This is one of the best motels we have stayed at in a long time. Staff were friendly, and the place was spotless and smelled lovely. The pillows, linen, and beds were so comfortable and high quality. It was quiet. The shower was like a massage, and the products provided were nice. There's a sea and mountain view from upstairs apartments. We were all impressed.

Nothing. The only thing that would elevate this property even more is robes and slippers.

I loved everything about this place, but especially the people! The manager (or owner) helped me out one day (I am still so thankful for that!) and the staff really went out of their way to make me feel welcome. I will definitely remember the lovely chat I had with the girl by checkout. Thank you for making my stay so pleasant in Kaikoura! (About the room: big, super clean, nice view from the balcony, feels homey.)

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I received a warm welcome with all the info prior to arriving. I was allowed to check-in an hour earlier and checkout an hour later, this was much appreciated. My request for an upper floor with good mountain views was accommodated. The staff were friendly and accomodating. The unit was clean, well equipped and warm (heater in bathroom, heat pump, electric blankets). Perfect location, shops, liquor stores and some restaurants to the left and the town centre to the right - all within 5-10 mins walking distance.

Nothing, everything was perfect.

The motel is located in proximity to the local centre - walking distance to a number of cafes and restaurants. The room was sizeable and had plenty of room for 2 people with luggage to move around and relax comfortably - the private patio with a view towards the mountain ranges was stunning! The room and bathroom were impeccably clean and there looked to be ample facilities for cooking, however for one night we didn’t utilise this. The staff were incredibly friendly and efficient and helpful with local suggestions.

This wasn’t overly problematic for us, but worth noting the motel is on the main road/highway with a large number of trucks driving past at all hours could bother light sleepers, however the motel provides ear plugs in the rooms which I thought was a lovely touch (and would probably be helpful if you had a snoring partner too :)

Spa bath was a nice bonus. Location was great for the whale boat tours. Easy to park. Beds comfy and nice to have a TV with Netflix in the room. A good sized place and very quiet so we slept well. Easy to check in and check out. Nice places to eat very close. Nice to have the seating area outside in the sun with the lovely views. The place had everything we needed.

The lock on the door may need checking as it was a little difficult to unlock and lock. There was also an odour of fish in the kitchen, though there are signs asking guests not to cook odorous food. Not the staff's fault, but the room could maybe benefit from some diffusers.

Our two bedroom apartment (#10) was clean and spacious. Although it was just two of us, it was nice having the second bedroom for our luggage. It gave us much more space in our bedroom. Kitchenette had everything we needed to make simple meals (pasta, sandwiches, etc). We appreciated being on an upper floor. I think it gave us more privacy and we had a nice view from our patio. Very quiet. No road noise. No noise from other rooms. Hotel staff were friendly and professional.

The sitting area furniture wasn’t very comfortable. It would have been nice if the kitchen had a fry pan. It’s a bit of a walk to the downtown area where most of the shops and restaurants are.

After travelling around NZ for the last 2 weeks this was easily the best Motel I have stayed in. The receptionist asked if I was interested in any particular activities and then advised me of the best place to book. My room was very spacious and exactly as portrayed in the photos. The Spa bath in particular was heaven sent. I had an issue with the refrigerator and reported and reported it to reception. They said they would send someone down. When I walked back to my room and turned to close the door the guy was already there. He identified the issue and rectified it in minutes. The attention to detail was very appreciated with small branded “Mondello” items everywhere. Even the spare toilet roll holder brought a smile to my face. I spoke to the owner and they only took over the motel 8 months ago and It is evident they are very customer focused. You may find (slightly) cheaper motels in the area but for value for money The Mondello would be hard to beat. I may sound like an Ad but I’m a genuine paying customer and was very pleased with my experience while staying at The Mondello.

Absolutely nothing to complain about.

Easy to find, central location close to everything Clean and comfortable Modern decor and furnishings Friendly host Netflix

The picture of our room showed and listed an oven but when we got there it didn’t have an oven. Evidently the 2 bed suites on ground floor don’t have ovens, but the ones on the first floor do have ovens. So if this is important to you then check or insist on a room with an oven. The owner offered to move us the following day and offered to bring an airfryer for us to use.

We were a bit disappointed with the busy location, but it was quiet. The room was on the ground floor and perhaps I had made a mistake but it was a room designed for people with a disability. Having worked as a cleaner for a quadriplegic decades ago I think this bathroom was a bit too small. I could not see how they could easily access the sink or the toilet. For our use the bathroom was not too pleasing to the eye, and maybe it should be pleasing for all users.

The premises owner clearly has catered well to the mindset of the unit users in terms of the convenient access to power points on either side of the main room bed, comfortable bedding, electrical warm blanket, and warm light bulbs in the bathroom fitted with a jacuzzi. The kleenex dispenser is cute, matching the famous theme of Kalkoura as a whale watching town.

Nothing much, except the fact that the unit is small and the living room is cluttered with furniture placed by the sink and pantry.