Aspiring Lodge Motel

10/10

Exceptional

29 Mar 2026

John

Great. Very quiet except the wood creaked a lot.

8/10

Excellent

27 Mar 2026

Jonathan

Convenient location and shaded outdoor seating. A bit dated interior.

6/10

Pleasant

25 Mar 2026

Lorna

Bit tired looking.

10/10

Exceptional

22 Mar 2026

Sophie

Honestly we loved this place. Yes its old but the timber interiors and old school doors and lighting are such a vibe and it was affordable given the great location. We would 100% book again.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

22 Mar 2026

Glenn

A very enjoyable stay. Well located and would come back.

Self

6/10

Pleasant

16 Mar 2026

Ross

unit was tired.

10/10

Exceptional

13 Mar 2026

Lyn

The owners were very helpful and accommodating.
Very handy location bars and restaurants and the lake just around the corner walking.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

11 Mar 2026

Jeff

Only kettle and toaster

4/10

Poor

05 Mar 2026

Lavinia

Room is very outdated, it creeks and cracks all night, bed was hard, bathroom was very old, only good thing was close to water and shopping.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

02 Mar 2026

Matthew

Clean rooms. Bed comfy. Great location.
But has no air conditioning if there in simmer heat. And bathroom has no extractor so get steamed out..

6/10

Pleasant

21 Feb 2026

Alan

Except for meeting one member of staff at checkin we saw no one which from a security perspective is not good (in town). The rooms are spacious but a little dated (reflected in the price) - just needs a good clean - parking was ok for us but limited if you don’t arrive early. Major issue was the noise at night - the whole building creaks and sounds like people are walking on the roof - very strange. On a positive the location is fantastic - value for money was ok but if they invested a little they could push up the price and make it an amazing motel. If you plan to stay - be aware of the negatives but we were still happy overall based on the location

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

21 Feb 2026

Shaunne

Lots of room, nicely laid out.

Partner

4/10

Poor

21 Feb 2026

Angela

Arrived just gone 6pm , key kindly left in room. Reception only opens at 2pm until ? Did not see anybody during our stay. With the perfect position this motel has , i think the owners need to reinvest some of their takings. The room had more cobwebs than a New Yorker at Halloween, shower held in with cardboard ,tv precariously balanced on small table , just all very dated.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

14 Feb 2026

King Keung John

Staff is very helpful, also moved us upstairs upon request so we are happy, room is big and kitchenette has everything we need. Although the included hot plate is rather old. Location is great near beach and supermarket.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

11 Feb 2026

Diane

The room was amazing! Very clean, quiet, everything I needed. Good location too

Self

8/10

Excellent

25 Jan 2026

Matthew

Clean room. Great location

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

13 Jan 2026

zheng

Spacious room, nice staff, designated parking and close to town. Good money for the value

Leisure Family

4/10

Poor

06 Jan 2026

debbie

There was broken glass on the porch and a lot of cobwebs inside the room. For over $300 the worst I have stayed at. Also not enough parking for the amount of rooms so don’t expect a car park. Parking was the main reason this motel was chosen and I didn’t even get a park!

Friends_and_family Family

4/10

Poor

05 Jan 2026

Sanjay

Very old, very basic. No air conditioning. Roof sounded like it was cracking at different points in the night. Shower was not good with a weird tap that either scalded you or froze you. Staff not particularly helpful either.

10/10

Exceptional

30 Dec 2025

James

clean

Leisure

8/10

Excellent

28 Dec 2025

Ishbel

Room was very clean.
Julian (house keeping services) was excellent.

Leisure Friends

8/10

Excellent

04 Dec 2025

Bradley

The room was clean, tidy and comfortable. The lodge is in a great location, close to the water, town and supermarket.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

01 Dec 2025

Geoff

Very cosy and great size double room, and close to the lake. Perfect for whole family.

