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Northstar
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Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
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Avg. $200 /night, 3/27 - 3/28
$204
per night
$195
per night
$185
per night
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About
#5 of 14 motels in Oamaru
Location
Rooms
Value
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
See why so many travellers make Northstar their motel of choice when visiting Oamaru. Providing an ideal mix of value, comfort and convenience, it offers a family-friendly setting with an array of amenities designed for travellers like you.
The rooms offer a refrigerator, a kitchenette, and a desk, and getting online is possible, as free wifi is available, allowing you to rest and refresh with ease.
Northstar features room service and baggage storage. In addition, as a valued Northstar guest, you can enjoy a lounge that is available on-site. Guests arriving by vehicle have access to free parking.
While staying at Northstar, visitors can check out Totara Estate (1.8 mi) and Oamaru's Victorian Precinct (2.3 mi), some of Oamaru's top attractions.
Oamaru has plenty of Asian restaurants. So when you’re here, be sure to check out popular spots like Midori, The Station Wok, and Golden Island Chinese Restaurant, which are serving up some great dishes.
During your visit, be sure to check out a popular history museum like Whitestone City, which is a short distance from the motel.
We’re sure you’ll enjoy your stay at Northstar as you experience all of the things Oamaru has to offer.
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Property amenities
Free parking
Free High Speed Internet (WiFi)
Bar / lounge
Children Activities (Kid / Family Friendly)
Baggage storage
Non-smoking hotel
Laundry service
Self-serve laundry
Parking
Wifi
Restaurant
Complimentary Instant Coffee
Washing machine
Room features
Desk
Housekeeping
Room service
Seating area
Coffee / tea maker
Kitchenette
Flatscreen TV
Bath / shower
Iron
Microwave
Refrigerator
Kitchenware
Hair dryer
Room types
Non-smoking rooms
Family rooms
Good to know
HOTEL CLASS
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Qualmark.
HOTEL STYLE
Trendy
Modern
Languages Spoken
English
Location
495A Thames Highway, Oamaru 9400 New Zealand
Getting there
Car recommended
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: 50 out of 100
50
Dunedin Airport
113.1 km•
See all flights
Car Hire
55 Restaurants
within 10 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.
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.
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.
Traveller rating
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Detailed Reviews
Room was nice and tidy enough. Very roomy. We had a downstairs one which are all designed for disabled people. Unless you need it, I’d recommend an upstairs room.
Warning: Don’t stay here if there is a risk of moderate to high southerly winds. The services boxes on the back of the building bang and make terrible noises in the wind!!! Kept us a awake for a good part of the night.
Highly recommend the restaurant. Great food and excellent service. Real friendly.
Warning: Don’t stay here if there is a risk of moderate to high southerly winds. The services boxes on the back of the building bang and make terrible noises in the wind!!! Kept us a awake for a good part of the night.
Highly recommend the restaurant. Great food and excellent service. Real friendly.
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Date of stay: March 2022Trip type: Travelled as a couple
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.
A fantastic room. Very spacious, clean and comfortable. A good kitchen, lounge area, dining area, separate shower and toilet, comfortable bed. Reasonably quiet at night considering it is near a main road and is part of pub/restaurant (although free standing). A good price for the room and we would stay here again.
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Date of stay: November 2024Trip 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.
We recently spent two nights here. The room was large enough that we weren’t tripping over each other. There is a huge bathroom/changing area. The kitchen is well appointed with an added bonus of a coffee machine. The shower is huge and has amazing pressure. The bed was a little firmer than we are used to but still comfy. The only down side was from children running around in the room above us, going to sleep solved that. And a couple of spare pillows would be great.
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Date of stay: February 2020Trip type: Travelled with family
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.
Worst dinner we have ever eaten.
Steak under cooked, French fries under cooked, salad was just a bowl of lettuce with watery dressing, mushroom sauce for steak was mushrooms in water.
Been eating here for yrs,
Not been here in 2 yrs,
Must be a new cook, definenly not a chef..
Never again..
Don't eat here....
Waste of money..
Go into town,
Better quality..
Steak under cooked, French fries under cooked, salad was just a bowl of lettuce with watery dressing, mushroom sauce for steak was mushrooms in water.
Been eating here for yrs,
Not been here in 2 yrs,
Must be a new cook, definenly not a chef..
Never again..
Don't eat here....
Waste of money..
Go into town,
Better quality..
Read more
Date of stay: October 2024Trip type: Travelled with family
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip: By pass this place.
