Is parking available at the property?

Parking is available on-site, but guests must contact the property in advance to reserve it. The parking is limited.

What type of breakfast is offered and what are the serving hours?

A full breakfast is available daily from 8:00 AM to 9:00 AM for a fee of approximately NZD 31 per person.

Are pets allowed at the property?

Pets are allowed in specific rooms only, with a fee of NZD 40 per pet, per stay. Service animals are exempt from fees.

What are the standard check-in and check-out times?

Check-in is from 2:00 PM until 9:00 PM, and check-out is by 10:00 AM. Late check-in is available for a fee if arriving between 9:00 PM and 11:00 PM, and late check-out is available for NZD 60, subject to availability.

Is there an airport shuttle service available?

A complimentary roundtrip airport shuttle service is available 24 hours. Guests must contact the property with their arrival details to arrange the transfer.

What accessibility features does the property offer?

The property features step-free entrances and wheelchair-accessible facilities in public areas. Specific details regarding room accessibility are not provided.

Where is the property located in relation to key landmarks?

The property is located in Oamaru North, within a 5-minute drive of Whitestone Cheese Factory and North Otago Museum. It is approximately 1.4 miles from National Bank and Oamaru Hospital.

What are the policies for guests staying with children?

Children are allowed at the property, and there is no minimum age for children to stay for free.

What are the policies regarding extra beds and cribs?

Cribs are available for a fee of NZD 30 per stay, and rollaway beds can be provided for NZD 60 per night. Advance request or confirmation is required for both.

Oamaru Motor Lodge

What guests think

Oamaru Motor Lodge draws consistent praise for clean, comfortable, and spacious rooms, friendly staff, and practical in-room amenities, making it a convenient stop for short stays and road trips near Oamaru’s sights, eateries, and the Blue Penguin Colony.

On-site parking and pet-friendly options are appreciated, and some rooms include spa baths. Reported downsides include intermittent traffic or neighbor noise, a few worn or dated fittings, occasional hot-water shortages, and inconsistent housekeeping; some guests also experienced service issues such as late-checkout inflexibility, an unresolved unlocked door, or a booking mishandled. A straightforward, no-fuss stop for short stays.

Facilities

Cleanliness

Rooms

Service

Location

Dining

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Facilities

Useful in-room amenities such as kitchenettes or full kitchens and strong showers, on-site parking, pet-friendly rooms, and some spa baths; downsides include occasionally limited parking and issues with the guest laundry or its policies.

Related guest reviews

4

Tiong Pern

Dec 16, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Poor condition. Shower head was mouldy. There were food crumps beneath the sofa cushion. Staff was not flexible when it comes to the laundry service either. I only had a small load to dry (as I had earlier washed them elsewhere). As such I requested to only use the dryer. But I was told I have to pay for the full load for washer & dryer. This is ridiculous. In the end I drove out to use the dryer from a laundromat 2 mins away. Not a recommended motel.

10

Sherry

Oct 24, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

The property was great except for the parking. Not enough. We had to park at the opposite end to where our room was when we came back last night. No where to park. Only downside. Everything else was pretty good.

10

Tamara

Feb 23, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Could have our pet with us. No problems at all. Really nice room with a spa in great working order. Great shower pressure. Very clean rooms.

8

Ian

Jan 31, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Great place to stay for a overnight stay. They also provide extra cooking facilities if you ask for them at reception

8

Wendy

Nov 5, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

Would be nice if there was was 2 washers & 2 dryers. It was busy the whole time we were there.

10

m

May 25, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Excellent condition very clean everything looked new Heater was helpful Took a while to check in as unattended for 15 mins .not a major issue Spa plug control loose wires showing worried i would get electrcuted if i turned on spa Lovely stay Great effort to make the place clean and looking nice Toiltries and mints provided nice touch

10

Robert

Oct 19, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

Fully equipped kitchen, nice furniture. Clean and spacious.

10

Julia

Sep 3, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Liked all amenities and comfort. Great for a one night visit with pet dog. The yard is rather sterile , some flowers in pots would improve the setting. Will definitely stay again.