6/10

Pleasant

29 Nov 2025

Scott

Just very dated but spacious and clean

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

20 Nov 2025

Tony

Quite noisy. Walls thin and whole. Using makes noise as the sun warms or cools the timber frames.
Parking spaces too small and limited in number (which is mentioned on the booking site)

Partner

8/10

Excellent

18 Nov 2025

stephen

Yes nice and clean and great position in the middle of town

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

16 Nov 2025

Karen

room was clean, very close to all shops etc. Only drawback was parking. Not much room, had to climb through passengers' side of the car to get into driver's seat due to car next door parked too close.

Leisure Partner

6/10

Pleasant

10 Nov 2025

Greig

Late check in was easy, even when office was closed for the day. Overall, the room was great and clean & tidy. One TV remote wasn't working, but the second one was.

Unfortunately I could not get a peaceful night's sleep due to random noises on the roof each night I stayed. I suspect a possum was jumping & running around on the corrugated roof which was heard clearly through the ceiling. Although this was outside of the motel's control, I strongly recommend they get a professional to trap it. I would easily return to this motel, if I knew this particular issue was fixed.

Leisure Self

8/10

Excellent

09 Nov 2025

Christopher

Clean, tidy, comfortable

Business Self

8/10

Excellent

06 Oct 2025

Jo

It catered for our needs

10/10

Exceptional

04 Oct 2025

Herbert

This motel is clean, well appointed, and has a great location right in downtown Wanaka adjacent the New World supermarket. Lake front is one block away, and several excellent restaurants are all within easy walking distance.

10/10

Exceptional

02 Oct 2025

Poonamben

Good place to stay. Walking distance from Lake Wanaka.

Family

8/10

Excellent

01 Oct 2025

Patricia

A convenient comfortable place to stay with a nice big room.

Leisure Friends

6/10

Pleasant

25 Jul 2025

Sarah

A perfectly located base for the ski fields and everything Wanaka has to offer. We loved that we could see the lake from our balcony and walk so quickly to everywhere! The office staff were friendly and accommodating. The room was cosy.
Given the timber nature of the inside, it did creak a fair amount overnight. I think the drains may need a little attention too, but other wise a cosy, amazingly located spot to stay! It gave us everything we needed!

Leisure Family

8/10

Excellent

11 Jul 2025

Ashton

Fairly old property, but clean and convenient

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

09 Jun 2025

Rammohan

Nice to be here

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

28 May 2025

Su

We stayed here last night at room 2. The hotel is very clean and equipped with the cookware. The super market is just a mini walk, hence it's so convenient. Checked in and out were super easy. We highly recommended the hotel. Parking is also free and easy.

Leisure Family

8/10

Excellent

19 May 2025

Kerry

We only stayed one night the room was comfortable for what we wanted the drapes were in a bit of poor order which I thought would have been fixed very easily other than that it was a good stay

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

01 May 2025

Jennifer

Decent hotel

Stayed here for 1 night in April 2025 with a friend. Room was clean. Staff at check in were friendly. Area is great - right by everything in town by very short walking distance. The famous tree was about 10 mins walking distance away. Shower was okay - water pressure was not great and did not drain well. The beds were alright in comfort level. Could very much hear people upstairs and around us - not very sound proof at all - not that the other guests were loud, just that I think this is an older hotel so heard floor creaks and voices outside.

Friends_and_family Friends

8/10

Excellent

27 Apr 2025

J

Decent accommodation in convenient location

Accommodation was decent, however there were some squeaky noises every now and then and we had no idea where that came from, although this was a non-issue to me. It will also be great if a kettle had been provided. Location wise, this was in the centre of Wānaka and there is a New World supermarket behind. Parking spaces can be tight and limited.

Friends_and_family Family

8/10

Excellent

08 Apr 2025

Marie

Did not like the road noise in room 1.
bathroom needs a better shower unit
should have Sky tv

Business_and_leisure Partner

6/10

Pleasant

07 Apr 2025

Kayleigh

The property was in a fantastic location, no view but 3 minutes from the lakeside.
The room itself was very tired; the bedsheets need replacing and the bathroom was too old.
It contained everything I needed for a 2 night stay just lacked a bit of comfort.

