Name: Novotel Rotorua Lakeside
Address: Lake End Tutanekai Street, Rotorua, 3040, NZ

8/10

Excellent

18 Jul 2026

Ashleigh

It was good. Nothing outstanding but nothing wrong as such. Rooms are clean and tidy and reasonably modern. Bathrooms need to be redone to reflect the price but nothing wrong, just old as such. Our room wasn’t available 2 queen beds booked but that set up had been oversold so we were compensated with breakfast which was ok but not ideal. There were a number of people with this issue at reception.
It’s good for kids with its location close to town/restaurants/lake/playground, pool and kids room/play area. We would stay here again but would look for a deal rather than pay full price etc as it is a bit pricey for what it is. But clean and tidy and comfy beds.

Big Buffett breakfast area which was good but when it got busy it turned into a bit of a zoo. But we went at peak time. The next morning we did an earlier time and it was much better for getting table and having food replenished quickly etc.

Dinner was expensive but very quiet restaurant (given its proximity to to Eat Street) so made for an easy dinner with kids.

Staff were friendly and tried to accomodate with helpful intentions.

The hotel had a great reputation and I believe it is improving since Covid etc but a bit to go still

Family_with_children

8/10

Excellent

17 Jul 2026

David

The hotel was good. Loved that it was super close to a little dining avenue so plenty of choices for restaurants and drinks within a 2 min walk. I did find the scent used in the lobby to be overpowering and would actually prevent me from staying there again as I am mildly scent sensitive and this was definitely more than mild. The hotel is also very close to the hot springs as well so the smell of sulfur in the area is a lot…. You can even smell it in the rooms, though minimally.

Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

30 Jun 2026

Troy

Great breakfast buffet selection, good indoor hot pools, nice bar if you wanted a drink. Our room was basic (as we selected) and was clean enough, had all the sky channels. There were 2x EV chargers if you have an EV vehicle.

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

27 Jun 2026

Matt And Emily

Hi how’s it going,
Am pleased to say that the staff are absolutely amazing, they were helpful and made the stay pleasant. The only comment I would have is being wheelchair bound it was kind of essential that there was space for me it to move around. We had booked the accessible room with seat in shower and hand rails for assistance with balance and getting around the room was a bit of a struggle to get in the front door as on arrival my partner had to move a big chair for me to continue though to the bed. The space to get into the bathroom was in a hallway which was difficult to manoeuvre into as it was narrow and hard to turn the wheelchair and the door swung outwards, narrowing the hallway further. Apart from that the staff were lovely, great spa, pool areas and room was super clean on arrival.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

26 Jun 2026

Rodrigo Enrique

Very close to eateries, touristic attractions and lake. I highly recommend it!

6/10

Pleasant

21 Jun 2026

Geoff

Great location. Our room was a good size, comfortable bed and a great view, however the bathroom was a little tired and does require an upgrade.

10/10

Exceptional

19 Jun 2026

Shruthy

Geothermal pool was relaxing

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

18 Jun 2026

Caren

Everything was fantastic, location was perfect write near Eat Street and the thermal pools in the hotel were a hit with the whole family.

Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

14 Jun 2026

Omair

.

Family_with_children

6/10

Pleasant

10 Jun 2026

Dawn

The lobby and bar were really nice! The staff were friendly and helpful. The carpet in the rooms were worn and dirty. The bed was comfortable.

Family

6/10

Pleasant

08 Jun 2026

Alyce

I think the rooms need a bit of paint and new taps/showers and toilets

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

04 Jun 2026

Simon

A really great central city hotel with friendly and helpful staff.
We went as a family of 4 and had a nice big room for all of us.
The kids particularly enjoyed the buffet breakfast!
The staff were helpful with parking options and with access to the storage rooms for our bikes.
We would definitely stay again.

Friends_and_family Family

6/10

Pleasant

04 Jun 2026

Jeremy

Please remove “sound proof” from the room description. I had loud neighbours that were very loud where if I spoke their language would have been able to understand the whole conversation. May have been the lack of sound proofing in the locked door that joined the rooms. Other than that the experience was great. Comfortable bed, very nice food, friendly staff especially checking/out staff. Will definitely stay again, but hopefully with less noisy neighbours.

