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Reviews of The Pier Hotel and Restaurant

2.5 out of 5
The Pier Hotel and Restaurant
1 Avoca Street, Kaikoura

Reviews

8.0

Very good

Rating 10 - Excellent. 58 out of 188 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 75 out of 188 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 40 out of 188 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 12 out of 188 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 3 out of 188 reviews" "

8.0/10

Cleanliness

8.2/10

Staff & service

7.8/10

Amenities

6.8/10

Property conditions & facilities

8.4/10

Eco-friendliness

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Chris xingshua

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Great place to stay with. Highly recommend and thank you.😁
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2023

8/10 Good

Sergio

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Old building but with nice views, needs some renovations tho
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2023

8/10 Good

Jonathan

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2023

6/10 Okay

DAVID

Stayed 1 night in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

Gareth

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Great sea views. Service an restaurant. "old school" charm.
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2023

10/10 Excellent

Connie

Stayed 1 night in Feb 2023

8/10 Good

Barbara

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities
This is a great place for a short stay. As close to the sea as you can get with a balcony to enjoy afternoon views. The restaurant lived up to expectation. The crayfish was fresh and a reasonable cost. The staff were very customer focused and friendly.
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2023

10/10 Excellent

Terence

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Thanks staff you rock!
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2023

10/10 Excellent

Roger

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
New favourite place in Kaikoura
Go with an open mind and enjoy yourself at great value. I was lucky with my room choice and whilst not all rooms get the balcony I believe you can see and hear the sea from all of them. Bed was comfortable and room spacious. Shared facilities yes but the shower was amazing and everything spotless. Breakfast is self-serving from a private lounge and an unlimited stocked cereal bar, with yoghurts and toast. The restaurant is busy but it is all over and closed by 10pm so no noise at night except the sea. Exceptional value and nice staff. Because the restaurant is so busy I would suggest you reserve a spot with your hotel reservation at least for the first night (Kaikoura is struggling with eateries at the moment).
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2023

8/10 Good

Deborah

Liked: Amenities, property conditions & facilities

8/10 Good

Tony

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Great pub. Very nice rooms
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2022

10/10 Excellent

Richard

Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2022

8/10 Good

Peter

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Didn't like that I didn't have my own bathroom.
Response from Pier on 16 Dec 2022
HI Peter, we only have 1 ensuite room and the others share bath and toilet facilities. It does state this on our website.

10/10 Excellent

Miles

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Historic hotel in beautiful setting. Close to interesting walks. Superb restaurant and bar. Excellent prices.
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2022

10/10 Excellent

Angela

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Outstanding wee pub, everything you need for a comfortable nights stay. Recommend the restaurant - amazing food but be sure to call and book a table before you stay as it is super popular.
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2022

4/10 Poor

Alan

Travelled with partner
Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
We didn't stay in the end. The room and ensuite were very dated, no tv, uneven floor. Stairs not vacummed. Staff lovely and the meal delicious. In the breakfast room where you help yourself, they were well stocked with gf options as well.
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2022

10/10 Excellent

Ellen

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
friendly service and relaxed atmosphere.
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2021

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
All good
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2021

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Fantadtic location, quiet, great views, great food, helpful staff, no complaints!
Stayed 1 night in May 2021

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Character hotel, brilliant staff and management, excellent restaurant
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2021

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Travelled with partner, Travelled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The style the staff the food the shared amenities the location
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2021

8/10 Good

CHARLES

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Nice hotel with a great restaurant
Good room with a modern en suite. This is a well converted older hotel with charm and good facilities. The breakfast room is small with simple but adequate cereals and there is a balcony where you can sit, look out over the bay and watch the world go by. The dining room is the crown however, with excellent food and this means you don't have to go into town for dinner. It is necessary to book as it is very popular, but despite it being full when we arrived, the receptionist said she "will make sure we can eat there." Kaikoura town is a reasonably long but very enjoyable walk along the sea front, but only a short car ride and there are interesting walks around the point.
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2021

10/10 Excellent

Adrienne, Southland

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Friendly staff easily accessible and clean. Just loved the crayfish.
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2021

10/10 Excellent

Suahm

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Beautiful area and service.
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2020

10/10 Excellent

Lynda

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Highly recommended
The Pier Hotel does not proclaim to be a 5 star hotel. However, it offers inexpensive, friendly and very good value for money. I would definitely stay again. The breakfast was a nice addition. Beds were comfortable, the place was clean, a lovely old building.
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2020

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
It was quirky & old faahioned. Did not like breakfast options & wifi could not cope qith streaming.
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2020

10/10 Excellent

deborah

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Rustic on the peninsular
Lovely old place. Beautiful outlook. Right on the edge of the peninsular. Great access to the beach. Utilised the restaurant which served great food, reasonably priced. Friendly staff.
View from our table.
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2020

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2020

10/10 Excellent

Gail, Canterbury

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Absolutely fantastic , the staff work so hard and nothing is to much trouble and always smiling Will definitely be back
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2020

