Best Motels in Nelson: Studios and Apartments Across the City
Nelson takes visitors for all sorts of reasons, and the right motel usually depends on why you are in town. The five below are spread across the city, from Waimea Road and Rutherford Street near the centre out to Tahunanui Drive and Golf Road by the beach, and each publishes its own room types, facilities and location detail.
1Admirals Motor Inn
Admirals Motor Inn sits on Waimea Road, within walking distance of central Nelson but set back from the busiest part of town. Accommodation runs from economy and budget studios through standard and executive studios to one and two bedroom apartments. Guests arrive for hospital appointments, college open days, corporate contracts, conferences and sporting fixtures, and the team handles group and team bookings direct.
Services
- Economy and budget studios
- Standard studios
- Executive studios
- One bedroom apartments
- Two bedroom apartments
Highlights
- Free onsite parking for guests
- Free Wi-Fi throughout
- Approximately 600 metres from Nelson College and Nelson College for Girls
- Close to Nelson Hospital, used by patients, visiting family and healthcare staff
- Group, team and corporate bookings arranged direct with the local team
Customer Feedback
Location & Contact
Name: Admirals Motor Inn
Address: 26 Waimea Road, Nelson 7010
Phone: 03 548 3059
Website: admiralsmotorinn.co.nz
Contact Admirals Motor Inn via Email
2Arcadia Motel
Arcadia Motel is a self-contained motel on Golf Road in Tahunanui, a short walk from the beach and a couple of minutes from Nelson Airport. Its studios and apartments come with full kitchens, Sleepyhead beds and smart televisions carrying a satellite package. Over 106 solar panels supply the property, and every apartment has off-street parking in the courtyard setting. The operators also arrange business functions, catering and golf trips.
Services
- Super King standard studios
- Executive studio with spa bath
- Studio Xtra for small families
- One bedroom apartments
- Two bedroom and large two bedroom apartments
Highlights
- Full kitchen facilities in every unit
- Unlimited fibre Wi-Fi free to all guests
- Over 106 solar panels installed
- Off-street parking for every apartment
Location & Contact
Name: Arcadia Motel
Address: 36 Golf Road, Tahunanui, Nelson 7011
Phone: 03 548 6791
Website: arcadianelson.co.nz
3Century Park Motor Lodge
Century Park Motor Lodge is a 14 unit, smoke-free motor lodge on Rutherford Street, about a five minute flat walk from the Nelson CBD, the Cathedral and the museums. The studios range from standard queen rooms in accessible or shower configurations through to executive and deluxe king spa studios. Continental breakfast can be delivered to the room, every unit has free unlimited Wi-Fi and a smart TV, and the whole property is smoke-free.
Services
- Standard queen access studio
- Standard queen shower studio
- Executive king spa studio
- Executive twin spa studio
- Deluxe king spa studio
Highlights
- 14 self-contained apartments, all smoke-free
- Two Type 2 electric vehicle charging stations
- Continental breakfast delivered to the room
- Free unlimited Wi-Fi and smart TVs in every room
Location & Contact
Name: Century Park Motor Lodge
Address: 197 Rutherford Street, Nelson 7010
Phone: 03 546 6197
Website: centuryparkmotorlodge.com
4Bella Vista Motel
Bella Vista Motel Nelson is an 18 unit, non-smoking property on Tahunanui Drive, part of the nationwide Bella Vista network and Qualmark assessed at four star Gold. Accommodation covers compact queen studios, superior king studios, twin and triple studios and a one bedroom family unit. The motel publishes drive times of two minutes to Tahunanui Beach, four to Nelson Airport and ten into central Nelson.
Services
- Compact queen studio
- Superior king studio
- Twin and triple studio
- One bedroom family unit
Highlights
- Qualmark assessed four star Gold
- 18 self-contained, fully serviced units
- Non-smoking throughout
- Wheelchair access unit available
- Type 2 EV chargers on site, pre-booking required
Location & Contact
Name: Bella Vista Motel
Address: 178 Tahunanui Drive, Tahunanui, Nelson
Phone: 03 548 6948
Website: bellavista.co.nz/our-motels/nelson
5Riverlodge Motel
Riverlodge Motel is an 11 unit motel on Collingwood Street in The Wood, an easy walk from central Nelson and the Maitai River. Room types run from the Maitai and queen studios through deluxe and large studios to a one bedroom apartment, and units can be combined up to a four bedroom configuration for larger groups. Guest bicycles are available to borrow, and the motel has a wheelchair accessible unit as well as two pet friendly rooms.