Self

10/10

Exceptional

04 Jun 2026

Scott

.

Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

25 May 2026

LEO B

A great but short stay enjoyable 😷😎

Family

8/10

Excellent

25 May 2026

Navin

Great value for money as we had a good last-minute deal.
Enjoyed the stay.
And the Spa was the highlight.
Friendly staff.
Great atmosphere.
Well located.
Only issue is that the room is quite rundown. Needs renovation.

Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

25 May 2026

Gail

Excellent location

Family

4/10

Poor

19 May 2026

Paul

Tired looking hotel

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

17 May 2026

Jon

Great location and across the road from Eat Street. Property has everything you need and a fantastic bar to relax in at the end of the day with fireplace

Family

8/10

Excellent

14 May 2026

Karen

Nice location, room was good, but bathroom could do with a refurbishment as grout between tiles a bit moldy & a fixed showerhead over a bath is a bit dated (and slightly dangerous without a non slip mat) and don't like fighting with a wet shower curtain. Carpet in some areas of the Hotel was a bit stretched and loose, saw a couple of people trip on it. But on the whole it was pretty good.

Business

10/10

Exceptional

12 May 2026

Janet

Was at the hotel for a conference and stayed in house. The breakfast was really good and the staff were LOVELY.
The location is fabulous, right next to Eat St and beside the lake.
I really enjoyed my stay.

Self

8/10

Excellent

11 May 2026

Kit

Decent hotel. Bathroom was a bit old looking with mold around the caulk and the clock was wrong by 3 hours , but otherwise it was clean and warm.

Self

10/10

Exceptional

11 May 2026

Melissa

Wonderful very convenient central location great amenities, free laundry and amazing hot pools

Friends_and_family Family

4/10

Poor

29 Apr 2026

Cindy

Reserved a room with a king bed but got a room with a queen bed. Toilet in room needed a cleaning. Looked like it was missed when they did a between stay clean. Rusty and older bathroom.

Partner

4/10

Poor

27 Apr 2026

Adrianna

Our stay at Novotel had its positives, but overall the property is in need of some serious maintenance. The rooms felt quite tired, with noticeable wear and tear throughout. In our room, the windows had black condensation stains, and both the furniture and bathroom looked dated and worn.
The facilities, including the pool, also didn’t feel well maintained and could definitely use some attention.
On the plus side, the location is excellent, and we really appreciated the kids’ room—it was a great touch for families. Breakfast was decent, and the staff were very attentive and friendly, which made a difference to our experience.

8/10

Excellent

16 Apr 2026

Takashi

Natural pools were nice.

Friends_and_family Friends

10/10

Exceptional

15 Apr 2026

Nina

Breakfast was varied and frest. Pool facilities great with kids. Generous rooms with comfy beds.

Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

14 Apr 2026

Allan

Love the convenient location, tasty breakfast, friendly staff and great amenity.

Family_with_children

4/10

Poor

12 Apr 2026

Nick

I normally try to be fair in highlighting the good as well as the bad. However, the bad this time just distracted from any good. When we arrived, around 4.15pm, we were tired after a long drive. So from the start we were not happy when told our room was not ready. Next day we went out leaving, make up our room sign. We were gone for 5.5hrs, arrived back about 3pm, room was not made up. Tried to ring the service desk, no answer. Then on the evening of the night I checked out, there was a credit card charge from the Novotel. After spending many efforts to ring Novotel, I finally got through. They said the charge was for breakfast we had that morning. We did not have breakfast at the hotel any morning. They said they would check the signed docket and get back to me the next day. This did not happen. Our very first experience at the Nootel Rotorua and very last experience was not pleasant.

Partner

4/10

Poor

10 Apr 2026

Sheena

Staff were friendly. Bar choice was good. Breakfast was stale and fruit was still frozen. Bathroom tap kept falling off but nobody came to fix it. Carpets needed a good clean. The hotel really needs an overhaul and some TLC. Very disappointing.

