Distinction New Plymouth Hotel

The location was just ideal for dining out. We had a lovely dinner across the road, and a groovy breakfast next door. The rooms felt very hygienic and clean. The styling and size were suitable for an overnight business trip. No issues at all with the hotel and location. I'd recommend Distinction for work trips.

The check in time of 7pm was an issue due to travelling after work from out of town. It was made clear, however sometimes things happen and departure and/or arrival is delayed and so this put a bit of pressure on us. The staff member corresponding with us made sure to explain we don't arrive after check in time in the future, rather than just doing customer service "all good I can wait 10 minutes". We all know no one wants to wait 10 minutes, but in hospitality, this is surely more often the case. I just felt she was stressed and grumpy about her job, and that's not great customer service to me. I said thanks for waiting for us, and she said I didn't wait for you, I've been delayed all day.

I wanted to be near the TSB Theatre. This was literally five minutes’ walk away. Surrounded by cafes and restaurants it was a perfect place for me. The staff member on reception was one of the nicest reception people I have met. I was met with a smile, very polite, very helpful, sociable, and engaging. This person is a real asset to the establishment. I was working from my laptop in my room when the cleaner arrived. Again, very polite, and pleasant - undertook her duties with the least amount of fuss.

I was surprised that there were no facilities for heating or eating food in the room. There was coffee & tea and a jug with glasses and cups. But no microwave and no plates nor cutlery. Even if I was not going to prepare some food (with the restaurant currently under refit) I could have ordered food in. I would not have been able to eat it without some form of tools. Although it was not a search criterion for me, this is the first time I have encountered this. Tea was finally eaten with a teacup and a teaspoon! This did not detract from my enjoyment during my stay.

Friendly, knowledgeable staff on arrival, great communication regarding limited reception hours. Room was clean and tidy, spa bath was nice, location was central, so everything was within walking distance. No problem finding a carpark in the hotel carpark. Great price.

Key card was a little niggly but not worth complaining about. Air con struggled with the very hot day but managed ok.

Staff were friendly. Room service was done daily where the bed was made up and used towels were replaced including toilet paper and toiletries. Location was accessible to restaurants and supermarkets and free carpark.

The bed was too soft and the side where you laid your head was lower than the other end. Shower could do with some maintenence to remove the stains.

The bed was comfortable, pleased to be able to park car and that it was free was a real bonus. Staff we saw were great to deal with.

The pillows were a little on the thin side. Wasn’t keen on the spa bath/shower combo, as I have bilateral knee replacements so when climbing in and out of the spa bath I was concerned about slipping or tripping. Disappointed that restaurant wasn’t open.

The location was a very short walk from the sea front and the restaurants. The hotel was modern, smart and very well appointed. Staff were a joy.

This hotel in former life had a bar and a restaurant but neither of those were available, I presume because of the change of ownership. A pity because those facilities would make this hotel the best.

Very comfy beds, in room air con, and a stand-alone shower instead of over a bath was awesome. Couldn’t hear anyone around you, slight street noise (was a Friday night though), could only hear plumbing if you were listening for it. Shower pressure was amazing, and the shampoo, conditioner, bath gel and body lotion smelt really nice. Plenty of choice of tea, and even had choices of pillows. Had a nice view of the city from our 3rd floor window, which was nice to wake up with the sun shining through. There were plenty of nice bars and cafes in the next street over, and some good shops too. We were scheduled to arrive quite late and staff were very accommodating. Tip: don’t keep your key card by your phone 😆

Only thing would be pillows were quite soft but that’s just personal preference

This was either the 3rd or 4th time we have stayed here, the staff are always friendly and helpful the hotel is always clean and pretty well maintained (they have been renovating since we first stayed), our rooms have always been spacious and very comfy!

There was no restaurant onside, due to staffing issues!!

Location was handy to CBD. Friendly reception staff. Comfortable bed.

Nightclub next door was noisy. Hotel restaurant was closed during our stay with no alternatives offered. Rooms were not sound proof.

Spacious lounge, comfortable beds, well appointed rooms, located in easy reach of everything down-town.

My bed could have been a bit firmer. Didn't like not being able to control when the bathroom fan went on (noisy when it did suddenly start up out of the blue). These were small things - not trip spoiling.