While searching for a hotel / motel in New Zealand in the city of Rotorua, we came across the Best Western Braeside Rotorua. A charming hotel of the group Best Western, with all the necessary amenities. Here are the details.
The place is popular. The city of Rotorua is known for its geothermal areas with its Geyser springs and fumaroles as well as many activities in the area. Hotels and motels are therefore very popular and this quickly.
Our night cost 16,000 Best Western Rewards points when the public rate was NZD 240. Great use of Best Western Rewards points!
Especially when these points were obtained for free with the Credit card MastercardMD Best Western RewardsMD!
Upon check-in, we will receive a warm welcome and explanations about the different services offered by the hotel. We learn that we have been upgraded thanks to our Diamond status.
Specifically, the hotel Best Western Braeside Rotorua is located 10 minutes from the center city. If you are by car, free parking is available. On foot? You can reach the hotel by bus, the stop is nearby.
Also note that the hotel is located outside the areas affected by sulphur fumes. This is a significant point, especially with children, as the smell can be very catchy and unpleasant.
As I said, the area is bustling with activity. Tourists are here in droves, so book when you can. We were fortunate, if I may say so, to be there when New Zealand was closed to Chinese tourists – normally very numerous – in February.
Still, it wasn’t always easy to find a place in restaurants!
The city of Rotorua is like its neighbour Taupo, with a lake of the same name and the most important geothermal activity in New Zealand. Many will go for a swim in the hot springs or to the geothermal parks in the region. We will choose to go to the geothermal site for our part. de Wai-O-Tapu, located halfway between Taupo and Rotorua ($30 per adult)
The city of Rotorua is nice. Its main attractions:
It is also possible to take a walk along the lake.
The other popular attraction in the area was the tree walk, at Redwoods Treewalk. The highlight of the show being the evening with the illuminated lanterns. The ticket costs 30$ per adult and the tour is usually done in 45 min.
Several farms are also present in the area such as The Farm Tour, which we will visit for 43$ per adult instead of 48$ (10% online discount). The children had the opportunity to meet pigs, llamas, ostriches, hinds and were happy to feed and pet sheep, alpacas, goats, cows.
It is possible to get there on foot from the Best Western Braeside Rotorua as it is very close, however a large parking lot is available. Call for reservation.
Finally, various hikes allow you to appreciate the Blue Lakes and Green Lakes.
In addition, the town advertises a lot for the following activities: the Skyline Rides adventure park, the Agrodome farm and the Mountain Action park. There’s plenty to do!
We parked our car in front of our room, which is pretty convenient. Access is from the parking lot. A real motel!
While our reservation at the Best Western Braeside Rotorua included only 2 Queen beds, our upgrade allowed us to have two closed rooms including a suite with kitchen and a lounge.
The whole is sober, the materials are of inferior quality to what we are sometimes used to in Marriott hotels. Let’s take a look at “owner”:
The span class=”term” data-original-term=”c2Fsb24=”>salon was narrow. The dining room was restricted to 3 chairs and a table against the wall. Colours in shades of beige.
We had two bedrooms, allowing us to have a bit of tranquility (privacy) and to be able to leave the children without us also having to be in the dark when they sleep.
The children’s bedroom was a nice size with 2 single beds and access to a bathroom, very suitable.
The closet included extra blankets and pillows.
Our room was just as big and comfortable.
This is the first bathroom, the children’s bathroom with shower:
The second bathroom was a little more partitioned (one door for the toilet, one for the shower) but both satisfied us perfectly, the finishes being neat and clean.
The kitchen was well equipped with a large fridge, coffee maker, cooking accessories, which was very much appreciated.
Our room was also equipped with a kitchenette area with coffee and tea making facilities.
The lounge and the dining room would have benefited from being a little wider. We lacked space at the end of the day to work and eat. The other spaces were perfect for us and were comfortable.
Finally we had a terrace at the back if we wanted to enjoy the outdoors without the neighbours. And with a hot tub!
The hotel Best Western Braeside Rotorua has a restaurant room “The Brook Bar and Bistro”. We did not have the opportunity to taste the hotel’s cuisine, since we ate in the morning in the room and in the evening outside. On the other hand, the reviews are very good from what we have been able to read or hear.
A nice surprise to discover these games at the entrance of the hotel. Alexandra and Arthur loved spending time there. Alexandra was able to train on the trampoline and Arthur enjoyed the swing.
The entrance is from the parking lot through a gate. In addition to the swimming pool, there was also an outdoor and indoor jacuzzi, but the water was not hot.
The facilities were clean, with tidy tables making the space convithroughl. The children will take the opportunity to have fun with other slightly older children. Also, a barbecue was available for those who wished to do so.
The only drawback, I would say, is that the pool overlooks the parking lot. So you have to be careful with children and cars, even if there are not many of them.
In addition to the games at the entrance of the hotel, there was another section including a miniature golf course (clubs to be asked at the reception) and an internal games room (under renovation during our visit) which was left a little abandoned in my opinion. But the rest of the facilities were more than enough to keep the family happy, so it wasn’t that much of a problem.
Finally located in front of the swimming pool, a laundry room was open to all with washer and dryer.
As you can see, the Best Western Braeside Rotorua is a very good choice if you are passing through the city of Rotorua. The only defect might be the location for some, since it is out of town (10 min). To conclude, it was perfect for us: we were in a quiet, clean, comfortable motel with a pool and games for the kids!
Accessible between 16,000 and 20,000 points, it’s a bargain in my eyes, especially if you got these points for free with the Credit card MastercardMD Best Western RewardsMD.
Savings are here (if you don’t see the sign-up form, please click here):
