Paihia Beach Resort & Spa

We arrived mid-evening after a long drive to find the hotel was closed and the reception was unmanned. This was surprising having booked and paid for our two night stay over three months in advance using Agoda. We called the hotel number on our booking and we eventually got an answer. The person we were speaking to clearly had no idea how to handle the call and was being guided by someone in the background whose voice we could clearly hear. They advised that the hotel was closed for the month of September and they had advised Agoda accordingly, a fact which Agoda later refuted. Initially the hotel staff/manager offered to help us find alternative accommodation and said they would call back, however we never received any such call and our attempts to call back were not answered. After our trip ended, we contacted Agoda to seek a refund and compensation, however Agoda claimed that the hotel disputed being closed at the time of our booking and was refusing to provide a refund. After some discussion, Agoda advised that the booking would be refunded in full, however no compensation was offered and no explanation was given. It is not clear to what extent the hotel or Agoda were responsible, however it clear that one of the parties was lying. What is certain is that the hotel did not assist us to find alternative accommodation as they had promised, which is the absolute minimum they should have done given the circumstances.

Wonderful 3 night stay. All rooms have fantastic views of the Bay and islands, each with a view deck, and has view terrace with hot tubs and pool, view restaurant with dinner best quality in the whole area, a friendly and helpful staff, just 10 minutes walk (2 minutes by car) to the Paihai wharf, shops and ferries to historic Russell and stunning islands scenery, walks and water activities, and just 5 minute drive to the Māori Treaty grounds. (The few reviews mentioning some areas need updates are looking for a missing tile in an otherwise gorgeous ceiling … ignore them and appreciate the overall good value and many great pluses). Highly recommended, and we rarely take the time to rate hotels.

After a month travelling throughout both islands of NZ, we booked 3 days at Paihia Beach Resort, as a bit of an indulgence to relax and refresh. On arrival, we missed the entrance to the resort due to cyclone fencing which made it look like a building site. We got the impression that the Reception staff appeared to be fixated on their computer screens, and arriving guests were an irritating intrusion. Any queries we made about local places were never addressed satisfactorily. Our room on the first floor was great, with a kitchen and balcony overlooking the pool and the beach. The second day, our room had been given a quick, barely noticeable service, and I had to chase up Housekeeping for milk, as it hadn't been replenished. On checking out, again, the Reception staff member looked up, took our keys, and went back to her computer screen. Nothing like, 'Did you enjoy your stay?', or 'Where are you heading now'. Again, we felt like an unwelcome intrusion into her morning. We stayed in many places throughout NZ, most of which have sent follow up emails to see how we enjoyed our stay. Nothing has been sent from Paihia Beach Resort to follow up on our stay, which is testimony to their indifference to guests. For the cost of the stay, we were expecting a better experience.

We stayed for five nights at the end of February. We had a room on the third floor which was spacious and spotlessly clean and overlooking the pool and the sea. The pool was heated so warm enough to bask in. The staff were friendly and helpful. We parked out at the side of the hotel which was easy and convenient. A great short break

Such a disappointing hotel. If you read the reviews and exclude the fabulous spa and those relating to food, you will see many people are saying the same thing!! The place urgently needs refurbishment. There is no manager... that we could find... staff are fed up, cutting corners and uninterested in service, or more importantly, in basic cleanliness. It is more a 2 star but NOT by any stretch of the imagination a 5 star hotel. The only 5 star bit is the price. We were paying 369 a night (NZ) without breakfast, it felt a rip-off. As the owners have clearly lost interest in the place and now seem to be after extracting cash. They have sold off the carpark, so it very hard to drive in to the site. The reception staff leave their door open so you can not drive through without getting out of the car to shut their door. Then you discover there is no parking in the garage as the staff are parked there, including the disabled bay! You have to block the road past the hotel to unload, no one comes to help. Then you have to find a car space back on the road to park in. The first impression of reception and the entrance to the hotel, says it all....dirty and uncared for. The rooms though spacious, are not sound insulated, so you can hear the people above you walking on the wooden floor. You can also hear the next door neighbours. The rooms are dirty, the aircon did not work, the toilet did not flush properly, the floor was dirty, and cobwebs with spiders were everywhere. The crockery was also dirty. The bathroom desperately needs a refurb and the tiles are dirty and mouldy. The tables, chairs and units are damaged, stained and marked. The outside pool furniture is dirty and has no cushions. The pool itself is shabby and dirty. The sun shades are covered in mould. The pool does not get cleaned until mid day...if you are lucky. I had to find the pool net and clean it myself two days running...all this and pay 369 a night! The food offered is breakfast and dinner and it looks ok and tastes ok but the kitchen is dirty and the chef has what looks like a car cleaning cloth attached to his waste! The maintenance man has not be around to blow the surfaces for 3 days so there is plant debris on the stairs which is particularly dangerous as this is the fire exit route. The fire exit doors on all 3 floors are left propped open and are used for access by the cleaners and the visitors but tgey are not shut at night which is scary. There is a discarded animal bone on the grille on the stairs, which has been there for 4 days now. The only silver lining is the fantastic spa where Demelza and Amitty keep everything spotless and offer true relaxation at the hands of talented therapists. The view is nice and the position near the beach is also pleasant but the road is busy and runs beside the hotel. To conclude, this hotel needs serious investment and some real cleaning as well as owners and staff who care and understand real " service".