Business_and_leisure Self

6/10

Pleasant

02 Mar 2025

David

The property is in a great location. Close to the water, shopping, dining, etc. However it is quite dated and could definitely use a spruce-up, and new pillows. It was clean so it was ok for 1 night.

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

01 Mar 2025

Jaclyn Su Phin

The location was amazing and compensated for any of the minor imperfections (dated and rather musty smelling toilet). Being so close to the lake and to all the shops and restaurants is simply amazing. For the price, it’s a great and affordable accommodation!

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

25 Feb 2025

Jay

If the parking lot is full there are tons of spaces across the street after 7pm (it was packed before then though). There are limited hours at the reception but they were great about leaving instructions to check in and had the key drop off for early in the morning. It was a great area within walking distance of all the restaurants and the traffic calms down a lot in the evening!

Leisure Self

6/10

Pleasant

20 Feb 2025

Dorothy

So outdated
So expensive
No one in the office after 3 pm
Noisy
No ice

Leisure Partner

6/10

Pleasant

20 Feb 2025

Debbie

Good location but very dated

Great location but very dated, especially the bathroom. It was relatively cheap so maybe cant expect too much

Partner

8/10

Excellent

16 Feb 2025

Sandy

Great area, complete with a great grocery store a 5 minute walk away, The hot plate in the room worked brilliantly & enough kitchenwares were supplied to cook for our family of 4. The beds were comfy. Though we all slept with earplugs because the room ceiling would creak and crack loudly periodically. We were on the 2nd floor. It was 26 degrees C both days, so the only way we could cool the room down was to prop open the door and keep the patio door open. A door stop was provided for the front door.
The room fan worked well, so we moved it around, using caution as the stand it was on was NOT stable.
The door only had a push-in lock; no deadbolt or even an inside chain lock, so if I was travelling solo I would haven't felt safe. The staff was friendly & we enjoyed the walkable location. Not enough parking for all guest rooms, so we had to unload our vehicle and then park across the street. Overall, doable, but expensive for a 2-night stay, but we took into account that it's a very touristy area.

Leisure Family

8/10

Excellent

16 Feb 2025

Shaun

Very close to main strip and the shops. Unfortunately, it is a bit dated and there is no air conditioning so beware if you are going during summer.

Leisure Partner

6/10

Pleasant

14 Feb 2025

Lisa

Close to shops

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

10 Feb 2025

KARL

Nice place

Leisure

10/10

Exceptional

30 Jan 2025

Pinkesh

Very close to town center.

Leisure Family

6/10

Pleasant

26 Jan 2025

Gill

Couldn’t get TV to work

10/10

Exceptional

15 Jan 2025

Malcolm

As a truck driver facilitated a late arrival and earlier departure nice refresh for me

Business Self

8/10

Excellent

22 Dec 2024

Marlyn

Great location and lots of dining options 😊

Leisure Friends

8/10

Excellent

19 Dec 2024

Andrew

Great location and service.

Fantastic location! Clean, comfortable, friendly staff.

The all-wood building creaks a lot, so be prepared for a few bumps in the night!

Partner

4/10

Poor

14 Dec 2024

Kwok Wah

Too old

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

08 Dec 2024

Jim

Our stay was excellent. Great location, self contained room with fully stocked mini kitchenette. On reading other reviews, some people must go out of their way to find faults. Wanaka is a very lovely part of the South Island. Recommend.

Leisure

8/10

Excellent

07 Dec 2024

Alice

Close to downtown .

6/10

Pleasant

15 Nov 2024

Lisa

Although moderately clean, the room was quite run down. The drapes were falling off the rod and the sofa appeared worn and dirty. It's right next to a busy road so the sound of traffic could keep one up all night. The bed was comfortable and the location is convenient.

Business_and_leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

13 Nov 2024

Anthony

.

Leisure Friends

8/10

Excellent

06 Nov 2024

Richie

Great location close to town and the lake. The rooms are a bit dated but well maintained.

