Marineland Beachfront Motel — Hotel in Napier

Over the past six years I have stayed at the Marineland Motel and have experienced excellent levels of hospitality, quality accommodation and service without complaint all under the control of Carol and Evan. The continental breakfasts were more than adequate and the restaurant was excellent with room service at no extra cost if required. However, at some point over the last eighteen months Carol and Evan retired from the hotelier business and the motel was sold. When I visited last year the same levels of quality and service had been maintained but this week (27 August 2018) was a great disappointment. The young man on reception had only been in the country a week and didn't know how to produce a gst receipt for my payment in advance. When I explained that I wanted to settle on departure so that the invoice included breakfasts I was advised that breakfasts were no longer available and when I asked about the restaurant I was told that it was no longer in operation but was advised that there was an Indian restaurant that would deliver as would Dominos Pizzas! If I hadn't paid I would have walked at that point but a refund was not possible. When I entered my room (Unit 7), although all rooms are advertised as non-smoking, the smell of tobacco smoke was overpowering and on reporting it to the guy on reception he returned to my room with a can of air freshener saying that would fix it. I pointed out to him that the drawers under the hanging rail would not open because the bottom of the top drawer had fallen through into the bottom drawer so neither would open; he said that he would tell the owner. There was an oil column heater in the room that was switched on when I entered but it switched itself off after a time. There was a built-in timer which was not set but when it was turned the heater switched on, and then off again after a time. This happened a couple more times then it seemed to settle down. The tobacco smoke smell had not really disappeared as it had permeated the fabric of the room, even the pillows and bedding. On my way out to dinner I called into the reception again and told the guy that has I known what I would be faced with I would never have booked. The heater switched off again at some point during the night when the outside temperature had been recorded as 1C. When I showered in the morning I found that the diverter didn't work and I could wash my hair and feet under running water at the same time. On my way out in the morning to find some breakfast I called into reception again and told the young lady in attendance this time that I wanted the heater changed and that I was very disappointed with the quality of the room. When I returned in the evening the heater hadn't been changed but it did seem to be functioning correctly so I didn't take that any further, but I did note that while the bed had been made and the wet bath towel and flannel had been replaced with ones that were just as grey as those that had been used (presumably they had been white at some time in their lives but no longer), the waste bins hadn't been emptied, the soap wrapper was still on top of the vanity and the toiletries hadn't been replenished. On the morning of my departure I decided to make a cup of tea but when I opened the cupboard door to remove the electric jug, it fell off. When I opened the door to the crockery cupboard the first mug that I picked out had a large chip out of the lip and a long crack. I did note that none of the electrical appliances carried tags to show that they had been tested and inspected for electrical safety as required by the Electrical (Safety) Regulations 2010 and AS/NZS 3760:2010. The curtains of the room were drawn both on my arrival and on my return on the second day but when I did look through it was clear that the small garden outside the room had not been tended for some considerable time. On checking out I advised the guy on reception that this had been the worst motel experience that I had ever had and that I would never, NEVER stay at the Marineland again. He had said that he would report my concerns to the owners but from a look at other similar negative reviews it seems that no other similar negative reports have been recorded so I very much doubt that my complaints would be, and if there is a response to this review I fully expect that it will be in that vein. Previously I had recommended the motel to a number of colleagues and friends but I would never, NEVER do that again. If Carol and Evan could experience what it was like now they would cry. It is being run down and under the previous ownership it was booked out most nights, the car parks were all full and the restaurant did good trade, but no longer. If it continues this way it won't be long before it closes because guests looking for quality accommodation will very soon realise that the Marineland is no longer the quality motel that it used to be. I wouldn't recommend this motel any more, not even to my...

DO NOT RECOMMEND IF YOU'RE A FAMILY WITH KIDS

We were a sports team of 18 people and right from arrival the experience was really average. We had travelled all the way from Wellington early that morning for a sports competition. We arrived early, and were told rooms wouldn't be available until EXACTLY 2pm (most places, including 5 star hotels say If your room is ready earlier, we will take your bags there and give you a call). For a large booking, they showed no interest in what we were doing there or making slight accommodations, like having just one room ready slightly earlier so our support crew could put food out of the 30 degree sun.

We ended up training until 7pm, and this same receptionist was trying to track us down to check in because she wanted to go home. Not my issue quite frankly. If she had shown in interest in what we were doing, we might've spoken about this. But no.

When we finally checked into rooms, there weren't even enough towels in some rooms despite there being lots of beds.

The following morning, one of the room's toilets was leaking leaving a huge puddle on the floor. They looked at it and did nothing about it. No moving us to another room and no compensation for wet feet when going to the toilet. Just a shrug and walk away.

Now here's where it gets weird. About four of us were celebrating quietly on the Saturday night in a seaview room away from the rest of the guests (actually have no idea if there were other people staying there). At about 11pm, they checked in a single man into a room.

So many things about this place scream dodgy. They have wires without conduit on the outside under the gutters and they've painted them to try and blend in. They've got walls that appear to be falling apart. They've got nice areas though, but it's all a bit random and the other guests seemed to all stay up late...

I had a truly delightful stay at Marineland Motel in Westshore, Napier as everything came together beautifully for relaxing, comfortable accommodation with excellent service.

From the moment I arrived, I was struck by how warm and welcoming the staff were. They made check-in smooth and were full of helpful suggestions of nearby cafés, walks, and things to see. The location is fantastic, a stone’s throw from the beach, with nice sea views and easy access to restaurants and conveniences, yet peaceful enough that road noise wasn’t an issue.

My unit was an Executive Studio, spacious, sunny, and very well set-out. It had a huge king bed plus an additional pull-out couch, plenty of space for relaxation. The kitchenette facilities (microwave, stovetop, crockery) were more than adequate for light meals, which was a big bonus. Housekeeping kept everything spotless.

One of the highlights was the spa tub in the bathroom, perfect for unwinding after a full day of exploring Napier. And being so close to the water, I loved taking morning walks across the road by the beach. The “front” and “rear” entrances give you options depending on whether you want more of a harbour or sea-side atmosphere.

Overall, Marineland Motel delivered excellent value. It’s quiet, comfortable, beautifully positioned, and run by staff who genuinely care. I would happily stay here again and recommend it to anyone looking for a relaxing...