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities
Meals are always good. While decor is dated the mattress on the bed was top quality and very comfortable. Ensuite was clean. Good value for price in kaikoura.
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2020

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
A lovely old pub with lots of character, hard to find these days!
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2020

8/10 Good

Dianne

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, room comfort
Great spot
It was good
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2020

4/10 Poor

Verified traveller

Stayed 1 night in Mar 2020

2/10 Terrible

Verified traveller

Travelled with partner
Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The greeting we received was poor and it was an indicator of how the rest of the stay would pan out . At $143.00 per ight for their best room it was extremely excessive . Anywhere else in NZ this poor quality of ammenities is $75 a night . We should have walked out after the greeting but hoped it would improve . The upstairs tv , furniture/fittings are a joke . Our ensuite smelt and the toilet and shower were more than ancient . Luckily we did not use the shared facilities . We have stayed at hotels from 2 to 5 star around the world and this was bar far the most overpriced underperforming accomodation we have stayed at in over 40 years of commercial travel . We had a meal and the Seafood ? Chowder was warm , had it replaced and advised when paying that the service at table was sub standard . No concern shown by the Manager ?? . We have eaten here many times pre earthquake and and thought maybe ownership had changed but were advised this was not the case . Our questions are , Why is this low level of untrained ,uncaring staff working in this operation , why is the accomodation so expensive when the state of rooms/ammenities so pathetic ? . Other guests were unhappy when we talked about it . Having managed and still owning our own businesses we could offer plenty of constructive advice . IT WAS A NIGHT OF LOW QUALITY ACCOMMODATION and service WHICH I UNFORTUNATELY PAID 214 HARD EARNED DOLLARS FOR , BUT NEVER AGAIN WILL I GO ANYWHERE NEAR THIS GROSSLY OVERPRICED DUMP .
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2020

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Great location. Friendly service and people. Good restaurant. Historical feel.
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2020

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Great traditional pub feeling, clean and comfortable. Amazing restaurant
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2020

4/10 Poor

Zahra

Travelled with family
Disliked: Staff & service, room comfort
very basic. Don’t recommend for more than one night
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2020

10/10 Excellent

Jeff, Maryland USA

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
This is a vintage historic hotel, so it is "quirky", but nice. Dont expect modern. Hotel restaurant is local "in" spot and you need reservations for dinner but well worth it. Outside eating areas have great views of the bay and coastline. Rooms are small but there is a community lounge with breakfast, with vintage furnishings. Upper balconies are nice to end the day on with a drink.
Stayed 3 nights in Jan 2020

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Staff were great, service awesome, food good and price was good
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2020

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2019

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Fabulous food Wonderful views Good rooms, comfortable bed Nice people We really enjoyed our stay
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2019

6/10 Okay

James

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Disliked: Room comfort
Beware Room 5 - no bigger than low bed, no chair
The rooms in this hotel are each different. I was in Room #5 which had was barely inches bigger than the Queen-sized bed, leaving barely enough room to walk the bed. There is no chair, table, or desk, the bed being the only place one can sit. The bed is VERY low and rather soft, making it very hard to get out of. The toilet(s) associated with this room are down the hall, which is OK, but the space is barely big enough to get into through the door. Other rooms seem bigger The hotel does have history and character, and also has a very good restaurant on the ground floor.
Stayed 3 nights in Nov 2019

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
Victorian property with original features. Good position, outstanding restaurant. Rooms need refurbishment.
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2019

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Lovely heritage hotel with friendly, helpful staff. Not modern and up to date, but that was part of the charm.
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2019

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Business traveller, Travelled with partner, Travelled with group
Liked: Staff & service
Dinner was lovely, the rooms were adequate. Should have read the small print re no en-suite.
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2019

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
The rooms were very basic but the food was excellent.Reservations were needed to get a table both at lunchtime and dinner.This shows how popular it is.
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2019

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Travelled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The staff, food and location are the best things about the Pier Hotel. It rocks :o)
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2019

4/10 Poor

Verified traveller

Disliked: Amenities, property conditions & facilities
Run down hotel facilities, with poor breakfast (no milk, water, yogurt, etc)!
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2019

6/10 Okay

Verified traveller

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Disliked: Staff & service
The room was nice and clean and had everything we needed minus a fan. Breakfast was also good. The only major negative was that we booked a room a couple of weeks in advance only to arrive just prior to 2200 with no workers or keys to our room available. Fortunately there was a friendly guest who pointed us in the direction of an unoccupied open room where we ended up staying since we could not reach an employee on any of the numbers provided. So if you have issues while here good luck finding someone to help. We never got a key or wireless access prior to checking out. But hotel was nice.
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2019

8/10 Good

Tracey, Crofton BC Canada

Travelled with partner
Liked: Staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Funky old hotel. Good for the price. Friendly staff. Beautiful views.
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2019