WildRedDeb

Ahoy, I have booked a 14-day tour to New Zealand and a couple of the hotels that we are staying in do not have stellar reviews. I have voiced my concern to the tour company and they replied they have not had any complaints. (They do this tour on a regular basis).

Has anyone had this happen? What do you advise?

Navy Deb

ElendilPickle

Which hotels are you concerned about? Maybe someone here has personal experience with them.

Would it be possible for you to arrange to stay in a different hotel for those nights?

I probably wouldn't worry too much about the room if it was only for one night, but that's just me.

Lee Ann

WildRedDeb

The hotels in question are the Rydges Queenstown (2 nights) and the Bay Plaza Hotel (1 night) in Wellington.

I have read the Rydges is undergoing renovation but have no idea it the bus tours will get a renovated room. If we don't I will see about an upgrade.

The Bay Plaza reviews on TripAdvisor are 1 or 2 stars out of 5 with poor quality furnishing, dirty, & dumpy being the major complaints.

My biggest concern is cleaniness and whether I will be able to sleep.

Navy Deb

vbca

The Rydges in Qtn is pretty flash. I was there for a MANZ conference (Motel Assn) a couple of years ago, and our room was beautiful. Admittedly we had an executive suite, and some of the delegates who had taken the standard room option, and been allocated rooms on the ground floors were not too happy, but overall I would say it's a good hotel. You will have no problem with cleanliness etc, the housekeeping standard in Queenstown is excellent.
The hotel is right on Lake Esplanade, so the lake is just across the road. I guess on a tour you wouldn't have a choice of room, but if you can luck one on the front it would be awsome

Sorry I can't help with the Bay Plaza.

wlzmatilida

Hi Deb,

As you're on a packaged tour, the hotels in question have been contracted and costed into the tour (group rates); and assuming that the tour price, itinerary, was attractive to you in the first place, the hotels are just part of the overall package.

I stayed in Rdyges last year and you can't beat the location; easy peasy walk into town. Was it the best hotel I've ever stayed at? Well, no, but it was fine, (and clean)and I was hardly in my room except to change clothes and sleep anyway.

Hope this is helpful!

Melodie
Certified Kiwi Specialist

ElendilPickle

We spent two nights at the Bay Plaza in Wellington in April 2004. Our room was clean and spacious; the bathroom was small and the shower felt a bit cramped, but it really wasn't an inconvenience. We had a wonderful harbor view from our room. Noise wasn't a problem either.

The hotel is in a great location about two blocks from Te Papa, 1 1/2 blocks from Courtenay Place, and right by Oriental Bay. It's very easy to walk around and see central Wellington.

I would stay there again.

Lee Ann

Abby43

I stayed at the Rydges Queenstown in August 03 and thought it was great. Very nice, good service, and the view from my room of the Remarkables was, well, remarkable. So much so that everyone tells me that a photo I took of the Remarkables from my hotel room looks like a postcard. Just beautiful!