Is parking available at the property?

Yes, the property offers free onsite parking. However, parking is limited.

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

Breakfast is served as a continental meal between 7:15 and 8:15.

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

Check-in is from 14:00 until 21:00, and check-out is at 10:00. Early or late check-in/check-out may be available upon request.

What accessibility features are available for guests with disabilities?

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

Where is the property located in relation to key landmarks?

The property is located in Whanganui Central, near theme parks and a boardwalk/promenade. It is close to cultural highlights such as Whanganui Museum and Whanganui Riverboat Centre and Museum.

What are the policies for guests staying with children?

Children are allowed at the property, and kids can stay for free up to a certain age, though specific age details are not provided.

Riverside Motel

What guests think

At Riverside Motel, guests often praise the clean, spacious units with full kitchens and a convenient riverside location near town, while noting dated decor, some traffic noise, and occasional issues with pests, heating, or water pressure.

Service is frequently described as friendly and helpful, including smooth late arrivals and accommodating hosts. Pricing is considered good value for the size and amenities. Overall, expect roomy, self-catering motel units in a handy spot with old-school style.

Facilities

Cleanliness

Rooms

Service

Location

Dining

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Facilities

Guests mainly mention easy onsite parking. Little else about shared facilities is noted.

Related guest reviews

8

Ian

26 Nov 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

The owner was really good with communication in regards to our late night arrival. Parking was not a problem also. The place is as it says on the tin and reflective in the price. The bed was comfortable It wasn't noisy It was clean Thanks guys

10

Gary

24 Feb 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Great Staff A Clean Hotel and good parking

8

John

27 May 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

good parking ,quiet ,good location

8

Lee

22 Jan 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

We stayed in Room 9 which was spacious and comfortable and parking right outside our room. During the day the Somme Parade is busy, but it did quieten down so there was no trouble sleeping. Short drive / walk to city centre.

10

Greg

25 Mar 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

One bedroom units are spacious with everything you need. Old fashioned but practical could live in for a week or more. Good parking and can walk along river to restaurants and pubs.

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Cleanliness

Cleanliness is frequently praised, with many rooms described as clean or spotless. However, recurring reports note ants or bugs and occasional mould or musty smells in some units.

Related guest reviews

4

Melissa

25 Jul 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

It was a freezing day I had booked a check in time, no heaters had been put on to take the chill off the room,.the heater didn't work properly (it was not a basic heater and there were no instructions), I did eventually get an additional heater, to help try and warm the room. Not a single appliance was plugged in at the wall. When we woke the following morning the the kitchen sink and bench was covered in ants, the only thing that was in the sink over night was a coffee cup and 2 glasses (both rinsed). I was not impressed, I would not recommend and I won't stay again. The only saving grace was that the beds had electric blankets.

8

Ian

12 Feb 2026

·

Stayed 3 nights

Clean, comfortable room, friendly staff

4

Darren

26 Jul 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Our recent visit to the motel was a letdown. The room had significant issues with condensation leading to mildew & mouldy carpets near the window. We even spotted ants and white tail spider which was unsettling. The bathroom & toilet lacked proper ventilation , with no exhaust fan to remove moisture. The fan heater was noisy was noisy and did not compensate for the lack of airflow. The beds were 2 single mattresses pushed together , making the queen size bed uneven & uncomfortable. The room's facikirues are in dire need of upgrade & modernization. The amenities such as soap & shampoo were subpar with no proper dispensers. Given the state of the rooms, including threadbare carowts and mould, we would not recommend this motel to anyone. A thorough renovation is necessary to bring the rooms up to modern standards.

10

Emily

15 Jan 2026

·

Stayed 2 nights

The room was very clean, and we liked the wall of windows! We enjoyed waking up to see the sunrise right from our room. We would stay here again!

10

Elise

20 Nov 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

This was by far the best place we’ve stayed out of the 8ish places we’ve been to! The rooms are MASSIVE. They’re equiped with basically a full sized kitchen, couch, breakfast bar/dining table with four chairs. Full sized bathroom and separate toilet. It was impeccably clean and very little dust anywhere. The gentleman who checked us in was bright and cheery, and gave me extra milk 🌟. Cannot recommend this place highly enough! Well done Riverside!

8

Rosemary

30 Sept 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Convenient to town. Very clean

2

Bill

21 Nov 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

Bad smells

6

Natalie

7 Aug 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

The room was warm and the bed was comfortable. Kitchen was well stocked. We did have to kill a few rather large beetle bugs that were in the toilet and room. There was also ants. We only were there one night so we made due but it was a bit unsettling.

8

Tania

21 Jan 2026

·

Stayed 1 night

Clean room, quiet, spacious. The bed wasn’t the most comfortable though.

4

Felix

13 Feb 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

Motel ziemlich in die Jahre gekommen und leider absolut nicht sauber. Zimmer stickig und voller Spinnweben, Geschirr sowohl zum Kochen als auch zum Essen mussten wir vor Benutzung erstmal ordentlich reinigen. Ofen aus dem letzten Jahrtausend. Das Motel steht aktuell zum Verkauf, evtl. ein Grund für die Vernachlässigung.

