Fernz Motel & Apartments Birkenhead — Attraction in Kaipātiki

Despite the motel having a lovely view and the rooms being quite clean, my friends and I had an awful experience staying here in February. The service we received from one staff member in particular, I believe her name was Janet, was entirely unprofessional and utterly rude. A couple of weeks prior to our arrival, we had emailed the motel to ask if we could drop our bags off and leave them there since check-in wasn't open until much later than our flight's arrival time. They confirmed that this would be fine and no problem at all. Upon arriving at the motel (around 8:30 am, which is only 30 minutes before they officially open for the day), we rang the after-hours number to let them know that we had arrived and would be dropping our bags. When the phone was answered, we were met with passive-aggressiveness from Janet. We were asked, "So you expect me to come and grab your bags for you at the crack of dawn when you haven't even checked in yet?", which we all found to be incredibly rude and unprofessional.

The beginning of our stay was only the tip of the iceberg with Janet, as the next morning at 8 am, my friends and I were woken up from our sleep to multiple phone calls and voicemails being left on not only my (the person who actually booked the accommodation) phone, but my friend's phone as well. This was due to me accidentally giving the wrong card details on the website, and therefore the payment declined. It was an easy fix as all I needed to do was provide the correct details for the payment to be processed. After all the calls and voicemails left, 30 minutes later, we hear loud banging on our motel door. We didn't answer the door as we were confused and weren't expecting anyone. The loud banging continues until the door is UNLOCKED and Janet comes waltzing into our motel room, loudly demanding that we pay immediately. All of us felt this was a major breach of privacy and completely unprofessional. I understand the concern over the payment, but I did mention over the phone when she called that I had provided the incorrect card details and could provide the correct one soon.

All of us were in disbelief at how we were treated over our very short 2-night stay and would never recommend this place to anyone, unless being treated with disrespect is something you enjoy. You can also see glimpses of Janet's rude behaviour through the replies to some of the bad reviews left on this page, as they come across as very snarky and passive-aggressive.

Overall, we had a horrible experience and will never be back. Janet should learn some manners if she wants to stay in a job that requires...

Beware all Guests - Do NOT provide your credit card details!

I strongly recommend staying away from the motel, as the new managers, after the recent change in ownership are extremely rude and disrespectful.

We had been staying at Fernz for approx. 2 weeks and having spent close to $5000 in accommodation fees, the rooms were not cleaned in a timely manner, fresh towels weren't provided unless asked for and the service was extremely unprofessional. Furthermore, Fernz deducted $150 from our credit card for alleged missing items, without any notification after we had checked-out and left the motel. When we justified the fact that we had not taken their alleged missing items, Fernz refused to verify our story via CCTV footage or provide evidence that we had taken the missing items. In fact, we were falsely accused of theft and told that we would not get a refund until we returned the items. Whilst this incident involved financial loss, the issue is more to do with principle and ethics - It's a shame that Fernz is ruining NZ's reputation of providing a great customer service experience. Whatever Fernz's excuse is for conspiring against us, the bottom line is, under no circumstance should any customer be humiliated or falsely accused of theft, without hearing the customers side of the story first.

Quick Tip - Always ensure you take a photo of your room contents at the time of check-in and when checking-out, because Fernz are willing to go to extreme measures to fraudulently acquire your money.

Disappointed and humiliated...

5-Star Stay at Fernz Motel and Apartments – Highly Recommended!

We recently stayed at Fernz Motel and Apartments for 7 nights in a two bedroom, two bathroom city view apartment, and our experience was nothing short of fantastic.

The view from our balcony was absolutely incredible—overlooking the city, it was a stunning sight both day and night. The apartment itself was spacious, exceptionally clean, and thoughtfully equipped with everything needed for a comfortable and convenient stay. It included a full-size fridge, dishwasher, washing machine, dryer, and even heated floors and towel rails in both bathrooms. The beds were very comfortable, and the air conditioning in the main living area kept the space warm and pleasant.

Check-in was smooth and welcoming, with a friendly staff member who made us feel right at home. Communication throughout our stay was excellent; we received an email mid-week confirming the timing of a scheduled full clean, which we appreciated as part of maintaining the apartment's high standard. Daily housekeeping kept the apartment fresh with new towels and replenished supplies when needed.

The apartment was also very quiet, both day and night, and felt extremely safe and secure. It’s in a great location within walking distance to local shops, and on-site parking was a convenient bonus.

We had absolutely no issues during our stay and truly loved every minute. We can’t wait to return and would highly recommend Fernz Motel and Apartments to anyone looking for quality accommodation...