops and bars within walking distance and a supermarket slightly further.
The owners were very friendly and helpful, and coped with us turning up two hours before check-in time (just off the flight from London)!
The owners were very friendly and helpful, and coped with us turning up two hours before check-in time (just off the flight from London)!
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Date of stay: February 2011Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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ALSO KNOWN AS
acapulco hotel auckland
LOCATION
New ZealandNorth IslandAucklandAuckland Central
NUMBER OF ROOMS
15
Prices are provided by our partners, and reflect total costs of the stay, including all taxes and fees known to our partners. Please see our partners for more details.
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Frequently Asked Questions about Acapulco Motel
Which popular attractions are close to Acapulco Motel?
Nearby attractions include Pt Erin Pool (0.2 km).
What are some of the property amenities at Acapulco Motel?
Some of the more popular amenities offered include free wifi, free parking, and room service.
Which room amenities are available at Acapulco Motel?
Top room amenities include a kitchenette, a minibar, and a refrigerator.
What are some restaurants close to Acapulco Motel?
Conveniently located restaurants include Paris Butter, Jervois Steak House, and Japanese Cafe JANKEN.
Are there any historical sites close to Acapulco Motel?
Many travellers enjoy visiting Parnell (4.0 km), Eden Park (3.4 km), and Eden Garden (4.3 km).