10

Celina

Mar 19, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Great clean and spacious Onsite parking

6

Sandra

Nov 5, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Inside rooms were very worn out. Motel needs to be upgraded. Laundry room was dirty

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Cleanliness

Many guests found rooms and grounds very clean and well maintained. A minority reported musty odors, stained bedding, mould in showers, or missed spots.

Related guest reviews

8

DP

Jan 26, 2026

·

Stayed 2 nights

Convenient to town and large clean quarters.

4

Tiong Pern

Dec 16, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Poor condition. Shower head was mouldy. There were food crumps beneath the sofa cushion. Staff was not flexible when it comes to the laundry service either. I only had a small load to dry (as I had earlier washed them elsewhere). As such I requested to only use the dryer. But I was told I have to pay for the full load for washer & dryer. This is ridiculous. In the end I drove out to use the dryer from a laundromat 2 mins away. Not a recommended motel.

6

Sonya

May 31, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Booked this based on other reviews which really are surprising given the state of the room we had. It was not cleaned very well and quality was average at best. Was very musty smelling. Floor had stains and dirt. Kitchen was superficially clean but not what I’d consider acceptable. Wouldn’t stay again. Also we forgot a couple of items and returned 1.5 hours later to be told they had been thrown away. Not sure I believe that. Disappointing.

4

David

Apr 4, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Friendly staff and good stopover location. Room was terrible. Stains on quilt cover, pillow smelt like old sweat, bathroom smelt like bad body odour and to top it of found long black hairs in the bed. I felt dirty just being in the room. There was no time to complain etc as we were leaving early next day so would have been pointless.

10

Cong

Dec 10, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Clean property with experienced onsite manager. Good location!

6

Donna

Jan 18, 2026

·

Stayed 1 night

The motel is a bit run down and could be cleaner.

10

Belinda

Oct 14, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Lovely and clean, everything we needed

10

Jackie

Aug 16, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Excellent motel and fantastic view. Very clean and an enjoyable stay. Definitely recommend

10

Kath

Sep 25, 2023

·

Super clean, nice and quiet. Staff friendly and helpful. Would definitely stay again. 30min walk into town centre.

10

Barbara

Mar 22, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Spacious clean and comfortable room Perfect for our one night stay

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Rooms

Rooms are generally spacious, comfortable, and quiet with features like double glazing and blackout curtains, though some face road or neighbor noise, aging furnishings, variable mattress comfort, and occasional hot-water shortages.

Related guest reviews

10

Stephen

Jul 11, 2023

·

Stayed 2 nights

An excellent stay at this motor lodge and all the amenities you could ask for. Modern and clean and great location and good black out curtains, double glazing and parking. If i was to be critical the beds are very cheap, I would struggle staying too long but fine for a night or too. I would also love soap, shampoo etc not the all in one liquid supplied. But thats being picky, it was a great stay and I would come back.

8

Annette

Mar 14, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

Really lovely property and appreciated the upgrade. Only down side was i still needed earplugs for the traffic noise even with double glazing

8

Glenda

Apr 22, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

Great stay, although we ran out of hot water for showers.

10

Naomi Elisabeth

Nov 15, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Very convenient location to the Blue penguin colony (just a short drive away). Hotel room was quiet despite very busy (by New Zealand standards) street out front. Clean, good sized rooms

8

Jen

Apr 10, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Loved the big bath! Bed was super comfy!

6

Debbie

Jan 1, 2024

·

Stayed 4 nights

The only comment that is negative, not comfortable beds. Otherwise all good.

8

Allison

Oct 13, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

First of all we are a family of 5 on a road trip around the South Island. Check into the 2 bedroom suite was quick and staff polite. On first inspection the rooms were clean, well appointed and all cooking needs available. The beds were soft to medium, perfect for me. One problem during the 5th shower we ran out of hot water. Maybe our fault but after freezing at the penguin show we all looked forward to a hot shower. This is the only reason I didn’t give the room a 5 ⭐️ rating. Again this shouldn’t deter anyone from booking here as the room was overall great.