Family

8/10

Excellent

09 Apr 2026

Susan

Long wait at reception. Limited parking
Bar area very nice

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

08 Apr 2026

Paul

Hotel has great location but needs some updating and repair. Carpets are old and dirty looking. Furniture in rooms are old and basic. Toilet did not work well. Bedroom walks not well insulated. The elevators were small and slow. Only 2 of 3 elevators were working. It often took 10 minutes to get up or down

8/10

Excellent

29 Mar 2026

Viv

The bar was good. The staff very friendly

10/10

Exceptional

27 Mar 2026

Sue shin

Everything qas great.

10/10

Exceptional

21 Mar 2026

Gabriel

Awesome stay and friendly helpful staff

Partner

8/10

Excellent

16 Mar 2026

David

Decent

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

13 Mar 2026

Poo Yang

Near food street, food everywhere

6/10

Pleasant

10 Mar 2026

yuan

Windows are bit too old and needs better seal.
Air conditioner also needs maintenance.

Family_with_children

6/10

Pleasant

03 Mar 2026

Manoj

Poor room conditions and generally staff forget manners in acknowledging there guests

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

28 Feb 2026

Joana

Hotel’s location is handy, close to Eat Street and HotSprings. Plenty of parking, paid or off-street. Rooms as spacious. TV decent size and good channels. The bed is comfy but pillows need to be replaced, worn and tears appearing. Curtains had mould and stains. Bathroom facilities have seen better days, toilet flush not so good. Carpets need to be replaced, stains and dirt and tear and wear accumulating. Breakfast staff are friendly and welcoming. Selection of food reduced significantly compared to before. Lack of individual packs of condiments, spreads for breads, putting butter, jam or marmite for everyone to take from raise hygiene concerns! Coffee was horrible. Not good value for money.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

28 Feb 2026

Michael

Our “room” was actually a two bedroom unit with living area and kitchenette. A real plus was the washer/dryer in the bathroom. Decent location splitting the difference between the CBD and Mount Eden. Underground parking for a fee, the ramps were steep and narrow but we had a small car so not too scary.

6/10

Pleasant

25 Feb 2026

Darren

Cons
Rooms Tired. Bathroom in particular need of upgrade, basic
You have to get milk and water from the restaurant
Penny pinching going on in the name of environmental improvements!
Swimming pool roped off and not useable
Cheap coffee in room
Bedside table only on one side of the bed!
No amenities in bathroom other than tissues, hand wash, shampoo
Carpet dirty in traffic area
Building work in room next door at 8:30
Many of the hot breakfast items were cold. Eg the hash browns and bacon.

Pros
Good location, handy for the lake and eat street.
Friendly reception
Free parking available on the road close by

Not worth the cost to be honest, disappointing for the Novotel brand

Partner

8/10

Excellent

21 Feb 2026

Megan

Great room, really nice pools and lovely staff.

8/10

Excellent

20 Feb 2026

Trina

Great location

Family

6/10

Pleasant

20 Feb 2026

Davi

Staff could be more helpful. Appreciate they were busy but we were in a tight spot with rooms. I’m general the beds could be more comfortable

Family_with_children

8/10

Excellent

11 Feb 2026

jim

Average, good location for tourist

Leisure Partner

4/10

Poor

09 Feb 2026

Stuart

On the plus side, the hotel had a great location and large rooms. Maintainence issues however overshadowed our stay; one of three elevators were out of order and the other two were very slow, resulting in long waits to get to or from the room. The AC went out on a very hot day and while we reported it, was not fixed for almost a full day. Room carpet was badly worn and stained, as was the bathroom tub. The hotel was packed with tour buses, so if you hit the reception as they arrived (which we did) you had to wait several minutes just to check-in. There was no outdoor pool, and the indoor pool and spa looked unclean and were packed with kids. The breakfast buffet was crowded and food was mediocre. Not a place we would recommend.

