Mountain Chalet Motels, Twizel — Hotel in South Island

Having stayed at Mountain Chalet Motels in Twizel several times over the years, including just last June (2025), I keep coming back for its dependable value and unique vibe. This place has a real sense of community about it – the individual chalets are clustered together almost like a little village, which feels quite different from a standard motel block.||Location-wise, it’s relatively close to the town centre, though honestly, everything in Twizel is pretty accessible given its compact size. The rooms themselves are definitely showing their age and feel a bit dated now. But here’s the main draw: they offer seriously good value, especially when you compare them to the significant price hikes seen at many other places in the region since COVID and the general tourist boom of the last decade or so.||Having your own little standalone chalet building gives you a nice sense of privacy you don't always get elsewhere. Don’t expect luxury, but do expect practicality. You’ll nearly always see plenty of four-wheel drives parked around – it’s a favourite spot for service workers and adventure enthusiasts heading out to explore the surrounding mountains and lakes, which adds to its down-to-earth character.||A real money-saver is the little kitchenette in each chalet. It’s basic, but it works perfectly well if you don’t mind whipping up your own meals, saving you from eating out for every breakfast or dinner. If you’re looking for modern bells and whistles, this isn’t it. But if you want a clean, comfortable, affordable base in Twizel with a bit of privacy and a community feel, Mountain Chalet Motels delivers reliably. It’s like staying in a familiar, slightly...

Having stayed at Mountain Chalet Motels in Twizel several times over the years, including just last June (2025), I keep coming back for its dependable value and unique vibe. This place has a real sense of community about it – the individual chalets are clustered together almost like a little village, which feels quite different from a standard motel block.

Location-wise, it’s relatively close to the town centre, though honestly, everything in Twizel is pretty accessible given its compact size. The rooms themselves are definitely showing their age and feel a bit dated now. But here’s the main draw: they offer seriously good value, especially when you compare them to the significant price hikes seen at many other places in the region since COVID and the general tourist boom of the last decade or so.

Having your own little standalone chalet building gives you a nice sense of privacy you don't always get elsewhere. Don’t expect luxury, but do expect practicality. You’ll nearly always see plenty of four-wheel drives parked around – it’s a favourite spot for service workers and adventure enthusiasts heading out to explore the surrounding mountains and lakes, which adds to its down-to-earth character.

A real money-saver is the little kitchenette in each chalet. It’s basic, but it works perfectly well if you don’t mind whipping up your own meals, saving you from eating out for every breakfast or dinner. If you’re looking for modern bells and whistles, this isn’t it. But if you want a clean, comfortable, affordable base in Twizel with a bit of privacy and a community feel, Mountain Chalet Motels delivers reliably. It’s like staying in a familiar, slightly...

Based on the reviews I was a little concerned as there are just as many TERRIBLE reviews as there are great ones, but it was actually a lovely little place to stay. The WiFi worked fine, the utensils, plates and kettle were clean, though the kettle itself is definitely aged it works well, the TV worked fine though with limited channels, I didn't see any mold at all and the soap dispensers had plenty of soap. They clearly have taken note of the complaints from other reviews and worked to fix the issues. The bed was a little more firm than I'd like, but comfortable and clean, and with the relatively low price definitely better than I'd expected. My only complaint would be the four suspicious hairs in the bathroom drawers but the place was very clean other than those. I would definitely stay here again, it's small but warm and our cabin had a wonderful view of the mountains from the kitchen window. Though it's close to the road it was very quiet and peaceful, I couldn't hear traffic at all, the cabin next to ours also had people staying in it and we couldn't hear any noise from there either which was a nice surprise . Given the cabins aren't connected at all and sound didn't travel between them, it would be a lovely place for a romantic getaway. I would definitely recommend giving this place a chance, it's inexpensive, comfortable...