Services
- Maitai studio
- Queen studio
- Deluxe studio
- Large studio
- One bedroom apartment
Highlights
- 11 units, combinable up to a four bedroom configuration
- Two pet friendly rooms
- Wheelchair accessible unit
- Guest bicycles available to borrow
Location & Contact
Name: Riverlodge Motel
Address: 31 Collingwood Street, Nelson
Phone: 03 548 3094
Website: riverlodgenelson.co.nz
Motels in Nelson at a Glance
| Business | Highlight |
|---|---|
| Admirals Motor Inn | Free onsite parking for guests |
| Arcadia Motel | Full kitchen facilities in every unit |
| Century Park Motor Lodge | 14 self-contained apartments, all smoke-free |
| Bella Vista Motel | Qualmark assessed four star Gold |
| Riverlodge Motel | 11 units, combinable up to a four bedroom configuration |
How to Choose the Right Motel in Nelson
- Start with why you are in town. Hospital visits, college events, conferences and beach holidays all point to different parts of the city.
- Check the room type rather than the star rating. A studio, a one bedroom apartment and a two bedroom apartment suit very different groups.
- Look for a kitchen if you are staying more than a night or two, since most Nelson motels are self-contained.
- Ask about parking. Some properties allocate a park to every unit, others share a courtyard.
- If you drive an electric vehicle, confirm charging before you arrive, as several Nelson motels require pre-booking.
- Book early for event weekends. Sports tournaments and conferences fill Nelson accommodation quickly.
Frequently Asked Questions About Nelson Motels
What does a Qualmark rating tell me about a Nelson motel?
Qualmark is the New Zealand tourism industry’s official quality assurance programme, and its star ratings reflect an independent on-site assessment of facilities and service. On this page, Bella Vista Motel is Qualmark assessed at four star Gold. You can read how the ratings are awarded on the Qualmark website. Plenty of good motels choose not to take part, so an unrated property is not necessarily a lesser one.
Which motels are closest to Nelson Hospital?
Admirals Motor Inn on Waimea Road is the closest of the five to Nelson Hospital and names hospital visitors as one of its main guest groups. Century Park Motor Lodge on Rutherford Street is also within the central area. If you are travelling for an appointment or supporting family, it is worth saying so when you book, as motels often try to place those guests in quieter units.
Where should I stay for Nelson College or Nelson College for Girls?
Admirals Motor Inn publishes a distance of approximately 600 metres from both schools, which makes it walkable for open days, boarding visits and sports fixtures. Central options such as Century Park Motor Lodge are a short drive. School event weekends are among the busiest in the Nelson calendar, so book well ahead.
Which motels are near Tahunanui Beach?
Arcadia Motel on Golf Road and Bella Vista Motel on Tahunanui Drive are both in the Tahunanui area. Bella Vista publishes a two minute drive to the beach, and Arcadia is a short walk from it. Both are also close to Nelson Airport, which suits early flights.
Are there motels in Nelson with electric vehicle charging?
Yes. Century Park Motor Lodge has two Type 2 charging stations on site, and Bella Vista Motel also offers Type 2 charging, though it asks guests to pre-book it. Availability is limited at both, so confirm when you make the reservation rather than on arrival.
Which Nelson motels suit families or larger groups?
Riverlodge Motel can combine units up to a four bedroom configuration, Arcadia Motel has two bedroom and large two bedroom apartments, and Admirals Motor Inn offers one and two bedroom apartments alongside its studios. Bella Vista has a one bedroom family unit. For sports teams or a group booking, contacting the motel directly usually works better than booking rooms one at a time.
Can I take a dog to a Nelson motel?
Riverlodge Motel publishes two pet friendly rooms. Always arrange a pet stay in advance, as pet rooms are limited and conditions vary between properties.
Which part of Nelson should I stay in?
If you want to walk to restaurants, the Cathedral and the museums, look at Rutherford Street, Collingwood Street or Waimea Road near the centre. If you want the beach, the airport and the Great Taste Trail, Tahunanui is the better base. Nelson is compact enough that either choice keeps the rest of the city within a short drive.
How We Chose the Best Motels in Nelson
Every business in this guide was found by searching for motels in Nelson, then checked against what the business publishes itself: its own website, or where it has none, its official social or booking page. Names, addresses and phone numbers come from those pages rather than a directory feed, so what you see here is what the business says about itself. We also check that each one is still trading and is actually based in or genuinely serving Nelson, rather than a national operator running a local landing page. A business we can’t confirm from its own pages is not listed.
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