Rotorua Villas

I love this hotel. To be honest, I didn’t expect much when it comes to old and vintage hotel. But when I entered the hotel, I found the hotel is quite special and unique. Yes, it’s old and vintage but it is also well-maintained. For the room, I like it because it has big windows including bathroom and the sunshine can get through. For the location, I like it because it is so close to the central bus stop, Eatery Streets and Polynesian Spa. Because I don’t drive so location is very important to me. Like many other places in NZ, this hotel seems to be short staffed too. But the staff still did the best to serve. They are nice and friendly. I wish I could stay in the hotels for a few more couples and enjoyed the unique atmosphere there. I would stay again if ever I go to Rotorua.

Stayed here for 2 nights with my family including an infant. Room was pretty spacious. Staff was friendly. Unfortunately, there seems to be bed bugs or dust mites on the floor carpet as I got plenty of bites around my ankle. Went ahead to inform the front desk but I was told that there were absolutely no bed bugs in the hotel. Overall room is ok except for the cleanliness.

I stayed in the Sudima Lake Rotorua Hotel for three nights while attending a conference. The Sudima was selected as it was the cheapest of the four listed by the conference organisers. The accommodation and buffet breakfasts were standard and wouldn’t in themselves warrant a review, either positive or negative. What did warrant a review, however, was the check-in experience. This is the reason for the level-two rating. Having stayed at a range of accommodation – from higher end to backpacker - I cannot recall anything like it, either here in New Zealand or overseas. There was one person at the reception desk and only one other guest checking-in before me. That check-in took a seemingly interminable time, but that can happen for whatever reason. My check-in appeared normal, but thereafter the experience ‘went to custard’. Assigned a room on the third floor I duly went with my bag to the room. Arriving there the magnetic door card wouldn’t open the door. I then returned to the reception desk, explained the situation and was provided with a new set of door cards. I then proceeded back to the third floor and, yes, the door cards this time successfully opened the door. However, upon entering the room I was surprised to find evidence that someone else was using the room. Material around the room showed that this person was also a conference attendee. (Interestingly there was a half drunk bottle of whisky on a table, but alas it was a blend and not a single malt so there was no temptation to take a few swigs.) Using the room’s telephone, I called the reception number but there was no response. Anxious that the room’s inhabitant may return I returned once more to the reception desk to be provided with a new room and corresponding door cards. Another ascent to the third floor finally eventuated with valid room occupancy at the Sudima Lake Rotorua Hotel. The time lapse since first entering the hotel stretched to about 40 minutes.

The hotel has free geothermal hot springs, just next to Lake Rotorua, there are no living facilities around, but the town is beautiful.

Nice hotel good location easy to get to main land city too but also close to all the major activities and beaches Room clean and spacious comfortable bed good view of ocean Rooftop pool and bar with view over ocean and beaches Staff friendly but a little bit more knowledge would have helped! Asked if we could hire a couple of cycles but said they don’t have any asked if they knew where we could hire them and they didn’t know but as soon as we walked down to the main road we found some self renting cycles… also asked where you can smoke and was directed to go through other hotel and out where the 7/11 24/7 shop was and there’s smoking area in courtyard but when we went back to our hotel we found a smoking area on the rooftop not sure why they didn’t tell us this… Entrance to hotel a little hard to find as you access it via underground car park or via the other hotel Would stay here again though..

We really enjoyed our time here. The rooms aren't huge but they're well appointed and well decorated. The locations is excellent, we walked to breakfast, lunch and dinner most days. It's also just a few minutes from the lakefront. The staff was really friendly and they have a good wine selection inside. We would definitely stay here again.

Had 2 nights here to go to the very lovely collection of gardens for visiting during the 3 day Rotorua Festival of Gardens. Was attending the weekend solo so didnt want to pay too much so $50 a night for my own room was affordable and good value. Would have been worth spending a few more dollars to have had a room with an ensuite which are on the ground floor so also wouldnt have had to go up and down stairs to room on 1st floor and be half way down the corridor from the bathrooms. Just saw in the news yesterday that yha in nz is folding/closing all its hostels....a travesty to nz tourism and national and international travellers! Tragic news

The location is very good, there are many restaurants, cafes, shopping places within walking distance, and 10 minutes walk from the lake. The parking space needs to be booked in advance, and the parking space at the door is free from 4pm to 10am. The rooms are spacious and tidy, the kitchen facilities are complete, and the kitchen utensils are complete. The front desk service is very good, check-in and check-out is simple and fast.

The positives first: The hotel is not terrible. It was not our first choice, but we ended up booking here, as well as booking our friends we were meeting here and another couple joined us for one night and paid for a room. We alerted the manager and he put us all on the the same floor, with a lake view. The room was clean. A little tight on space, but this is not a negative. Staff were friendly. The negatives: NO HOT WATER!! We stayed for 4 nights. One person out of 6 had a hot shower, as he showered just after we arrived. That was the last hot shower. The water was progressively colder, each day. And it was the whole hotel. This was the topic of conversation with every other hotel guest we happened to meet in the lift. We complained, every day. At each stage, we were told they were... waiting for someone to turn up...the problem was fixed but because everyone kept using the water it could not warm up...the problem was not fixed, they were waiting for someone from somewhere else. I think they had no idea and I did feel sorry for the staff, but a hot shower is absolutely a basic requirement. At no stage was there a note slipped under the door to apologise and ask us to bear with them. It was incredibly frustrating. It seems petty after this to mention the bathrooms also need a bit of care and smell very mildewy, but if it were not for the hot water issue, this would have been my main complaint. The last thing to mention, it rained the whole time we were there and the Ibis has no lounge area. We ended up sitting in one of the rooms, as a group, having a natter, like high schoolers. This is more of a Rotorua problem, though, as Rotorua seemed to shut down early and there was no where to just chat, in the evenings. Ibis Rotorua is not somewhere we will stay again.

The motel is located in the city center and is convenient for travel. The boss was very enthusiastic and introduced a lot of useful information. Thank you again!