All Seasons Remuera Dunkerron Motor Inn product reviews

I have had many experiences of staying in accommodation of all sorts, in lots of different locations, but my stay in this motel has to rate as one of the bottom three worst places ever. We arrived after a long and tiring trip, eager to hunt out somewhere for dinner and possibly some recovery from the car ride. While I waited in the car, my companion went in to sign and retrieve the key. After a minor hiccup in communication, resulting in our getting a room we couldn't park outside of and still have room for me to enter in my wheelchair, we were finally given a road-facing unit. Access was a long-winded process which entailed some illogical steps to complete. Once the place was opened, it became more apparent the '1-inch-step' we had been told about was closer to three leading through a smaller than expected door.

On entering the door, my focus was on the location of the bathroom (it was a long trip). I was a little perturbed by its location, but was sure, that given the size of the rest of the place, it would accommodate a 'chair. Well, I was kinda right... It did, but only after a semi-professional remodelling job was carried out. For some obscure reason, the door had been hung so it swung into the bathroom.

After deciding to abandon the bathroom, the decision was made to search out somewhere to have dinner. The restaurant attached to the hotel seemed a good choice, so we made our way up to the street. For me, this entailed nearly bursting a blood vessel trying to get up the incline of the driveway. Not at all helped by the fact that the cobblestones had seen better days and were in quite a bad state. I was glad that not too many trips needed to be made up to street level without the benefit of the car.

After a wholly mediocre (and overpriced) meal of fish, chips and salad, we retired to our room. Sky telly was a bust when we got back, as there were only 3 or 4 channels to choose from besides the terrestrial channels. Thankful I had bought my book, so I clambered onto my single bed. I almost lost my balance when I transferrred my weight to the side of the mattress, it was that soft. No good for someone with a back injury or prone to muscle spasms.

On the last day of our visit, things started off well but went downhill when, without prior warning, all water was shut off to our room. It was then followed by my friend going to settle the bill and being presented with unexpected charges as described by the last reviewer. I, too, have been in a similar situation, but the charges I was lumbered with were local area calls. And I thought all local calls, even from a business phone, would have been charged at a substantially smaller fee than $0.58 a minute.

In closing, now I know the name and location of this place, I have crossed it off my small list of places to stay if and when I go to Auckland. Really not that keen to go back.

First thing to keep in mind is that this is three star rated accommodation, and Auckland is not the cheapest place to stay, even during off season. I kept that in mind, and the unfortunate series of vandalisms in a number of units, as explained in advance by the Manager. Even so, I was more than a little disappointed with the state of the unit. Despite a long toll call a few days before my arrival, explaining that my travelling companion is in a wheelchair and clear access was required, we were assined a unit that would not allow me to park the car far enough away from the front door to allow wheelchair access, without then blocking the driveway with the rear half of the car. After some discussion with the Manager, a new unit was assigned... which was marginally better. Marginally. The room was well stocked with an assortment of teas and coffees, and even some drinking chocolate.. the jug of course, mugs, sugar, even a plentiful supply of single-serve milk containers... the usual soaps and shampoos, towels and facecloths... all up to par and as expected for any self-respecting motel, but nothing fancy.

I had opted for one of the 'standard' units, without the spa bath. This allowed me to get the seasonal special deal of $85.00 instead of the normal $108-$135 per night. This helped the budget a great deal, allowing me to extend my visit by an extra night. So for a treat I shot up for dinner at the Motel's own restaurant, where I had the Roast Pork with gravy and apple sauce, with a nice array of roast veges on the side. Well presented, reasonably well cooked, but I found it quite a bland meal, and could not see how they justified the $18.50 pricetag... a little higher than warranted. My co-Reviewer had an equally unappealing meal of fish and chips, again with a whoppa $18.50 price tag. The side of Garlic bread was scary... even at a reasonable $3.00 pricetag, the bread was burnt and the garlic butter tasted unpleasant. We decided to order out for food for the remainder of our stay.

The next morning brought my first direct experience of some of the vandalism this unit had suffered, with the bathroom a patchwork of minor repairs, from painting over someone's initials carved into the shower cubical wall, to paint peeling away from a hasty repair to the shower door framework. Nothing that can't be fixed when the unit's turn comes up in the 'big fix-it list' all rental accommodation generates... but the mould growing in every corner of the shower cubicle really put me off, and I felt that I had to clean it before I could use it... which I did.

The 'step up' at the front door, and the sliding doors out to the communal courtyard were a little high... so despite the 'Wheelchair accessible' advertising... chairbound beware, all is not as it could be. Case in point, because of the size of the bathroom, and the way the door is hung, I had to dismount the bathroom door before my co-Reviewer could get to the toilet... and forget the shower. Spongebath is option 1-&-only really. Speaking of wheelchair access... access to the Restaurant was as simple as hauling themselves out of the unit and over a 6-15cm drop to the driveway (depending on which unit you are assigned to), push themselves up a steep ramp to the sidewalk about a metre above the drive level, then journey un the remainer of the hill to the corner, turn left, climb another slight grade to the start of the ramp that leads up to the restaurant... my co-Reviewer had 'words' about the climb required.

At check-in I was informed of the prices to use the broadband connection available in the unit... $0.68 per minute, with a maximum cap of $33-$34... WAY overpriced really... and they cap your traffic at 50meg, and charge you an extra $0.20 per meg after that. When I mentioned that I had been planning to do some online work, but that I felt the price would prevent that, the Manager and one other staff member suggested I simply unplug the phone and use dial-up. "Then it won't cost you a thing..." I was told, when I exclaimed that my ISP had an 0867 tollfree number I could use. Since she didn't mention any further charges, I was utterly floored when, upon check-out, she handed me a bill for $60.32 for phone calls! When I confronted her with the motel's own handbook, as placed in each room, and asked her to point out where it says local and 0800 calls are still charged (at the mind-blowing rate of $0.58 per minute, she informed me afterwards!)... her reply: "It says ALL calls are charged." "So whre does it state the call rates please?" I asked... "We don't specify charge rates, it just says ALL calls are charged." was all I could get from her. This was bordering on fraud, in my mind.
    • 1 - It was the suggestion from 2 staff that I use dial-up.
    • 2 - I was informed it would not cost me anything to use this method.
    • 3 - No charges were specified prior to me dialling up to the internet.
    • 4 - They were up-front about the Broadband charges, so why not the phonecall rates?
    • 5 - They got very rude to me when I queried the bill, and that is typical of people who know they are in the wrong but won't admit it.

Overall, this IS a 3-star place, but I think that despite the discount afford to me by seasonal price deals, I was ripped off at every stage. I have received FAR better accommodation at other Motels I have stayed at, NONE of whom have charged anywhere near as much as this for local and toll-free calls, this was well over 5 times higher! Most unimpressive. And to top it off and add insult to injury... the water was cut off while I was in the middle of having a shower on check-out day! If check-out is at 10am, and check-in is at 1pm... why cut the water off at 9:30am?! Why not at 10:30am when everyone is out?! Just incredible. I honestly feel that, despite their willingness to be helpful to those of us who have forgone the evils of a credit-card, the whole experience was a major let-down... I will never spend another cent at this place, for sure, and if this is an indication of the 'acceptable behaviour' that the Accor chain endorse... well, I think I'll use another chain-brand.