Leisure Friends

10/10

Exceptional

09 Feb 2026

Sameeka

Reception staff was very helpful & the facilities were great! ill definitely look to stay here again.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

08 Feb 2026

Rangi

Excellent hotel, the service was perfect , location awesome great place to stay

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

07 Feb 2026

Fiona

Perfect location overlooking lake Rotorua with a 1 minute walk to the small town centre for a great choice of restaurants for food. The breakfast was good and plenty to choose from. The room was clean and spacious with a comfy bed. Slightly dated bathroom with an over bath shower.
A fresh bottle of milk in the fridge was a nice touch instead of the tiny hit pots.
Would definitely recommend staying here.

Leisure Partner

2/10

Poor

04 Feb 2026

Maragret

Room smelled of smoke, asked to be moved, told yes in 30 minutes, 1:30 minutes later told we would have to wait to the next day, nothing happened the next day? Ordered room service 1 hour later still not arrived, contacted them again and they had not even started the order? Breakfast was bland, frozen berries were put out? This was the worse hotel I have stayed in for a long time.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

29 Jan 2026

Vassa

Clean room, friendly staff.

Friends_and_family Family

8/10

Excellent

19 Jan 2026

Jitendra

Clean room. All necessities in place.

10/10

Exceptional

19 Jan 2026

Michael

It was great!

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

17 Jan 2026

John

Quality Hotel

Leisure Family

8/10

Excellent

17 Jan 2026

Bruce

All good

10/10

Exceptional

17 Jan 2026

Silvia

The pool was great!

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

15 Jan 2026

Carla

Really enjoyed our stay. Would recommend.

Leisure Family

4/10

Poor

10 Jan 2026

Peter

This hotel is desperately in need of renovation and management training. It falls well below the standard in the brand.

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

08 Jan 2026

donna

The hotel was in a great location, hotel was a little shabby, but staff were friendly.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

07 Jan 2026

juston

Room Service steak was well done when I ordered Medium Rare. Dissapointed but everything else great

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

04 Jan 2026

Jason

Nice, clean, functional rooms for the family. Bathroom a little dated,

Leisure Family

8/10

Excellent

02 Jan 2026

Abdul

All good

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

31 Dec 2025

Kusay

Great loved all extras like pool and gym

Friends_and_family Family

6/10

Pleasant

27 Dec 2025

Ritesh

Need for microwave please 🙏

Leisure Family_with_children

8/10

Excellent

24 Dec 2025

Hartley

Room great. Greeted by friendly staff.

Leisure Family_with_children

8/10

Excellent

14 Dec 2025

Wanda

Front desk staff were lovely

Leisure Family

8/10

Excellent

11 Dec 2025

Pura

Room was nice, staff were very courteous, check-in was a breeze.

My only issue was the long hallways being so dark (the black doors dont help)

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

09 Dec 2025

Anel Joy

I enjoyed my stayed, kids were happy. Buffet breakfast & dinner was good. Staff were helpful and accommodating. Handy location. Highly recommended!

10/10

Exceptional

08 Dec 2025

Kayne

Amazing hotel location and pool/geothermal spas

10/10

Exceptional

04 Dec 2025

clifton

nice place

10/10

Exceptional

27 Nov 2025

Aaron

Wonderful staff great room

Business

6/10

Pleasant

26 Nov 2025

Steven

Room seemed to be until A gunny smell, leaky fridge, spilled milk that had not been cleaned up, rusty rails in bathroom.
Could be a lot better at reception

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

24 Nov 2025

Eric G

Excelent

Friends_and_family Family

8/10

Excellent

26 Oct 2025

Meagan

The swimming facilities were fabulous. Room and bedding was comfortable with AC keeping room at a comfortable temperature.
No bathrobes for going between the pool and our room.
Bathroom is a little tired and dated.
Wifi was great and staff were helpful.
Loved that eat street was across the rd.
Paid for the buffet breakfast, which was good value for money.

Leisure Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

19 Oct 2025

Kathleen

The bed was very soft which may suit some travellers but not me

Business

10/10

Exceptional

10 Oct 2025

Trudy

Lovely location, beautiful rooms, convenient

Leisure Family

6/10

Pleasant

08 Oct 2025

Nalisha

Breakfast needs a upgrade, slight boring. Needs another coffee machine. Omelettes should be included in the cooking station.