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AI-generated summary based on recent guest reviews

Rooms

Units are spacious and well equipped with full kitchens and, in some, river views or high ceilings. Decor is dated, with some traffic noise and temperature control issues reported, plus mixed bed comfort.

Related guest reviews

8

Christine

1 Oct 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

The room was clean and the beds comfortable but the rooms need the decor updating.

10

Emily

15 Jan 2026

·

Stayed 2 nights

The room was very clean, and we liked the wall of windows! We enjoyed waking up to see the sunrise right from our room. We would stay here again!

10

Elise

20 Nov 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

This was by far the best place we’ve stayed out of the 8ish places we’ve been to! The rooms are MASSIVE. They’re equiped with basically a full sized kitchen, couch, breakfast bar/dining table with four chairs. Full sized bathroom and separate toilet. It was impeccably clean and very little dust anywhere. The gentleman who checked us in was bright and cheery, and gave me extra milk 🌟. Cannot recommend this place highly enough! Well done Riverside!

8

Sharon

9 Apr 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

The Riverside is a classic roadside motel which had everything we needed for our one night stay in Whanganui. Ours was a 2-bedroom and both bedrooms were spacious, as was the living area. The hotel is located within easy walk to the main street, along a nice riverside walkway. The hosts were friendly and the room exactly as described. There was a fridge, cutlery and cooking utensils plus stove and microwave if you wanted to be self-sufficient. Also appreciated the helpful information folder with the local sights and stories. Thank you!

6

Brent

18 Nov 2024

·

Stayed 3 nights

A bit lofi.. clean and tidy but it’s seen better days.. someone may describe it as quaint and retro, but to me it needs a good reno.. bed was NOT good, two old springy singles pushed together.

10

Helen

10 Mar 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Spacious and comfortable. Fitted our family of 5 teens and adults fine. Loved the high ceilings. Had everything we needed.

10

John

9 Mar 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Comfortable, spacious unit, quiet considering it is on a relatively busy road.

6

Michael

6 Jun 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

While the rooms are an excellent size and meticulously clean, the interiors and furnishings are aged or tired. Also as an observation, if staying in winter, the rooms take a while to warm up. This is due to the size of the room (not a bad thing) and the high ceiling with the exposed beams (also not a bad thing). Just be prepared to wait.

6

Justin

2 Oct 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

Bed was very firm Tv was very small and NO Sky Tv

6

Terry

13 Jun 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Arrived after 7pm to find all the windows still open and cold. The heater in the room is very small and took a whole to heat up the size of the 1 bedroom room.

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Service

Staff are consistently friendly, accommodating, and responsive, with smooth late check-ins and helpful communication. A few guests reported negative interactions.

Related guest reviews

10

Jen

9 Jan 2023

·

Stayed 19,366 nights

The owners of this property were extremely attentive and communicative. While the rooms are dated, they were clean and comfortable. Excellent value for money given the price we paid.

8

Ian

26 Nov 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

The owner was really good with communication in regards to our late night arrival. Parking was not a problem also. The place is as it says on the tin and reflective in the price. The bed was comfortable It wasn't noisy It was clean Thanks guys

8

Sally

27 Mar 2025

·

Stayed 2 nights

Comfortable stay, helpful and pleasant owners.

8

Lance

10 Jan 2023

·

Stayed 2 nights

Great stay, whether wasnt the best but Graham was happy for us to use the dryer after hours and even hand delivered once dry. Very helpful staff

10

Peter

18 May 2023

·

Stayed 2 nights

I had a wonderful time at the Riverside Motel. Graeme, the host, went above and beyond to make my stay a pleasant one and was always very kind and gracious. Thank you!

10

Margaret

19 Sept 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

The manager was very helpful and found a room for me despite the booking company's communication not coming through until 6 hours after I checked in (24 hours after booking).

10

Mirai

10 Sept 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

Reception was lovely and welcoming and even upgraded my room after confusion with my booking in the system. The room itself was great and had everything I needed! Perfect for a couple nights stay 🌸

10

Alicia

23 Oct 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Absolutely amazing staff!! We had a flight delay from Auckland and found ourselves arriving after the check-in desk closed. We contacted the motel and they were incredibly kind and efficient, getting us set up with our room still and saving a trip up the river the next morning that would otherwise have needed to be delayed or cancelled. Can’t say enough how great they were, and so kind the next morning too. Room was well outfitted and very comfortable, with everything we needed. Right next to a walking path on the river and maybe 10-15 minute walk from the main couple of blocks of town where restaurants and other shopping/mail/atms/etc are.

2

Victoria

6 Feb 2025

·

Stayed 6 nights

This place was dirty. There was no plug-ins to to charge items. The shower did not drain and the water pressure was none excited. It felt unsafe the only door was a sliding glass door. We stayed ine night instead of the 6 we booked. When letting the manager he yelled at me and said i was full of rubbish and to leave they didn’t want our kind there.i do not know how they have a almost 5 star rating. I wanted to pay for the night we stayed and be refunded the ithwr 5 nights. He told me i would have to do it through Expedia he took my booking paper. When i went to file the claim Expedia need information from that paper work. NOT BOOK THERE.

