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Kowhai motel

2.0 star property
Motel with 2 indoor swimming pools, near Polynesian Spa

Choose dates to view prices

Photo gallery for Kowhai motel

2 indoor pools, outdoor pool
Premium Suite | Private kitchen | Stovetop, dishwasher, toaster, highchair
Premium Suite | Living area
Premium Suite | 1 bedroom, desk, blackout drapes, iron/ironing board
Reception
Centrally located near Polynesian Spa, Kowhai Motel puts visitors in the heart of the action. Guests can choose between two indoor pools or enjoy the outdoor pool. The property offers complimentary self-parking and convenient luggage storage, making travel easier.

Reviews

8.2 out of 10
Very good

Popular amenities

  • Room service
  • Kitchen
  • Pool
  • Housekeeping
  • Parking included
  • Free WiFi

Room options

Check availability for these dates

Tonight

Sep 11 - Sep 12
Check availability for tonight Sep 11 - Sep 12

Tomorrow

Sep 12 - Sep 13
Check availability for tomorrow Sep 12 - Sep 13
Available filters for rooms
Showing 16 of 16 rooms

View all photos for Deluxe Suite

Deluxe Suite | 1 bedroom, desk, blackout drapes, iron/ironing board

Deluxe Suite

Highlights

Yard
Private rooftop hot tub
Air conditioning
Heating
Kitchen
Dishwasher
Flat-screen TV
Blackout drapes/curtains
  • 45 sq m
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 4
  • 1 Queen Bed and 2 Twin Beds

View all photos for Premium Studio

Premium Studio | Bathroom | Shower, hydromassage showerhead, hair dryer, towels

Premium Studio

8.4 out of 10
Very good
(5 reviews)

Highlights

Air conditioning
Heating
Kitchen
Dishwasher
Flat-screen TV
Blackout drapes/curtains
Separate bedroom
Hair dryer
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 King Bed

View all photos for Business Apartment, 1 Bedroom

Business Apartment, 1 Bedroom | 1 bedroom, desk, blackout drapes, iron/ironing board

Business Apartment, 1 Bedroom

8.0 out of 10
Very good
(1 review)

Highlights

Separate dining area
Air conditioning
Heating
Kitchen
Full-sized refrigerator/freezer
Dishwasher
Flat-screen TV
Separate bedroom
  • 46 sq m
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 4
  • 2 Twin Beds and 1 King Bed

View all photos for Family Apartment

Family Apartment | 1 bedroom, desk, blackout drapes, iron/ironing board

Family Apartment

Highlights

Air conditioning
Heating
Kitchen
Dishwasher
Flat-screen TV
Blackout drapes/curtains
2 bedrooms
Ceiling fan
  • 2 bedrooms
  • Sleeps 5
  • 1 Queen Bed, 1 Twin Bed and 1 Twin Bunk Bed

View all photos for Comfort Apartment

Comfort Apartment | 1 bedroom, desk, blackout drapes, iron/ironing board

Comfort Apartment

Highlights

Air conditioning
Heating
Kitchen
Dishwasher
Flat-screen TV
Blackout drapes/curtains
2 bedrooms
Ceiling fan
  • 45 sq m
  • 2 bedrooms
  • Sleeps 4
  • 1 Queen Bed and 2 Twin Beds

View all photos for City Apartment

City Apartment | 1 bedroom, desk, blackout drapes, iron/ironing board

City Apartment

Highlights

Yard
Air conditioning
Heating
Kitchen
Dishwasher
Flat-screen TV
Separate bedroom
Blackout drapes/curtains
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 3
  • 1 Queen Bed and 1 Twin Bed

View all photos for Economy Apartment

Economy Apartment | 1 bedroom, desk, blackout drapes, iron/ironing board

Economy Apartment

10.0 out of 10
Exceptional
(2 reviews)

Highlights

Air conditioning
Heating
Kitchen
Dishwasher
Flat-screen TV
Blackout drapes/curtains
2 bedrooms
Ceiling fan
  • 60 sq m
  • 2 bedrooms
  • Sleeps 6
  • 2 Twin Beds and 2 Queen Beds

View all photos for Premium Suite

Premium Suite | 1 bedroom, desk, blackout drapes, iron/ironing board

Premium Suite

Highlights

Air conditioning
Heating
Kitchen
Dishwasher
Flat-screen TV
Blackout drapes/curtains
3 bedrooms
Ceiling fan
  • 3 bedrooms
  • City view
  • Sleeps 10
  • 6 Twin Beds and 2 Queen Beds