10/10

Exceptional

11 Oct 2024

Allan

Great greeting, property clean & amenities fine. Handy to shopping, dining, bars etc, would definitely use again and suggest to other travellers

Leisure Partner

2/10

Poor

10 Oct 2024

Nathalie

Shower not cleaned and vomit left in it. Very small fridge. Room very outdated and too much noise from other guests.

Leisure Partner

6/10

Pleasant

15 Jul 2024

Trent

Excellent location, close to supermarket and restaurants. Easy walk to the lake. Room is very dated. Not well laid out with tv and beds etc. Beds need updating

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

11 Jun 2024

Aaron

Great location

6/10

Pleasant

07 Jun 2024

Jamie

Ok for the price

The place was nice enough but quite old.
The heating was good.
Beds have been well slept in.

Friends_and_family Family

4/10

Poor

31 May 2024

Rajendrakumar

Quite expensive for a very basic wood paneled room.

Leisure Self

8/10

Excellent

14 May 2024

Nicholas

Great location in the heart of Wānaka, easy walk to all shops and lake front. Rooms are a little dated, but very tidy.

Business Self

4/10

Poor

10 May 2024

Marie

Very tired condition. Great location.

Leisure Friends

4/10

Poor

25 Apr 2024

Russell

Very disappointed with a loudly creaking ceiling/roof. Kept us awake both nights we stayed there.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

25 Apr 2024

Brad

Brilliant as always, great property super friendly and efficient staff. awesome locality five star all round

Business_and_leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

16 Apr 2024

Stephanie

Friendly and excellent location. Condition and decor dated but that is outweighed by great location and friendly staff. This was my 3rd stay at this motel.

Business_and_leisure Self

6/10

Pleasant

13 Mar 2024

John

Convenient location. Reasonable price.

Cooking facilities & preparation area could be better. Limited crockery etc.
Outside area & furniture in poor condition.

OK for an overnight stay but not ideal for the 7 nights we were there.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

12 Mar 2024

Amanda

We booked last minute as our travels changed and we got a huge room for a very reasonable price for just my husband and I. The woman who checked us in was very kind and helpful running through the property details because the front desk was not open 24/7, only in the afternoon. But she said if we needed anything in the morning to find her because she would be around cleaning the rooms. Our unit had a full kitchen and fridge, lots of dishes and glasses to use and 2 full balconies to enjoy the beautiful views of the surrounding mountains. It is one block from the lake and main strip with all the restaurants and shopping. There is a grocery store, New World that is right over the back, super convenient. Can't wait to visit again!

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

09 Mar 2024

Bouen

1 minute walk to all the restaurants and bars in Wanaka. Plenty of parking in the motel or outside on the road. The staff are super friendly and accommodating 10/10

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

07 Mar 2024

Verified traveler

Great for overnight stay. Close to main street and lake. Got a park in front of our unit so very lucky!

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

06 Mar 2024

ELIZABETH

Loved it , close to town , could cook our own food and the supermarket was right next door and free parking

Business_and_leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

04 Mar 2024

Daniel

This property was great. Very cosy and nice.

Leisure Family_with_children

6/10

Pleasant

04 Mar 2024

Colin

Aspiring lodge was ideal for a one night stop off. The motel was very tired looking and could do with modernising.

Leisure

6/10

Pleasant

02 Mar 2024

Lyndon

Not so hot!

This is an older motel.
Broken door knobs, microwave didn’t work, 2 burner stove was in poor repair, broken lights and bare bulb lighting fixtures. Building creaked and popped all night long!

Friends_and_family Family

6/10

Pleasant

26 Jan 2024

Tony and Linda

The unit was very comfortable. Our only concern was that we were not aware of the loud expansion noises that comes with a lockwood-type home. Had we been aware of this, we would not have booked. Plus the walls between units need better insulation as we had to put up with conversion next door at 1am for about 1.5hrs.

Business_and_leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

25 Nov 2023

Gina

Great location in Wānaka for walking, shopping, groceries, and dining. Spacious balcony at our room with nice view for an evening drink. Area was quiet after 10:00 pm. With some street noise before that (we were there on a Friday night). Nicely stocked kitchen, but bathroom was stocked with only hand wash soap dispenser at single (body wash?) dispenser in shower Used our own shampoo, conditioner, and body balm. Room had unique “ski chalet” appearance with wooden planks on walls and ceilings, Great look, but apparently the warm day and cool night, the result was a “popping noise” of shifting planks. If you are light sleeper, this is not a good option for you. Overall, a pleasant stay for us.

