Choosing between the best motels in Whanganui usually comes down to what you need from the night: a spa bath after a long drive, a kitchenette so the family can self cater, or a quiet ground floor unit you can park outside. The motels in Whanganui below are self contained and serviced daily, with room types running from single studios to two bedroom units, and several take corporate bookings and small meetings. Aotea Motor Lodge and Siena Motor Lodge both sit on Victoria Avenue, a few minutes walk from the shops and restaurants in the city centre.
1Aotea Motor Lodge
Aotea Motor Lodge is an apartment style motel of 28 units on Victoria Avenue, built and run by Sunny Teki and his family. Every unit has a double spa bath, a kitchenette with tea and plunger coffee, and a 46 inch television with Sky digital that records, rewinds and pauses. Parking sits outside each unit, and the north and south routes out of Whanganui are about ten minutes away.
Services
- Deluxe and Executive studios with a queen bed and double spa bath
- Deluxe and Executive twin studios with a queen and a king single bed
- One bedroom units with a separate bedroom, sleeping up to four
- Two bedroom units sleeping up to six, booked by enquiry direct with the motel
- Meeting room and business facilities with a catering service
Highlights
- Double spa baths in all 28 units
- Free unlimited WiFi and wired broadband throughout the complex
- Accessible units in several room types, available on request
- Corporate accommodation rates on request
Location & Contact
Name: Aotea Motor Lodge
Address: 390 Victoria Avenue, Whanganui 4500
Phone: 06 345 0303
Website: http://aoteamotorlodge.co.nz
2Siena Motor Lodge
Siena Motor Lodge is at 335 Victoria Avenue in central Whanganui and is set up for business and leisure guests in equal measure. The units are air conditioned and double glazed for quiet, each with a kitchenette, and the larger suites have spa baths. All three major supermarkets are a few hundred metres away, with a cafe next door.
Services
- One bedroom suites with queen and single beds and a double divan in the lounge
- Executive studios with a private courtyard, spa bath and separate shower
- Superior studios with a queen bed, sofa bed and en suite shower
- Corporate studios suited to solo business travellers and couples
Highlights
- Air conditioned and double glazed units
- Spa baths in the one bedroom suites and executive studios
- Free on site parking and free WiFi
- Softened and filtered water to every unit
- 13 television channels plus 9 Sky channels including sport
Location & Contact
Name: Siena Motor Lodge
Address: 335 Victoria Avenue, Whanganui 4500
Phone: 0800 888 802
Website: siena.co.nz
3Kings Court Motel
Kings Court Motel is a privately run motel of 12 ground floor units in a garden setting on Plymouth Street, roughly 200 metres from the centre of Whanganui. The mix is eight studios and four one bedroom units, with super king or queen beds and kitchen facilities in every room. The largest unit sleeps a family of five, and the motel does not take emergency housing bookings.
Services
- Queen and king studio units
- Premium studio units
- One bedroom apartments
- One bedroom family apartment sleeping up to five
- Executive one bedroom apartment
Highlights
- All 12 units on the ground floor and easily accessible
- Free on site parking, free WiFi and free Netflix
- Kitchen facilities in every room
- Ten per cent off adult tickets on the Paddle Steamer Waimarie when you book direct
- Ten per cent off food and drink at Parnell’s Cafe, a short walk away
Location & Contact
Name: Kings Court Motel
Address: 60 Plymouth Street, Whanganui
Phone: 06 345 8586
Website: kingscourtmotel.co.nz
4Burwood Motel
Burwood Motel sits on Dublin Street in central Whanganui and has 20 self contained studio units hosted by Aimee and Yan. Rooms are serviced daily and come with a kitchenette, heating and air conditioning, a 42 inch Smart TV and Sky. It takes solo travellers and families alongside sports teams and corporate guests, and the Whanganui River is about a seven minute walk away.
Services
- Ground floor studio units with a queen bed and a single bed
- Two bedroom units with a queen bedroom and a twin bedroom
- Conference and meeting room hire for 2 to 12 delegates
- Continental breakfast to purchase, with in house catering on request
Highlights
- Outdoor swimming pool, plus a barbecue area and barbecue free for guests
- Two accessible studios and two interconnecting studios
- Guest laundry with washing machine, dryer, iron and ironing board
- Off street parking in front of each unit with room for trailers and small trucks
- 24 hour camera surveillance on site
Location & Contact
Name: Burwood Motel
Address: 63-65 Dublin Street, Whanganui 4500
Phone: 06 345 2180
Website: burwoodmotel.co.nz
5Riverview Motel
Riverview Motel is on Somme Parade on the bank of the Whanganui River, five minutes walk from the city centre and directly across the road from the river walkway. Hosts Mark and Karen run 15 spacious units, two of them looking over the river and five with baths. The museum, art galleries, cafes and the riverboats are all within that same walk.