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 has the friendliest, most helpful receptionists I've ever come across! My husband and I had the pleasure of staying for 3 nights in December and loved it! We hadn't planned on visiting Oamaru, until we discovered that heavy rain had forced road closures on our drive to Christchurch. We came across Northstar purely by accident, and were greeted with the warmest of welcome's by Shirley, and Jill looked after us during our evening meal later that day. They both have so much local knowledge, which we used to our advantage, and after extending our stay due to the on-going road issues, we had the most fabulous stay in the motel and Oamaru!
The room itself was spacious, lovely and clean, with everything we needed. Comfy bed and pillows, and a peaceful environment all contributed to 3 nights of blissful sleep.
We ate in the restaurant twice, and enjoyed the food very much. The bar staff were lovely too!
Everything about our unexpected trip was amazing, and we're already looking forward to our next visit in 2022. Thank you all for making our stay so special, memorable. It was certainly one of our favourite places in New Zealand!
The room itself was spacious, lovely and clean, with everything we needed. Comfy bed and pillows, and a peaceful environment all contributed to 3 nights of blissful sleep.
We ate in the restaurant twice, and enjoyed the food very much. The bar staff were lovely too!
Everything about our unexpected trip was amazing, and we're already looking forward to our next visit in 2022. Thank you all for making our stay so special, memorable. It was certainly one of our favourite places in New Zealand!
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Date of stay: December 2019
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.
I stayed a night on the way to Dunedin. The staff were so easy to communicate with. Booking was easy. The unit was well equipped and spacious with a settee and two lounge chairs but the heating was poor. There was no heating in the bathroom and the room had a small panel heater which took ages to warm up. How could you build a motel in Oamaru without bathroom under floor heating and a heat pump. Take plenty of warm clothes. There is good parking and its clean and comfortable if a little on the chilly side
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Date of stay: May 2021
Location
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.
Good motel with clean and large rooms, with a spacious bathroom. Our unit was at ground floor with no view at all except the carpark.
The motel has a restaurant where we had lunch and this is convenient.
There was some noise from a close park of trucks, but not during the night.
The motel has a restaurant where we had lunch and this is convenient.
There was some noise from a close park of trucks, but not during the night.
Read more
Date of stay: February 2024Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Value
Location
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.
We had a night here recently. The hotel was rmarkably quiet and peacful considering it is attached to a tavern. The room was spacious and well laid out. It had a small kitchette with enough for a cup of tea and breakfast. Very nice.
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Date of stay: August 2021
Value
Rooms
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.
Good value and great amenities fitted out in the bathroom/kitchenette/desk. Very very large and spacious. Could hear a bit from the unit above. The tiled shower and water pressure was excellent along with the pod coffee machine. This was be an excellent motel if it had a nice outlook of a garden rather than the car parking. Reception seemed surprised to see me when checking in (almost felt rude) but then we laughed about this.
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Date of stay: December 2022Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip: Ask for an Upstairs unit
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.
North Star was good accommodation if a little out of the Town centre. Very quiet despite being on the main road and much nicer inside than you expect when you first pull up. Reception very helpful and friendly. Easy drive to town and plenty of free parking in the centre. Stayed in Oamaru really to see the penguins, but found it a fascinating place.
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Date of stay: February 2016Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Value
Location
Service
Room Tip: Ask for upstairs room if you can manage stairs
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.
No, the laundry is located in the reception area and is only accessible during business hours 7 am to 8 pm
"A room further away from reception would be good as can be quite noisy when people checking out"Read full review
PRICE RANGE
$174 - $223 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
LOCATION
New ZealandSouth IslandOtago RegionOamaru
NUMBER OF ROOMS
16
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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Claim Your ListingNORTHSTAR | UPDATED 2025 Motel Reviews & Price Comparison (Oamaru, New Zealand) - Tripadvisor
Frequently Asked Questions about Northstar
Which popular attractions are close to Northstar?
Nearby attractions include Oamaru Public Gardens (3.8 km), Oamaru's Victorian Precinct (3.7 km), and Steampunk HQ (3.6 km).
What are some of the property amenities at Northstar?
Some of the more popular amenities offered include free wifi, an on-site restaurant, and a lounge.
Which room amenities are available at Northstar?
Top room amenities include a kitchenette, a flat screen TV, and a refrigerator.
What food & drink options are available at Northstar?
Guests can enjoy an on-site restaurant, a lounge, and free instant coffee during their stay.
What are some restaurants close to Northstar?
Conveniently located restaurants include Scotts Brewing Co, The Last Post Pub & Restaurant, and Cucina.
Are any cleaning services offered at Northstar?
Yes, laundry service and self serve laundry are offered to guests.
Are there any historical sites close to Northstar?
Many travellers enjoy visiting Totara Estate (8.6 km).
Is Northstar accessible?
Yes, it offers wheelchair access, reduced mobility rooms, and facilities for disabled guests. For specific enquiries, we recommend calling ahead to confirm.