Leisure Partner

4/10

Poor

22 Nov 2023

Ruth

The room had a sink to wash cups etc but it drained in to the overflow of the bath/shower tub causing the water to flow in to the bath/shower tub leaving black bits in it - yuck!! One of the wall lights was held on with electrician's tape and another had no glass cover. The mattress was lacking in padding so not a very comfortable night. The shower also had a constant drip which could be heard in the bedroom.

Leisure Partner

6/10

Pleasant

14 Nov 2023

John

Room was clean but property is old and worn.

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

29 Sep 2023

Virginia

Great location. Insufficient onsite parking. Older wooden rooms. Our room creaked & cracked. However overall the room was fine & it was good having a kitchenette & sink.

Business_and_leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

25 Jul 2023

Geraldine

Nice and cosy timber interior. Close to everything.

Leisure Family

8/10

Excellent

20 May 2023

Gregory

Great location.

Moderately priced room with basic amenities and a great location - just a block or two from the lakefront park, restaurants, and shops. Nothing fancy and a bit dated, but just what we wanted for our night in Wanaka. Nice to have a kitchenette.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

17 May 2023

Ronald

A pleasant Alpine- like room and building in a great location. Close to supermarket, main street shops and lakeside walks.We were upgraded to enjoy a great mountain view from our balcony. Room and amenities very good. Only slight problem, found TV system impossible to navigate.

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

23 Apr 2023

Jeanette

The property was older and lacked some modern amenities.Very good for walking into town for shopping and meals.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

20 Mar 2023

Andrew

Central location while being quiet

Leisure Partner

4/10

Poor

28 Feb 2023

Yasmin

Will never book this place again

The room we got had wooden walls, which means lots of screech noises- all the time!!! This was extremely disturbing at night as it woke me up a few times, and thus didn't get a proper sleep. In addition, the room smelled funny- not because it wasn't clean but because of the wooden walls (that's what I assume). In addition, it was the only place, out of 13 I had booked on my trip, where there was no milk in the fridge left for us which was pretty annoying. Moreover, the heating and cooling appliances were noisy and I preferred just not to use them a lot. The only good thing about the place was the location- close to the lake. But there are other places located near the lake too. In short, I will never book there again.

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

27 Feb 2023

Simon

Poor welcome as I was 5 minutes early for check in and was told. Rooms are old, but you get what you pay for.

Leisure Self

8/10

Excellent

27 Jan 2023

Barbara

The location of the property is perfect. Free parking onsite. Laundry facilities were very convenient. One unique issue about the property is that it is a wooden structure built without nails, and therefore, when the wood expands or contracts, it makes noise. Very reasonably priced.

Leisure Partner

6/10

Pleasant

23 Jan 2023

Grant

The property was adequate for a short stay and very convenient to everything.
Con: Complete lack of privacy at both ends of room

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

08 Jan 2023

Ed

Excellent room and location

Waterfront and Main street just 1 block away and supermarket in backyard. Room was spacious. Outdoor table. Excellent.

Self

6/10

Pleasant

07 Nov 2022

Katherine

Perfect location
Quiet
Needs a spruce up
Parking tight

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

01 Sep 2022

Kathryn

Clean and tidy, with everything I needed. Super close to shops and restaurants.

Leisure Self

8/10

Excellent

27 Sep 2021

Matthew

Nice clean and tidy rooms. Rooms are large. Very central location. Good place.

Business

4/10

Poor

28 Jul 2021

Verified traveler

Unfortunately when we checked in to our unit absolutely reeked of curry - very very unpleasant.

We constantly had to ask for clean towels. We would have dried them had there been a towel rail large enough to take 2 towels or a heated rail - sadly the only towel rail was about 40 cm long.

Business_and_leisure Partner