Services
- Studio and apartment style units, all with cooking facilities
- River view units overlooking the Whanganui River
- Continental breakfasts delivered to the unit
- Cot and highchair hire and a guest laundry
Highlights
- 15 units, all smoke free and serviced daily
- Five units with baths and two with river views
- Secure off street parking
- Sky TV and free wireless internet
Location & Contact
Name: Riverview Motel
Address: 14 Somme Parade, Whanganui
Phone: 06 345 2888
Website: wanganuimotels.co.nz
Motels in Whanganui at a Glance
| Business | Highlight |
|---|---|
| Aotea Motor Lodge | Double spa baths in all 28 units |
| Siena Motor Lodge | Air conditioned and double glazed units |
| Kings Court Motel | All 12 units on the ground floor and easily accessible |
| Burwood Motel | Outdoor swimming pool, plus a barbecue area and barbecue free for guests |
| Riverview Motel | 15 units, all smoke free and serviced daily |
How to Choose the Right Motel in Whanganui
- Decide where you want to wake up. Victoria Avenue and Plymouth Street put you on and beside the main street, while Somme Parade puts you on the river walkway.
- Match the unit type to the group. A studio suits a couple, while a one or two bedroom unit gives children a separate room.
- Check how far the kitchen goes. Some kitchenettes run to a microwave, jug and toaster, others add ceramic cook hobs, a fry pan and full pots and cutlery.
- Ask about parking before you arrive if you are towing a trailer or driving a small truck, and confirm a ground floor or accessible unit rather than assuming one is free.
- If the trip is for work, ask what the motel offers beyond the bed: corporate rates, a meeting room, in house catering and reliable unlimited WiFi.
Frequently Asked Questions About Whanganui Motels
How much does a motel in Whanganui cost per night?
Nightly rates generally start around $140 for two people in a studio and rise to roughly $245 for a one bedroom unit sleeping four. What you pay moves with the season, the night of the week and how many people are in the room, so treat those figures as a guide and check the motel’s own booking page for a firm price.
What is the difference between a motel and a motor lodge?
In New Zealand the two words are used more or less interchangeably. Both mean self contained units with their own bathroom, a kitchen or kitchenette and parking close to the door. Motor lodge tends to signal a newer or larger property with extras such as spa baths and conference space, but there is no formal line between the two.
Do Whanganui motels have kitchens?
Self catering is standard in this trade. Expect cooking facilities of some kind in the unit, from a microwave, fridge, jug and toaster up to ceramic cook hobs with pots, an electric fry pan and cutlery. If you plan to cook properly rather than reheat, ask which units have hobs when you book.
Which part of Whanganui should I stay in?
For a motel Whanganui visitors can walk from, the central grid is the place to look. Victoria Avenue is the main street and sits alongside the shops, supermarkets and restaurants, Plymouth Street and Dublin Street are quieter but still within a few hundred metres of the centre, and Somme Parade runs along the Whanganui River next to the walkway and the riverboats. Anywhere in that area leaves you a short walk from the museum, the art gallery and the i-SITE.
Is it cheaper to book direct with the motel?
Often, yes. Booking on the motel’s own site or by phone avoids the commission a booking platform charges, and it is also how you get extras that only apply to direct guests, such as discounted attraction tickets, cafe vouchers or a corporate rate. It is worth a quick phone call to compare before you commit.
What does a Qualmark star rating mean?
Qualmark is New Zealand tourism’s official quality assurance system, and its star ratings for motels and hotels are assessed against a published standard covering cleanliness, facilities and service. You can read how the gradings work at qualmark.co.nz. Plenty of good properties choose not to take part, so treat the rating as one signal among several.
Can I get an accessible or ground floor unit?
Yes, but confirm it when you book rather than on arrival. Several Whanganui motels are built entirely on one level with parking at the door, and others hold a small number of accessible units that are allocated on request.
How We Chose the Best Motels in Whanganui
Every business in this guide was found by searching for motels in Whanganui, then checked against what the business publishes itself: its own website, or where it has none, its official social or booking page. Names, addresses and phone numbers come from those pages rather than a directory feed, so what you see here is what the business says about itself. We also check that each one is still trading and is actually based in or genuinely serving Whanganui, rather than a national operator running a local landing page. A business we can’t confirm from its own pages is not listed.