Greetings,
Looking for an accomodation in Rotorua area. I keep reading about the smell at the hotels.
Is there a side of town, side of the lake, where the smell while in my hotel will be less. Also thinking of staying south of Rotorua maybe between there and Wai-O-Tapu. Your thoughts
Thank you, t

We stayed in Rotorua 2 nights, weren't bothered by the smell. Stayed at http://www.westminsterlodge.co.nz/ which was slightly away from town, up a hill. I would recommend it.

We stayed at the Lake Plaza, and weren't bothered by the sulphur smell.

Lee Ann

Why is it such an issue? You are in Rotorua. Only a night? Just put up with it.

Aren't you going there for the features that produce the smell? Or do you have another reason?

Greetings.
Thank you everyone. I will be there two nights. I have read many comments on various travel sights about the smell. I have never experienced it. With so many options of places to stay I thought perhaps I should be aware, and possibly choose not to be downwind.

Ouch...AfterAll...sounds hostile. Not an issue at all, apparently it is for some.
Just a curious traveler.

You can smell the sulfur from almost anywhere in Rotorura if the wind is blowing the right (wrong?) way.

There are geothermal vents all over town, so you can't really escape the smell. It's not bad, though, IMO.

Lee Ann

Having worked in Rotorua many years ago and been back as a tourist several times have found that initially the sulphur smell can be a bit powerful, but got used to it very quickly and from then on didn't notice it. Or maybe I just have a lousy sense of smell.

" Why is it such an issue? You are in Rotorua. Only a night? Just put up with it "
Really rang the bell and truly from what the follow up feedback has been!

I was just driving through one time without really enough time to stop and the smell was enough to make me think bloody hell, why bother for a few geysers and bubbling mud!
It is rather strong but if you have a cold or blocked noise, could burn it away! LOL

I've been to Rotorua at least half a dozen times. (I'm from NZ so I go quite often) The smell isn't that bad really. But that's just my opinion.

I drove up from Taupo to Rotorua. The smell was in the southern end of the town. It was a pretty bad smell. I would not choose a place on the southern half of Fenton St.

Came back a couple of months later and stayed at the Novotel by the lake. No smells.

I thought we had fun visiting there but I must be mistaken. We didn't suffer at all, so we couldn't have had a real authentic kiwi/rotorua experience staying in a decent hotel that had no smells.

We enjoyed a visit of three nights in Rotorua. We had a great time. We were aware of the sulfur smell but didn't find that it was particularly strong even though it was rainy at the time we were there.

We included a visit to the spa (baths) where it might have especially objectionable but we enjoyed it. We recommend the spa visit too. (If you get a private room you won't require any 'togs'.)