6

Smruti

Mar 14, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

The place was too noisy as it is right on the main road.

6

Suzanne

Jun 28, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

The bed needed replacing. Everything else was awesome

6

Gavin

Jul 31, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Noisey people upstairs and outside Could hear every noise people make

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Service

Staff are widely described as friendly, helpful, and efficient, with smooth check-ins and thoughtful touches for late arrivals. Some noted inflexibility (late checkout, laundry), an unresolved unlocked door, and one case of a booking being changed day-of.

Related guest reviews

8

Janet

Jan 3, 2026

·

Stayed 2 nights

Easy, friendly check-in. Room clean, well supplied and quiet.

10

Alex

Nov 25, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Nice clean rooms with great facilities. Check in staff were friendly too

10

Kathy

Nov 13, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Perfect for a 1 night stay in Oamaru, passing through on the way to Dunedin and to see the Little Blue Penguins. Upon checkin the young man working at reception was polite and helpful. The room and other facilities were meticulously clean, well equipped, dry and warm.

10

Chloe

Jan 29, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

We had the best service from the team at the Oamaru Motor Lodge. We were coming back from a concert in Dunedin and didn't make it to the accommodation until half past midnight. We had told them this in advance and they had left the room door open for us with the keys inside, with a little note on the table with the wifi password and some kind words. The place is lovely and comfortable, we would definitely come back!

10

Angelina

Feb 19, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Room was large and facility's good. Staff friendly and helpful. Local dairy and takeaway close by. Enjoyed our stay

8

Kathrin

Jan 24, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Unser Zimmer war sehr schön und vor allem sehr sauber. Trotz der Lage an der sehr belebten Hauptstraße war es ruhig im Zimmer und man konnte wunderbar schlafen. Wir hatten uns wegen eines späteren Check-Outs erkundigt, allerdings wurde uns mitgeteilt, dass der späteste Check-Out um 10 Uhr ist. Wir können nachvollziehen, dass ein späterer Check-Out nicht immer möglich ist. Es jedoch grundsätzlich abzulehnen empfinden wir als nicht sehr gastfreundlich.

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2

Jenni

Jan 13, 2023

·

Stayed 19,370 nights

Terrible management. Never book with this motel. On the day that we were to check in at approx 11am, receive a call from the hotel saying that due to the previous family wanting to atay another night that they did not have our room available anymore. They could split us but our 5 year old would need to sleep in another room with her brothers. Otherwise we could have a family room at the motel across the road that got terrible reviews on Expedia had no other choice but to take it as no other choice. The new hotel was old and run down, they still charged the same amount for a poorer room. Damaged doors, the toilet roll holder was ripped from the wall. The hotel had said it was exactly the same quality, which was either a lie or the photos are not a true representation. I would never recommend this hotel

8

Nada

Jan 3, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

We stayed for one night after finishing the Alps2Ocean cycle trail. The motel is new, nice and clean. I was disappointed by the service. When I booked this motel, the booking came up with guaranteed 2hr late check out for a Golden Hotels.com member. This was one of the reasons why I booked this motel as I knew we will be tired after long bike ride. In any case I was told that we are not able to check out later as it was public holidays and the owners would have to pay the cleaners more...

8

Julie

Oct 14, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

No breakfast. Returned in the evening and found room door open and unlocked. Spoke to manager in the morning but still unresolved.

10

Christine

Aug 26, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Absolutely loved our stay! Awesome service, very clean. Owner helped me pump up my tire the next morning. Will be back to stay.

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Location

Convenient for drivers on the main road, with eateries and shops nearby and a short drive to the Blue Penguin Colony and town center; walking to town can be lengthy and some traffic noise is possible.

Related guest reviews

8

DP

Jan 26, 2026

·

Stayed 2 nights

Convenient to town and large clean quarters.

10

Lynette

Mar 14, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

Nice spacious room, easy check-in. A bit of road noise but not unexpected being on the main road.

10

Ernest

Apr 11, 2023

·

Stayed 2 nights

The property is exceptionally clean and tidy. Close to the old town of Oamaru and various restaurants and cafes.