View all photos for One Bedroom Apartment With Kitchen

Private kitchen | Stovetop, dishwasher, toaster, highchair

One Bedroom Apartment With Kitchen

  • Sleeps 4

Studio With Kitchen

  • Sleeps 2

View all photos for Two-Bedroom Unit

1 bedroom, desk, blackout drapes, iron/ironing board

Two-Bedroom Unit

  • Sleeps 4

View all photos for Three-bedroom

1 bedroom, desk, blackout drapes, iron/ironing board

Three-bedroom

  • Sleeps 10

City Apartment

  • Sleeps 3

Family Apartment

  • Sleeps 5

View all photos for One-Bedroom Apartment With Spa Bath

1 bedroom, desk, blackout drapes, iron/ironing board

One-Bedroom Apartment With Spa Bath

  • Sleeps 4

Superior Apartment

  • Sleeps 6

About the neighborhood

Map
1232 Ranolf St, Rotorua, Bay of Plenty, 3010

What's nearby

  • Rotorua Central Mall - 5 min walk - 0.3 miles
  • Eat Street - 8 min walk - 0.5 miles
  • Tamaki Maori Village - 10 min walk - 0.5 miles
  • Polynesian Spa - 14 min walk - 0.8 miles
  • Skyline Rotorua - 5 min drive - 2.9 miles

Getting around

  • Rotorua (ROT-Rotorua Regional) - 13 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Pig & Whistle - ‬7 min walk
  • ‪Thai Central Restaurant Rotorua - ‬4 min walk
  • ‪Poco Tapas And Wine - ‬7 min walk
  • ‪Fat Dog Cafe - ‬8 min walk
  • ‪Starbucks - ‬5 min walk

About this property

Kowhai motel

Motel near Polynesian Spa
Near Skyline Rotorua, Kowhai motel provides everything you need. Guests can connect to free in-room WiFi.
You'll also find perks like:
  • 2 indoor pools and an outdoor pool
  • Free self parking
  • Smoke-free premises and luggage storage
Room features
All guestrooms at Kowhai motel have amenities such as free WiFi.
Other conveniences in all rooms include:
  • Bathrooms with hydromassage showers and hair dryers
  • Wardrobes/closets, kitchens, and dishwashers

Property amenities

Internet

  • Available in all rooms: Free WiFi
  • In-room WiFi speed: 50+ Mbps
  • Available in some public areas: Free WiFi

Parking and transportation

  • Free uncovered self parking on site

Things to do

  • 2 indoor pools
  • Outdoor pool

Family friendly

  • 2 indoor pools
  • High chair
  • In-room kitchen
  • Outdoor pool

Conveniences

  • Limited-hour front desk
  • Luggage storage

Guest services

  • Housekeeping (daily)

Accessibility

  • No elevator
  • Thin carpet in room

More

  • Smoking not allowed

Room amenities

Bedroom

  • Bedsheets provided
  • Blackout drapes

Bathroom

  • Hair dryer
  • Hydromassage showerhead
  • Shower
  • Toilet paper
  • Towels provided

Entertainment

  • Cable/satellite channels

Food and drink

  • Cookware, dishware, and utensils
  • Dishwasher
  • Kitchen
  • Limited room service
  • Stovetop
  • Toaster

More

  • Desk
  • Iron/ironing board

Policies

Check-in

Check-in start time: 3:00 PM; Check-in end time: 9:00 PM
Minimum check-in age: 15

Check-out

Check-out before 10:00 AM

Special check-in instructions

The front desk is open daily from 8:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Front desk staffed during limited hours
This property doesn't offer after-hours check-in

Access methods

Front desk (limited hours)

Pets

Pets not allowed

Children and extra beds

Children are welcome
Rollaway/extra beds are not available
Cribs (infant beds) are not available

Property payment types

Important information

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
This property accepts credit cards, debit cards, and cash

We should mention

This property does not have elevators
Pool access available from 7:30 AM to 10:00 AM

National rating

For the benefit of our customers, we have provided a rating based on our rating system.

Property is also known as

Kowhai motel Motel
Kowhai motel Rotorua
Kowhai motel Motel Rotorua

Frequently asked questions

Does Kowhai motel have a pool?

Yes, this property has 2 Indoor pools and an outdoor pool. Pool access is from 7:30 AM–10:00 AM.

Is Kowhai motel pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

How much is parking at Kowhai motel?

Self parking is free at this property.

What time is check-in at Kowhai motel?

Check-in start time: 3:00 PM; Check-in end time: 9:00 PM. After-hours check-in is not available.

What time is check-out at Kowhai motel?

Check-out is at 10:00 AM.

Where is Kowhai motel located?

Located in Inner City, this motel is within a 15-minute walk of Kuirau Park and Polynesian Spa. Rotorua Central Mall and Rotorua Night Market are also within 10 minutes.