10/10

Exceptional

08 Oct 2025

Jacobus J

Great location and a great hotel

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

02 Oct 2025

Andrea

Great hotel. Our room was large with a great view of the lake. Would definitely stay again

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

02 Oct 2025

Rachel

Excellent

Business_and_leisure Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

01 Oct 2025

Stacey

Great location - noisy from eat street bars if on that side.

Friends_and_family Family

6/10

Pleasant

29 Sep 2025

Lawrence

Whilst the staff were very pleasant and the room was nice the one night stay was negatively impacted by the fact the rooms are not sound proofed. You can hear every noise from the corridor. This was exacerbated by the loud noise coming from the Rotorua Mega Fun Carnival over the road where you can hear the tannoy announcer word for word until late so there is no opportunity to relax. Shame this was not pointed out at the time of booking as it’s a major negative.

Leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

23 Sep 2025

Francesco

Nice location. Close to great eating establishments

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

22 Sep 2025

SAYEDALI

Professional staff.
A very clean environment.
Well placed.

Leisure

8/10

Excellent

21 Sep 2025

Erin

Breakfast menu could be better.

Leisure Family_with_children

6/10

Pleasant

19 Sep 2025

George

We loved the spa and how friendly the staff were. My daughter loved the way we were welcomed.

Leisure Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

15 Sep 2025

Debbie

Our favourite interaction was with Sunny. She was warm, friendly and a great laugh. It set the tone for our stay, which we thoroughly enjoyed. Thanks Sunny! You’re the best x

10/10

Exceptional

12 Sep 2025

Abbey

Absolutely fantastic staff at this hotel. Just a note, they charge for parking

Business

8/10

Excellent

12 Sep 2025

Nikolaos

Service was mediocre. Room service is childish with a doggy bag and while I was assured my car will be in the front waiting for me at 7am I arrived and the car was not there and they told me it would take 15minutes.

10/10

Exceptional

11 Sep 2025

Kenneth

NW

10/10

Exceptional

11 Sep 2025

Azamal

Family-friendly hotel. Good weekend away

Leisure Family_with_children

2/10

Poor

03 Sep 2025

Sophie

Needs a good clean, bathroom was blocked and dirty black mold in the bath. Carpets are run down badly n it smelled

2/10

Poor

30 Aug 2025

Jiangfeng

Novotel used to be my preferred choice for many years, but this stay fell well below the standard I’ve come to expect. From the poor reception service to the worn-out carpet and outdated bathroom, I was disappointed throughout my stay. Unfortunately, I won’t be returning.

Leisure Family

2/10

Poor

25 Aug 2025

Ma'am

First time at Novotel. Once stepped into the room I already got bitten by fleas on my feet and legs. Carpet needs deep cleaning and couch have stains in them. Never felt uncomfortable ever in a hotel. Staffs are excellent with the service and have provided us a new room and felt a little relieved because the crawlies subsided but the toilets are dirty and have stained in the bath in shower and the ceiling is also dirty and rotting. The hotel needs renovation and is tired. I praised the staffs for being accommodating and helpful though.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

24 Aug 2025

megumi

Very nice

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

17 Aug 2025

Kenny

Breakfast offers has fantastic with many varieties. It was a great stay the bed is comfortable and staff was very helpful. Plenty of parking around.

8/10

Excellent

12 Aug 2025

Ruby

The hotel stay was lovely. Service was excellent, and the meals were absolutely fantastic - there is not one thing we could order that didn’t taste like it was from a high end restaurant, and we ordered quite a few things.

Over our 4 days of stay, spas were unfortunately either under maintenance or not hot enough and a bit mossy.

Leisure Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

11 Aug 2025

Bradley

Great

Leisure Family_with_children

6/10

Pleasant

10 Aug 2025

Lantana

The staff and location are brilliant but the rooms are tired and need a refresh. Clean & tidy, but we had issues with the aircon & toilet not working properly.

Leisure Family