The Godley Hotel

You get what you pay for ...

Positiv: The price was good. The location was right across from Lake Tekapo.

Negativ: So yes, the price is cheap. Our room cost us about $62 USD. But when you figure you can stay at Motel 6 in the states for 39.99 USD , this place made the Motel 6 seem like the Ritz Carlton. Firstly, it's winter and very cold. The rooms are freezing and only equipped with a small heater that did absolutely nothing. I didn't even get out of my coat for a couple hours until I needed to take a shower. The bathroom was even colder as there is no heater in there. The rooms only come with a certain amount of hot water. And when you do try to turn the water to hot, the water pressure drops to nothing. So basically warm water trickles out and it's pretty impossible to really clean yourself. All this why you're shivering from and trying to get done before the hot water all but disappears. Secondly, room is very dirty. There floor is something you don't even want to think of walking on without shoes or sandals. The furnishings all have stains, holes, discolorations, bodily fluids of some kind, etc. Sections of wall were even missing in our room. It looks like it was built in the 50s or 60s and never refurbished. The radio on the nightstand had to be the first radio in recorded history ever built. No joke. Luckily the bed did have an electric blanket. That was the only saving grace that didn't cause me to die of hypothermia in the night. Again, not being dramatic. Also we were told on the website there was free WiFi but that's not the case. You sign up through some 3rd party and pay and it took several tries to even get it to work. So basically you get nothing. The room is cheap but other hotels for the same price offer more value. This hotel provides little heat. Little hot water. No WiFi. Uncomfortable beds. Dirty rooms. I've stayed in $20 a night hostels that offer cleaner, better quality accommodation with more amenities. I wouldn't recommend this place to anyone. If I had paid $30 or something I wouldn't have complained but considering I paid the same amount a few nights earlier for a place in Omarama that was actually really nice, it is totally unacceptable.

A great location wasted by poor maintenance

Positiv: Easy to access the lake.

Negativ: The sink was stained, and without hot water. The bath tub had separated hot and cold taps. That is to say you cannot wash your face with warm water in the morning except using the shower.