Rotorua is a tough place to find good budget accommodation (unless you travel solo). Most of the motels on the main drag is overpriced or out-dated, while those with character gets booked up months in advance. So when I stumbled upon Hideaway of Rotorua on the outskirts of town, I was fairly intrigued.
People raved about how there were alpacas in the paddock next door and if nothing else, it would at least keep the kids amused for a few minutes. I wasn’t expecting the entire set-up to work so well. It’s not some kind of boutique property attempting to be something else.
It’s simply a no-frills motel with self-contained units. There are real-life alpacas who walks right up to the fence in the morning.
Why This Budget Motel Was a Hit With Our Family
Hideaway of Rotorua
There is plenty of room for kids, and it has a surprisingly low price tag. For three nights spent exploring the surrounding lakes and geothermal parks near Rotorua, it proved to be a decent base camp that didn’t break the bank.
As we pulled up to the place, I saw that the signs directed us towards the temporary shipping container where the office was set up. Seems like they’re doing some renovations as well… The regular reception area wasn’t open.
The check-in process was simple enough: the usual details and ID stuff and then keys was given out (with a bag of alpaca pellets for the kids). The makeshift office had standard tourist attraction leaflets in brochure racks around the walls. com hanging on the wall. For me, it is always a good sign that a place is getting enough bookings to value customer feedback.
It wasn’t fancy, but it was efficient.
We were pleasantly surprised by the communal laundry. It was fully equipped with washers and dryers, ironing boards, and detergent. Because we had packed lightly, it was no problem for us to wash some clothes midway through our trip.
The hours are posted on the door, 9am to 9pm if memory serves me right; and there was plenty of flexibility. Everything worked and everything was clean.
That’s not necessarily a guarantee when staying at budget motels. The outdoor play area was a lifesaver.
It’s not somewhere I expected much more than perhaps a rusty swing, but it has a couple of picnic tables scattered around the lawn along with some climbing frames, a tyre swing, a trampoline and two slides. We’d sit at the picnic tables each afternoon and relax while the kids were outside playing for at least an hour. You are close enough to town that it feels semi-rural as the entire area opens up onto the paddock where the alpacas and sheep graze.
And speaking of animals, the best surprise was the alpacas! We were told to bring along some pellets when we checked in so that we could feed the alpacas. And the kids LOVED it.
Although I will say, the alpacas really figured out the game and would walk right over whenever someone neared the fence. It became one of our regular routines during the day to watch them up close in the morning.
We stayed in a family room, that’s double bed, bunks, plus a tiny livivng space. It all worked, we had plenty of pillows and clean sheets (no fancy stuff here but fine). There was a bit of warmth given by the wood headboard against what would of been a fairly bland set up.
There were two arm chairs, a coffee table and a TV mounted on the wall over a desk. Our youngest sleeps restlessly and has a tendency to get up and move about so the strong metal frame for the bunks was appreciated.
Someone had really thought about the little things, from the laminated info sheets on the wall to the tablet stand for the remotes. The info sheets included local attractions, wifi codes, and emergency procedures; none of which we used much, but it was nice to have just in case. There were clear fire action notices, which always makes me feel a bit better when I’m somewhere new.
I was pleasantly surprised at how well equipped the kitchenette was. It included an induction hob, rangehood, good-sized sink, and everything you’d need to cook basic meals. Without any problems, I cooked scrambled eggs in the mornings and pasta one evening.
The kettle performed as it should, and there was a tray of tea and coffee facilities. Because we didn’t have to eat out for every meal, having a fully functional kitchen allowed us to save money. This adds up when you’re staying for three days.
There was plenty of storage. Underneath the counter were drawers for cutlery, plates, bowls, glassware, pans, a chopping board, you name it. In the cupboard below the sink, I discovered the toaster and cleaning supplies.
There was also a built-in microwave that, although not enormous, did a good job of reheating leftovers.
When we arrived, the fridge freezer was empty but full sized so we could go to Pak’nSave and properly grocery shop and stock up for our stay. There was also a box of dishwasher tablets left out on the counter. There was no actual dishwasher in the unit, so it was probably a mixup with what they had stocked or leftover from a larger room.
The bathroom is small but nice. It was functional and compact. The vanity had a round mirror and a vessel basin with a soap dispenser.
towels were neatly stacked and rolled. water pressure was solid in the shower. The room warmed up fast.
I liked that there was an extra bath mat on the shelf and the hairdryer hung on the wall in its bag. And then there was this: a caution sign under the window reminding people to be careful of slick floors if they got wet.
It was another small touch, but it showed that they’d had families stay here before. P For Me. Nothing luxurius but it did the job.
All three days of my stay had consistent hot water. Having experienced some dodgy motels elsewhere, I do not take this for granted.
The alpacas would line up along the fence most mornings waiting for someone to come out with the pellets. They made a soft humming sound as they crowded the fence, necks stretched over the rail, waiting for us to go wandering over with the bag. No matter how many times we told our little one they were not fluffy llamas, she continued to call them just that.
After we fed them, we’d watch them graze while having breakfast on the deck, one of those simple, unplanned moments that turned out to be the best part of the trip. Hideaway of Rotorua was fine for what we needed (location + price). It’s not pretending to be a luxury resort, and some may find the makeshift office space turn-off, but the rooms are clean, the kitchen is well-equipped for simple meals, and they have a play area that kept our kids entertained each afternoon.
As an added bonus, they had alpacas, which provided real entertainment, free entertainment! This place offers everything you could want if you’re looking for something practical and don’t want to spend a ton in Rotorua. Have you ever stayed somewhere where the animals were actualy the best part of your stay?
Let me know in the comments.
