I stayed here for 1 night after driving 4 hours on the North Island, and taking the Bluebridge…read moreFerry - I figured I'd want a hotel RIGHT near the ferry so that I could rest / relax ASAP. It was "fine". Opting for a rest was probably smart vs. driving maybe to Blenheim to stay somewhere else but there is not much in Picton to see / eat even if for just 1 night. The view near the dock is nice during sunset though. The hotel itself really felt like it was there for the tired people like me :P The parking lot is small - I had to reverse all the way out of the lot because there was nowhere for me to turn around (and I had a small car). The WiFi SAYS free, but it is SUPER limited. We were both disappointed to read that in the notes as it advertises as FREE WIFI in all the hotel searches online. We limited our activity purposely, so we would not get charged and that was annoying. That being said, the room was fine... 2 twin beds, enough room to walk around a bit, a small couch and table and kitchenette area fit our needs. Bathroom was good - spacious albeit felt a bit revealing with the window and thin walls. A few restaurants / bakeries are within walking distance which is helpful. Overall, if I had to return to Picton again I would stay somewhere else even though nothing bad happened to me here... if that makes sense / is helpful.

This was actually possibly our favorite place we stayed as far as motels/hotels on our entire trek…read morethrough New Zealand. So first, the views. The name of the place says it all, and to my knowledge, every room has a view of the water about as spectacular as ours. That said, we were on the top floor, and while it's a walk to get up there, the views were great. Next, the owners. Very fun and personable and all together helpful. The motel had these night little touches in the rooms, it felt like home at times, and you can tell that's a tip of the way the owners operate. We really enjoyed chatting with them and everything they did to make the experience great. Finally, advice. Food, as you may now realize, is EXPENSIVE in New Zealand. There's a great fish and chips take away down the street (I think it's called Kiwi Takeaways). Go there, grab some grub to go (because by now you've stopped at the liquor store on the corner and gotten a nice wine or two) and go back, sit on your balcony, and enjoy the food, drink, and views of Picton!

Great view of the harbor and clean rooms. Only downside is it's pretty close to Main Street that…read morecan get loud sometimes. Otherwise great stay!

Spent the night in this nice quiet motel in the middle of Blenheim's CBD. Very welcoming hosts,…read moreeverything was easy, nothing seemed to be too hard to accomplish. Comfy king beds, pay TV and free internet. One of the cleanest motels I've stayed in. I'll be coming back.

It's a very nice hostel that is excellently run. I agree with everything the previous reviewer…read moresaid, in particular, it's a bit pricy, but not crazy, and there are lots of nice touches, like the binder of information and DVDs, the available hot water bottles, the warming blankets, and the hosts' suggestions, like a walk to see glow worms nearby. They also let you use their kayaks for 2 hours for free. It's a good launching or returning point for those doing activities along the Queen Charlotte Track. There's free wifi but it didn't work in the room, just in the living room. Hey have a laptop there for guests to use if run don't have their own devices. The wifi wasn't super fast but it loaded everything eventually, although i didn't try streaming. There's free instant coffee and tea, and various other foods frozen and for purchase. There's very little in the immediate area, but they have a full kitchen and bbq available for guests' use. There's a small parking lot. You go to the end of the road and it's on the left at the very end, inside the lot that's marked day parking only. It is after the point when google maps tells you you're there. The room was tiny, but the shared spaces were big and comfortable. I'd stay again, but I wish it were a little less expensive, although I wouldn't mind if I were going to be around to use more of the amenities.

Nicest YHA I've visited. The prices somewhat reflect this but are on par with others in NZ. Owner…read moreor manager is impeccably organized and well-sorted (for instance, there is a binder with an alphabetized list of 300 or so DVDs to borrow, complete with starring casts and ratings- All 4 Die Hard movies BTW!), the kitchen is nice, hot tub is very clean, and our room had a hair dryer, a heated clothes dryer/towel warmer rack, and he even gave us a 1/2 a can of camp fuel he had lying around. A great stop if you're hiking the Te Araroa or coming through Anakiwa after the Queen Charlotte Track.

We spent one night at this hotel while touring this part of the island. The hotel was good and we…read moreliked it. Our room was on the large side and was clean. The staff at the front desk were pleasant and informed us of the laundry facilities on the 3rd floor we could use ($4 to run the washer and dryer each). It's really was a good place to stay and I would stay here again. My only complaint is that the parking lot is too small and we had to park on the street.

Our first stay at a Scenic Hotel, but the experience was a great one. Desk personnel were so…read morewelcoming and helpful. Rooms were immaculate with everything we needed for our short stay. Breakfast was delicious, eggs, sausage, broiled tomatoes, sauteed mushrooms...all the things. Would definitely stay again.

I am in New Zealand for a holiday and have already stayed at the Bellbird Motel once. They have…read morecomfortable and very affordable rooms. I understand they have a new owner and manager. The manager, Alison, is very friendly and happy to help, just ask. I am on my way back to Picton for a week, and will be staying at the Bellbird again. I highly recommend you try this place out, especially if you are looking for basic comfort, cleanliness and affordability - Kiwi-style. Keep in mind, this is not a European or American resort!

Shangri-la has been found....pssss.....don't tell anyone…read more It isn't easy to get too..unless you boat in but... You can do an amazing hike in Nydia bay: Pickup some great snacks in Havelock btw. So we did it by doing a Car Key exchange as it is a one way trek. Start at Kaiuma Bay hike into the lodge and stay a few days. You will be treated by the Hosts Warren and Colleen to at true treat. They have a fridge stocked with beer and wine ( at a charge). Great cooked meals. Explore the gorgeous area or just strum on a guitar. Plenty of cool sleeping options. Hike out the either side to Duncan Bay / Tennyson Inlet to pickup your car Amazing serene place

This place is sweet as mate! (New Zealand lingo, heh)…read more As you can expect from a hostel in a small town of several thousand in New Zealand, there are travelers from all over the world here and they coexist happily. I sat in the TV room one evening and watched Benjamin Button with two fine gentleman from a foreign country. I cooked in the kitchen with even more people from even more foreign countries. The stay wasn't long enough here for me to make any friends, but I'm sure it would have been quite easy and possible. That being said, the people tended to keep to themselves and the area was relatively quiet. You won't find a party in Picton (as far as I could tell) and by extension, you won't find a party at Sequoia Lodge. There's a shuttle taking people around to known destinations and in the winter evenings there's free ice cream and brownies! Sequoia Lodge also has an outdoor hot tub you can reserve, as well as a TV room where I watched Benjamin Button with two guys from another country. Picton's a small town so you'll find everything you need to survive within walking distance, although you'll need some form of motorized transportation to get to any destinations in a reasonable amount of time. You're 30 minutes from wine country by car and just as far from Queen Charlotte Sound.