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Reviews

Kowhai motel Reviews

8.2

Very Good

8.2

Cleanliness

8.0

Amenities

8.4

Staff & service

7.6

Eco-friendliness

7.6

Property conditions & facilities
Rating 10 - Excellent. 21 out of 42 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 9 out of 42 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 8 out of 42 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 2 out of 42 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 2 out of 42 reviews

Reviews

8/10 Good

Tanea

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
we have stayed here before and loved it
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2025

8/10 Good

diane

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
It was comfortable enough. The king size bed was hard and uncomfortable, my only complaint
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2025

6/10 Okay

Caroline

Liked: Cleanliness
This motel had everything we needed for a short stay…comfy beds, clean unit and the mineral plunge pool was great. The unit is a bit run down…a few small changes would make a huge difference….Milo or hot chocolate sachets, light fixtures updated, towel rails and the shower boxes are really in need of replacing
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2025

8/10 Good

Verena

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Enjoyed the hot pools, motel is easy walking distance to town, good price
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2025

8/10 Good

Cindy

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities
Really lovely helpful staff and owners, also liked the book swap!
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2025

10/10 Excellent

Alison

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Great place for family with heated pool and plenty of room space, locality to city centre bonus too. Would stay here again
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2025

10/10 Excellent

Mareta

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
We were granted an early check in as the room was available, kids loved the heated pool (and so did I), it was a bonus to have a spa pool with our room but hot water was not working so great, although it was warm enough for the kids. Pleasant staff, quiet place despite being near the CBC. Beds were comfortable and room was warm.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2025

10/10 Excellent

Kevan

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Great room and friendly staff . Highly recommended
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2025

10/10 Excellent

MASAHIRO

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
hotel staffs are very friendly. room has kitchen, cooking tools, flidge & very comfortable. theres hot bath in here! its cozy & tiny but I think this is the best.
Stayed 2 nights in May 2025

8/10 Good

Brett

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Overall I enjoyed my stay. A nice warm room with everything I needed. Very conveniently located to local shops and restaurants etc. Just a little noise created by Saturday evening traffic on the busy road fronting the motel
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2025

10/10 Excellent

Elly

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Great place for a short stop

Excellent location Air condition and clean
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2024

8/10 Good

David

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Convenient. Friendly and accommodating staff
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2025

10/10 Excellent

Belynda

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
The property and the team were amazing and helped with all our requirements. Had a great stay and will definitely return when back in town.
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2024

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Staff was outstanding, kitchen had everything we needed. Great location. A bit noisy as it's right on a major road.
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2024

6/10 Okay

Kylie

Disliked: Amenities
Comfortable space for average cost
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2025

10/10 Excellent

Sue

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
It was a lovely clean quiet property. In a grest location.
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2025

10/10 Excellent

John

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Very near an interesting park and a Lake Rotorua lakeside walk.
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2024

10/10 Excellent

Alice

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
As a family of four with 2 school aged kids we really enjoyed our stay. While a bit dated looking the warm pool and mineral baths were a wonderful way to start and end the day. The staff were friendly and helpful. The location was great for walking to the public central thermal pools and the lake not too far a walk away too. The beds were comfortable and the facilities in the apartment good. We would definitely stay again.
Stayed 3 nights in Jan 2025

10/10 Excellent

Thebe

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The management was great.the studio was awesome had everything we needed.will definitely go back again
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2024

6/10 Okay

Brian

Liked: Cleanliness
Room layout was interesting. Parking was very tight, hard to park and get out of lot
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2025

10/10 Excellent

Felicity

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Perfect spot to walk into town and the mineral pools too it off! Will definitely be back 👍
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2024

6/10 Okay

Maria

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
We had a 10 bed apartment which was great as we could all be together but main road very noisy and was only allowed 1 carpark. Also had to share 1 washer and dryer with the entire motel!
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2025

6/10 Okay

Corey

Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Amenities, property conditions & facilities
Place is in desperate need of an upgrade, broken windows , toilet hanging of the wall , very dated but bed was clean and sleepable
Stayed 1 night in May 2024

6/10 Okay

Verified traveler

Disliked: Room comfort

Not too bad not too good

Kowhai Hotel was not too bad in terms of cleanliness. Its just the toilet has mosquitos when we arrived. We stayed in 1 bedroom apartment and because it was summer it was very hot, the aircon cannot make our room cold there was an electric fan but its still not enough as we have 4 months old baby. Also, the water get very hot and tap was too strong. Wall sockets were limited. The couch was too saggy so hard to get up. However the management are very accomodating when I asked if we can do a late check out, additional cost though.
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2025

10/10 Excellent

Erin

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
SO nice and warm in the winter. The heated pool is a great feature for the kids. Perfect size apartment for the price. It is a bit dated but the price reflects that also. Would definitely stay for a quick trip again :)
Stayed 1 night in May 2025

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