8

Janine

Jan 8, 2023

·

Stayed 19,360 nights

Comfortable motel, clean and good facilities. Location is good if you have a car otherwise it would be quiet a long walk to the town centre.

10

Ian

Nov 7, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Great for us staying one night in transit. A little out of town so walking into town is not an option, but otherwise a great place to stay.

10

Dawn

Jul 11, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Nice decor, clean and new. The kitchenette was nice. Will need to have a car or Uber to see attractions. The clerk gave a great recommendation for dinner and hints on wear to look for penguins.

10

David

Jun 8, 2023

·

A gem along Highway 1 - very friendly desk agent, room was exceptionally clean, comfortable and cozy on a surprisingly cold night. Easy walk to grocery store, several restaurants and a gas station.

10

ian

Nov 20, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Very nice modern apartment good location too for visiting the penguins in the evening

10

Kath

Sep 25, 2023

·

Super clean, nice and quiet. Staff friendly and helpful. Would definitely stay again. 30min walk into town centre.

6

Smruti

Mar 14, 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

The place was too noisy as it is right on the main road.

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Dining

No on-site breakfast is offered (continental service has ended), but there are many dining options nearby and staff provide helpful restaurant tips; self-catering is also supported.

Related guest reviews

8

Larry

Feb 1, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

Staff was very helpful. We were informed about penguin tours and local restaurants.

8

Jenny

Jul 4, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Conveniently located with many dining options around. Room size is what you would expect of a motel, however, it's very clean.

10

Ernest

Apr 11, 2023

·

Stayed 2 nights

The property is exceptionally clean and tidy. Close to the old town of Oamaru and various restaurants and cafes.

10

Graham

Mar 14, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Great place to stay, plenty of room (nb takes dogs) but no longer provides continental breakfast therefore need to amend the description.

8

Ian

Jan 31, 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Great place to stay for a overnight stay. They also provide extra cooking facilities if you ask for them at reception

8

Scott

May 15, 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Very comfortable, no fresh milk.

10

Dawn

Jul 11, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Nice decor, clean and new. The kitchenette was nice. Will need to have a car or Uber to see attractions. The clerk gave a great recommendation for dinner and hints on wear to look for penguins.

10

Murray

Aug 6, 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

The extra information about eateries in the condominium was appreciated, its often hard to make a choice based on a menu alone. Info regarding proximity to, and reviews of them was a bonus

10

David

Jun 8, 2023

·

A gem along Highway 1 - very friendly desk agent, room was exceptionally clean, comfortable and cozy on a surprisingly cold night. Easy walk to grocery store, several restaurants and a gas station.

8

Julie

Oct 14, 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

No breakfast. Returned in the evening and found room door open and unlocked. Spoke to manager in the morning but still unresolved.

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Su	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa
1	2	3 $104	4 $147	5 $103	6 $141	7 $104
8 $153	9 $96	10 $126	11 $109	12 $134	13 $108	14 $161
15 $122	16 $108	17 $125	18 $113	19 $103	20 $113	21 $116
22 $102	23 $111	24 $108	25 $138	26 $101	27 $126	28 $103
29 $97	30 $143

Su	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa
		1 $99	2 $96	3 $107	4 $97	5 $98
6 $110	7 $106	8 $110	9 $114	10	11 $128	12 $120
13 $110	14 $107	15 $106	16 $106	17 $104	18 $102	19 $91
20 $113	21 $110	22 $111	23 $107	24	25 $128	26 $127
27 $113	28 $112	29	30	31 $126

Oamaru Motor Lodge

About this property

Location

Room options

Superior Studio Suite

Studio Suite, Jetted Tub

Suite, 2 Bedrooms

Apartment, 2 Bedrooms

Studio Suite, 1 King Bed

Guest reviews of Oamaru Motor Lodge

Who stays here?

What guests think

Property Policies

Check-in instructions

Good to know

Optional extras

FAQs about Oamaru Motor Lodge

Prices for upcoming dates