The owner of the hotel is very friendly and helpful. She solved problem positively, and she shared a lot of useful information with us, she even could share some of her own sesame oil and vinegar with us when she knows we were boiling dumplings. The weather was very bad when we stayed there, but the air conditioner and heaters in every room were very nice! The location is pretty good too. It’s very close to the railway station and whales watching as well as the town center.

Great location (close to whale watch and the centre of the town). Very comfortable bed, has everything you possible need. Special thanks for incredibly friendly and helpful stuff. I was arriving earlier than check-in and they provided me with the room earlier. Another generous thing: my tour for dolphins was cancelled due to weather conditions and I had to wait 7 hours. Guys provided me with a free room to stay during this 7 hour period. Incredible generosity and kindness✨♥️ Thank you!

Absolutely everything was great.

The rooms were immaculate, thoroughly cleaned, freshly painted with new fixtures and flooring. The rooms were bright with new lighting. The kitchenette and cooking facilities were excellent. The room faced the seaside and wasn't noisy even though the road was next to the buildings. The hospitality displayed by the hosts was very good. Having stayed in motels across New Zealand, A1 motel and apartments were the best and of very high standards.

Nothing at all.

We wanted accomodation in the lower price range and that is what we got. Unit was pretty basic but meet all our needs and handy to The Beach Cafe, our favourite Kaikoura cafe! Although right on main road, we were not disturbed by trucks rumbling past! Staff member we dealt with was excellent and our dog was welcome.

Only niggle was that we could not operate the TV. there were no instructions but our great staff person was only too happy to come and sori it out for us - more than once I might add.

I love everything about the stay, the check-in was fast and smooth with very responsive host. The room was spacious and spotless for the 2 of us with cooking facilities that we can cook our dinner. We were able to have a hot relaxing soak in the bathtub which was so welcoming. The location was great with walking distance to the whale watch, supermarket, shops and restaurant. We loved our stay here.

Great value for money walking distance away from whale watch departure, train station and restaurants. We even walked from the bus stop to the motel (15min). Host helped us to store six pieces of luggage before check-in and after check-out. She also agreed for us to check out slightly later after the completion of the whale watching tour, on condition that they can start changing bed linens. This was quite helpful as our bus departed much later in the day at 6pm. WiFi signal was always good.

Bathroom: the layout of the shower meant we had to fiddle with three doors in a small square to open / close optimally, while tackling a door block at foot height. The shower switch was quite high and the shower cabin is rather small. It was not possible for a child to reach the switch to shower independently and would have been a challenge to help a toddler to shower. To be fair, this may be specific to our room. Also this was our first motel stay and we were quite surprised with the 10:30 check-out time, but seems like the standard in New Zealand for motels. Also we could arrange a late checkout in exchange for the staff to change our bedsheets while we were away.

Easy to find and about as close as you could stay to Kaikoura township itself. I rang from Picton in the early evening to say we'd be three sometime after 9:00pm, and was assured that this was no problem at all as their office would be open until 10:00pm. This was great and check in was no problem at all. Although ride on the highway, the traffic noise wasn't too bad at all.

The shower was superhot, to the point where I almost had to have it on cold to avoid getting scalded, which did reduce the water pressure somewhat. Otherwise it was straightforward and no concerns.

I loved the location -- near everything but quiet! The facilities aren't fancy but very clean, and I loved having a space to work, hang out and eat that wasn't the bed! Good hot water, comfortable and clean bed. It does get a bit chilly but they supply an extra warm blanket! Also the staff were very relaxed and nice. Lovely experience, great value. Would definitely stay again!

I hope for the colder months they put in space heaters! Also beware light sleepers of thin walls.

room was ok size and had jug and TV etc. Bed was comfortable and room was close to shared bathroom (being renovated but was given a discount to make up for it). the heating was fantastic and there was also electric blanket though i didnt need it as the heater was fantastic.

showers/toilets are dated. not sure if that is part of the renovation going on?

There was plenty of space for all of us. The beds were comfy. Nice towels and a big bathroom. There was a lovely balcony to sit out on. The kitchen was well equipped. They even had electric blankets.

It was on the main road and a bit noisy for the person in the front. The second single bed needed a headboard. The curtains in the back bedroom didn’t quite close.