More about Museum Hotel
Museum Hotel
by fishandchips about Wellington
When I come to Wellington on Business I like to stay at the Museum. 1 big reason for me is that the Office is only a 5 minute walk but I do like the place as a hotel. It is smaller than most and a bit cosier but I like it. Harbour view rooms are more expensive but have a nice view over Te Papa which is just across the road.
The Museum hotel was originally located where Te Papa is sited. Engineers created a bit of history when they lifted the hotel onto wheels and moved back a few dozen metres to its current spot - hence the full name of Museum Hotel de Wheels. Nice views and very adjacent to Courtenay place and two of the foody side streets including my much loved One Red Dog restaurant.
Only hassle for me is breakfast if you get room servie. The time slots are divided into 30 minute periods so it's a bit of a lottery as to when you will get the food delivered. My last visit on 19 Feb 2007 had a timeslot of 7.30 to 8am & the food arrived just after 7.50 so a bit of a wait.
A very average hotel......
by TripAdvisor Member DavidAHongKong
We have just stayed for 3 nights at the Museum Hotel de Wheels at the end of a two week self drive tour of the North Island of New Zealand. Whilst the location of the hotel is good, just opposite the Te Papa Museum, the rest of our experience was pretty average and for the price paid, disappointing. The building actually looks like a concrete
bunker and although much is made of the fact that the hotel was moved 120 metres to make way for the Te Papa, one does wonder why they didn't just demolish it!! The lobby area is uninspiring, save for the artworks, whilst the rooms themselves are dated, tired and pretty unremarkable - this really isn't a 'boutique' hotel.
Although we booked a harbour view room with balcony, in reality you get a shared balcony with all the other rooms on the floor, which does raise a few security issues.
The bathroom was rather tired and in need of an update;
Parking is an issue here and is charged extra - most of the spaces were prereserved and even parking for a few minutes to drop of luggage before returning our hire car to the depot was a bit of a performance.
Reception staff were friendly and efficient.
We chose not to take breakfast in the hotel as both the restaurant and the bar were pretty uninspiring - and there are plenty of cafes within a 10 minute walk.
Great
by TripAdvisor Member yogiNewZealand
We have say the we were "almost" put off this accommodation by some negative comments but are so pleased that we wernt. This is a great place to stay. Our accommodation was a very upmarket (modern) one bedroom suite. Check in was smooth and the receptionist was excellent and friendly. The accommodation is clean and well maintained and the foyer is something to see!!
We highly recomend this hotel as an ideal place to stay and is so handy to restaurants theaters etc.
Great apartment
by TripAdvisor Member lac205
We stayed here three nights. My husband and I booked a regular room for us and an apartment for my parents. Our room was just average. It was small, clean and had all the basics, but a bit out of date. I did think the price was a bit expensive for a basic room. On the other hand, the one bedroom apartment was fabulous. It was very modern and had lots of great features, like large bathtub and rain shower, dishwasher, washing machine. I would definitely book an apartment here again.
The staff at the hotel were very friendly and helpful. The lobby area is fun and different without being over the top. I enjoyed my experience at the Museum Hotel, but we hung out in the apartment when we were indoors. If we had just stayed in our little room, it would have not been a truly memorable hotel and experience.
If I were reviewing just the apartment, I would give the hotel 5 stars. But, the regular room is worth only 3.
Best place to stay in Wellington
by TripAdvisor Member jupjup
We stayed in this hotel for a week, our room was in the service apartments section of the hotel, we loved it. It had a very functional
kitchen(very good coffee machine), beatiful bathroom and modern furnitures. If yoiu don't want to stay in a small hotel room, try this
one. Room service is also good. Pool and gym are not too big but clean
and new.
Do NOT book a Harbour View room.
by TripAdvisor Member JohnMSingapore
Stayed 2 nights January 2008. Harbour view room was disgustingly dirty, (see other reviews on TripAdvisor http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g255115-d256502-Reviews-or10-Museum_Hotel_de_Wheels-Wellington_North_Island.html#MIDC)
On getting to our room we were very disappointed.
· To say the room was dirty would be kind.
· I had asked for non smoking room but the place stank of stale smoke.
· There was a sand filled container on the balcony filled and surrounded with cigarette ends.
· The carpet was badly stained and dirty.
· The bathroom was very shabby with cracked floor tiles all over, hole in the door with some sort of glue running from it, and an extractor vent that hadn’t seen a vacuum or brush since the Titanic sank.
· The security catch on the door was missing.
· The white (sic) bathrobes hanging in the closet were covered with what looked like dried blood spots and stains.
· However, the most disgusting thing of all was the brown bed cover which had cigarette holes in it, muddy foot prints, but also appeared to have Semen stains in several places!! (At that point my wife was ready to leave)
I complained to the duty manager who inspected the room and agreed with my comments immediately and entirely. He moved us to another room which was very nice and clean, and with which we were satisfied.
However, the reason we chose the Museum Hotel in the first place was specifically for a harbour view, which is precisely what we didn’t get.
Left at reception a guest "We Value your feedback' form and also wrote twice to hotel manager Kathy Tipler, and as yet not even had the courtesy of an acknowledgement.
Your choice but we will never stay there again.
Simply Superb
by TripAdvisor Member PassingThr0ugh
I stayed over at the Museum Hotel on Saturday 16th February. I find the previous reviewer's comments incredible, it hardly seems like the same Hotel.
What I appreciated the most of the Hotel was the friendly service and the extra facilities (sauna, gym & pool). I used these on a wet Sunday morning, and found them to be fantastic...it was one of the reasons I booked.
The rooms are very tidy, without being exceptional - the Hotel does not bill itself as '5 star' (there are few of these in Wellington anyway), but the location is hard to beat, opposite Te Papa Museum and easily accessed from main transport links.
I loved the Victorian feel of the place, and the art displayed throughout - it makes a pleasant change from the bland likes of CityLife or Hilton Hotels. Well done!
convenient location, decent value
by TripAdvisor Member SJC_31
Just returned from Wellington where my girlfriend and I stayed a night in the Museum hotel on our way out. Overall it's a nice place. Check in was easy and friendly, our room was nice (no view whatsoever), comfy bed, decent bathroom. All you would expect of a decent, modern, city center hotel. It's biggest asset is it's location, which really is no more than 10 minutes walk from most of Wellingtons inner city attractions...
