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GrandTour24524460215
New Zealand

Room 103 - Shabby Chic

3.0 of 5 bubblesReviewed 11 Oct 2023
We booked as the VR is close to the restaurants. I was on business with my husband travelling with me. The room was large and the bathroom expansive with a huge spa bath. This room has french doors out to the side balcony which is huge and has 3 tables and around 9 chairs. We were the only room with access. As per the other reviews she was once a top Hotel in her day. It is very tired now. I'd call it shabby chic. We did have issues with the hot water however it was quick to be fixed. There is a trick - if there's no hot water - turn on the shower and the hand hand basin hot taps and let them run for awhile. The hot water comes through and then the other tap can be turned off! The Hotel was clean. We were lucky to get the Hotel parking which I didn't mind paying for. It was a tight squeeze for my RAV 4.
The Italian Restaurant next door is accessible from the Hotel. We had no issues with noise and we were there for 5 nights.
Date of stay: September 2023
Room Tip: Be prepared for a few quirks from this old Hotel.
Trip type: Travelled on business
3.0 of 5 bubblesValue
4.0 of 5 bubblesLocation
3.0 of 5 bubblesService
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12 - 17 of 590 reviews
Reviewed 12 October 2023 via mobile

I will start with the positive points as that will be quick. On the up side the rooms are big and spacious and there was one receptionist that stood out, her name was Michelle who always greeted us with a smile and made an effort to help where she could. We were supplied with clean towels and face cloths daily and that is where the positive ends.
Our room was at the back side of the hotel. It was dark and dreary and looked over onto some kitchen and bin areas. Everything looked old from a sixties movie and the whole hotel could do with a serious revamp. Stephen King could get some inspiration here.
There was an air conditioner outside that was noisy and disruptive disturbing our sleep.
The shower was awful and no matter what fine tuning one did it was either too hot or too cold deviating by itself. It was also so low that you just about had to bend under it. At least the hair dryer gave us a good laugh. Definitely from the sixties.
I cannot blame any of the cleaners for the dirty carpets etc as they are in dire need of replacement.
I am not sure where this hotel gets it’s stars from or even why it would be called a hotel. It is more like a hostel or backpackers place. The smells especially in the lift are awful. There was fine print we never read, namely being unable to checkout earlier without forfeiting the full amount for the total stay. We asked for a second key card for the room and were told it would be 50 dollars extra if we lost it, we were also told that it would be our responsibility if the lift broke for being more than 3 at a time. Outside the lift it says 4.
Even though the hotel is central I would in good conscience not recommend this to anyone especially if it’s a long stay. Probably one of the worst hotels I’ve stayed at.

Room tip: Parking is not always available and costs 20 dollars per day
Date of stay: October 2023
Trip type: Travelled with family
Thank Julie S
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.
Reviewed 29 September 2023

I would definitely not recommend this hotel to anyone
Room was really dated and dark, at the back of the hotel
No microwave,
TV so small you can hardly see it
House keeping didn’t bother to vacuum our room
My bed was never made
Barely cleaned the room
No replacement of towels or tea/ coffee
Very noisy room with an awful view and lots of noise
Shower in the bath is so low if you are tall it’s not manageable
No shelves in cupboard only hanging space.
Lift is dingy and smells awful
Only good thing of this hotel is the location
No refund policy
I would caution those looking to read the reviews before you book here

Room tip: Read the reviews before you book
Date of stay: August 2023
  • Trip type: Travelled with family
    • Value
    • Location
    • Service
Thank Tracey B
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.
Reviewed 18 August 2023

Where do I start? DISGUSTING! SMELLY! HEALTH AND SAFETY HAZARD!
Struggled with hayfever all night. My partner and I struggled with our chests with asthma with the smell / mould spores.
My partner and I work long hours sometimes 7 days a week and were looking forward to getting away. This place looked good on the photos and WAS NOT the cheapest. $161.07 for a nightmare!
NOTHING LIKE THE PHOTOS!!!!!
Check your invoice! I was charged a credit surcharge and do not even own a credit card. I specified several times VISA DEBIT CARD but still overcharged me.
We should have known driving up to the parking that the establishment had not been maintained for many years. Parking was extra (not mentioned on the website) and very squishy. Car locked in parking or else would have left.
1. The room STINKS. Stench of wet carpets that were left to half rot and mould. The stench was so bad it took our breath away. Even the aircon and bathroom fan did not help.
2. Dirty carpets! Not stained...but sauce/some unknown substance.
3. The bathroom tiles and grouting...It looks like high school kids were given the job to tile the bathroom with no guidance.
4. HUGE dent in one wall looks like from a torso of someone - electrics exposed could kill someone.
5. Toilet brush - GROSS!
6. Shower - gross!
7. Holes, dents, scrapes on all the walls.
8. Decor so outdated and tired...it is from an era gone by.
9. I so so badly wanted coffee but even that was not to be. The kettle was DIRTY inside. I stuck my finger in and scraped off this oily type residue...perhaps from cleaning someones socks and boiling / cooking their sausages?
10. The one window has a gap between the window and the sill!
11. Another window is broken - NOISE from the road all night. Cold air coming in.
12. Woke up all night long with the smell and the noise. Was miserable in the morning & could not even have a coffee.
Tried to speak to the manager - not available.

Room tip: DO NOT GO TO THIS HOTEL!!!!!! That is the only advice I have. It is so expensively priced for a hotel that is a hazard to your health
Date of stay: August 2023
  • Trip type: Travelled as a couple
    • Value
    • Location
    • Service
1  Thank Lee-Ann v
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.
Reviewed 12 July 2023 via mobile

Dirty, rude staff, no information on restaurants or things to do, no info on contacting reception if stuff doesn’t work, like the kettle which didn’t. Parking a nightmare, if you have a small call and want to pay $20 all good. Just TERRIBLE!!

Room tip: Take the elevator at you own peril
Date of stay: July 2023
Trip type: Travelled solo
2  Thank Paradise47560
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.
Reviewed 29 June 2023

The worst Hotel I have ever stayed in. It says on the website that it is ‘The best accommodation in Hamilton’. It is certainly not and I would suggest Hamilton Tourism try and get that statement removed as it impacted immensely on my stay in the city. Mould in the bathroom, stains on the carpet, old and run down and smelly. Stay here at your peril.

Date of stay: June 2023
  • Trip type: Travelled on business
    • Value
    • Location
    • Service
1  Thank NorthStar792969
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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