Clean motel and welcoming host. Pool and spa clean and working. Not too busy during our stay so ample parking. Good value for overnight stay. Is slightly away from the main centre but very easy walk into town.
Admittedly, I didn't stay at this motel. My issue here is with the booking and reservation. I booked a room for a three night stay at Paihia. It would have been my first time in Northlands, coming from Auckland. I did this through Booking.com, and we were meant to be there on the 28th January 2021. However, on the night of the eve of our travel, there was news that there was three cases of Covid's new strain from recent MIQ (isolation) cases that travelled up to Northlands (from Orewa, Whangerai and various other places). Being that myself and my partner are on the high risk category, we decided that it would be our moral obligation to postpone our trip to another date when the Covid situation dies down. However, because it was the night before our travel, we have passed the free cancellation period. We tried to appeal on good faith to the management of Casa Bella, through Booking.com as recommended by the portal. Our appeal was rejected because as they said, "everything is still open as normal with people travelling", and therefore they are not able to waive the cancellation fee. We were more than willing to accept a credit and just move the dates of our travels but because they were unwilling to waive the cancellation fee, we won't be using their facilities as and when we visit Paihia; after the whole Covid-19 situation has dissipated. My cruise to the Bay of Islands and Cape Reinga Tour was credited and even our stop by accommodation in Keri-Keri was cancelled without any fees. This was the only establishment that was unwilling to offer any alternatives and therefore, won't be recommending them. We do feel that it was our moral obligation to NOT risk not just ourselves to Covid but to also to spread it in Auckland (once we return), and this establishment didn't have the good faith to offer any waiver or any alternatives for postponement.…
In general is not to bad, but is full of unexpected things you see the pictures: - Water and hot water stopped coming while you are in the shower. - In our queen room, there was almost no storage. We were there for a week, this meant that we had to leave from the suitcase all the time. - Their parking spaces are very close to each other. - The spa pool was so so so cloudy, omg! It smelled so dodgy. - They offered a porta cot for our baby (regular in these places) but the thing, especially the mattress smelled so bad that we had to reject it and get one ourselves. - Check in was at 2pm, we waited until after 3pm to be able to get into our room. The place is clearly understaffed. Receptionist is never in the reception. - WiFi is beyond bad. In the evening is almost no point having it on. I would try somewhere else if I can …
My daughter got very sick from the spa pool and we have been directed to take her to hospital if it gets worse. Not very clean at all especially during level 2 shouldn't they be doing special cleans during lvl2? I shut the Venetian blinds and there was about a years worth of dust. Would not reccomend. Rating does not reflect the standard. I will make sure I always read the reviews before booking from now on. Lesson learnt.
This place wasent the best at all, when we walked into the room there was a funky smell and the furniture was outdated and old it was not worth $190 a night, there were also people playing music and drinking in the room across from us not worth the stay
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