The Captains Motel — Hotel in Bay of Islands-Whangaroa Community

In summary - I was disappointed with this Accommodation and would not recommend.

I booked 2 nights, was put in 2 different rooms and had to check out of the first room after the first night, and check in to the second room the second night, this was frustration and un-accommodating.

You get the impression that this Motel is a 'premium' place and location wise it's very handy, however lack of Air-conditioning made it very hard to sleep and I would say it isn't good value when they charge up to twice as other motels. and it just made it feel like the price tag didn't match the service.

Some of my holiday plans in the Bay Of Islands got cancelled (went on a fishing charter and the motor broke down), so the skipper called it a day and took us back.

As such I felt there wasn't much point to say a second night and was keen to get back home after the first night, understand this business has a 48 hour cancellation policy, but the reality is that often things don't always go according to plan, and for example a fishing trip can get cancelled due to weather (or a break down) and they might only give 24 hours notice. I would suggest they need to change their cancellation policy and maybe refund e.g. half of the fees.

When I advised the host that I intended to leave after the first night, he said that he would charge in full irrespective if we actually stayed or not, so he could potentially double-sell the unit. which just seems greedy.

Reasonable place to stay if Air-Conditioning isn't considered important, however if you are looking for a place where the host is kind and cares for their guests (and their requirements) as on occasion plans can change beyond anyone's control (rather than be fixated on their 48 cancellation policy) then keep looking...

We drove from Auckland which is a fair hike, and thoroughly enjoyed our time in the Bay Of Island, unfortunately this experience somewhat ruined it for us.

For contrast, the Charter company refunded the trip in full (despite the trip actually started and we filled the livies tank) and offered 50% off for a future booking.

Bay Of Islands - I will be back for a Kingie but won't be staying at the Captains...

We, a family group of 9 stayed 3 nights whilst attending a family Wedding in charming Russell that had been rescheduled twice due to the pandemic so had regular communication with the wonderful James and Wendy updating many changes. On all occasions, dealings were friendly, accommodating and prompt. When we finally arrived were made very welcome by Wendy and James, checked in and shown to our airy, spotless, roomy and tastefully decorated apartments, stopping to admire the beautiful gardens and outdoor seating areas whilst we casually chatted with Wendy. |The beds were very comfy, nice linen and new pillows, kitchen was equipped with all the modern catering needs and we had a new large fridge freezer for all our self catering supplies which was a nice surprise.|Bathroom was spotless clean, shower had great pressure and towels were good quality making our stay even more enjoyable. Well maintained property in great location about 8 minute leisurely walk to main town. |We highly recommend to all looking for good value, relaxed atmosphere and an excellent base to explore historical Russell and beyond. |Thank you, Wendy and James for your superb hospitality and professional manner....

We booked a King Studio. The room was of a good size. The bathroom was very good and looked like an 'accessible' bathroom. Plenty of room. The bed was large and comfortable. Everything was very clean which is great. Lovely crisp sheets. Small improvements however could make a big difference. Why would anyone still use one ply toilet paper? It just means everyone uses twice as much so no overall savings. No hair dryer or tissues which are pretty much standard these days. 'Penny pinching!' Also the room had a terribly put together table, come bench, come fridge and utility holder. It was a mess. No room for anything and a bit of a disaster DIY I expect. A chair is placed at each which assumes this is a table but no way could fit a plate in front of you. Hardly enough room to serve anything. No sink area which is my view is a significant hygiene issue as it means cups and glasses etc are washed in the bathroom hand basin. Small improvements could make a huge difference. For the price we expected better especially relative to other places where we have...