10

Victoria

23 Jan 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Easy late check in and friendly staff, thank you.

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Location

Set by the Whanganui River with a walkway across the road, and within walking distance or a short drive to the town centre and dining. Some units experience traffic noise from the busy road.

Related guest reviews

8

Ermin

8 Jan 2026

·

Stayed 1 night

The area was great and quite nice walkingbtrack besides the river

8

Patrick

10 Apr 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Motel bien placé au bord de la rivière et au centre ville

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8

Kevin

16 Feb 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

A great location by the river, very close to the city centre. Good facilities, clean condition. Our room a bit noisy though, with a road on 2 sides

8

Margaret

22 Jun 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Very good place right on the River front and close to town. Friendly staff and had everything we needed. Older place and was a wee bit tired looking but good value for money. Would certainly stay here again.

8

Anne

22 Aug 2025

·

Stayed 4 nights

Very conveniently located. We could walk to most destinations.

8

Karen

31 Aug 2025

·

Stayed 3 nights

Nice views of river across road. Reasonably situated near town (car ride rather than walk), the room was a little dated but the cleanliness made up for this. Bed very comfortable. Ablutions clean and adequate. We stayed 3 nights and very good service.

10

Alicia

23 Oct 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Absolutely amazing staff!! We had a flight delay from Auckland and found ourselves arriving after the check-in desk closed. We contacted the motel and they were incredibly kind and efficient, getting us set up with our room still and saving a trip up the river the next morning that would otherwise have needed to be delayed or cancelled. Can’t say enough how great they were, and so kind the next morning too. Room was well outfitted and very comfortable, with everything we needed. Right next to a walking path on the river and maybe 10-15 minute walk from the main couple of blocks of town where restaurants and other shopping/mail/atms/etc are.

8

Lynda

9 Jan 2023

·

Stayed 1 night

Opposite the river and a close walk to the city centre

10

Elizabeth

5 Apr 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

Central location, reasonable price, noisy traffic.

10

LESLIE

9 Mar 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Nice location right across the street from the river, so made for a nice walk in the evening. Convenient for our itinerary.

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Dining

Reviews highlight in-room kitchens with ovens and cookware for self-catering. Little is mentioned about on-site dining options.

Related guest reviews

8

Jih Nuoh

18 Dec 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Next to the river and near the bridge, unique layout of the kitchen and dining

10

Jo

5 Dec 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

It was a motel with a proper kitchen. You could cook if you wanted to. Plenty of room in the unit. Easily held 3 people to sleep and eat.

10

ANDREW

3 Jul 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

The location to the Whanganui River/ right across the road. The kitchen was well equipped. Microwave, fridge, cooking facilities. Plates/cups etc. The unit was clean and tidy. Plenty of room in the unit.

10

Russell

25 Oct 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Kitchen facilities

8

Sharon

9 Apr 2025

·

Stayed 1 night

The Riverside is a classic roadside motel which had everything we needed for our one night stay in Whanganui. Ours was a 2-bedroom and both bedrooms were spacious, as was the living area. The hotel is located within easy walk to the main street, along a nice riverside walkway. The hosts were friendly and the room exactly as described. There was a fridge, cutlery and cooking utensils plus stove and microwave if you wanted to be self-sufficient. Also appreciated the helpful information folder with the local sights and stories. Thank you!

10

Katharine

14 Apr 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

Very nice property, newly renovated bathroom. Clean, older style kitchen area but clean and has a stove with oven. Everything we needed for a three night stay. Nice space and view of the river from patio doors. Easy walk to attractions. Busy street but quiets down at night. Would recommend!!

10

Sue

14 Oct 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Stopped overnight - great accommodation - great cooking facilities, comfy bed, everything we needed

8

Katharine

12 Apr 2024

·

Stayed 1 night

Clean and newer bathroom fixtures. Small kitchen but even had a stove. Would recommend

10

Katrina

19 Jan 2024

·

Stayed 2 nights

A clean & comfortable room. The kitchenette was fully equipped with cookware, a full oven & stove top as well as a microwave. The bed was a bit soft for our liking. We think the weather may have been hotter than the locals may be used to - there wasn’t an air conditioner or fan to relieve the evening heat buildup. The manager was very helpful & friendly.

10

JS

1 Oct 2023

·

Stayed 3 nights

Great family room with fully equipped kitchen and close to town

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Su	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa
1 $76	2 $75	3 $78	4	5	6 $94	7 $80
8 $75	9 $77	10 $73	11 $77	12 $76	13 $88	14
15 $84	16 $82	17 $80	18 $80	19 $71	20	21
22 $80	23 $88	24 $88	25 $88	26 $76	27 $84	28 $80
29 $80	30 $80

Riverside Motel

About this property

Location

Room options

Two-Bedroom Apartment

One-Bedroom Apartment

Studio

Family Apartment

Guest reviews of Riverside Motel

Who stays here?

What guests think

Property policies

FAQs about Riverside Motel

Prices for upcoming dates