Anchorage Motor Lodge

HOTEL OVERVIEW

You know what? I wasn’t expecting much from the Anchorage Motor Lodge when I first pulled up to 26 West Quay – I mean, “motor lodge” doesn’t exactly scream luxury, right? But honestly, this place surprised me in the best way. The location is actually perfect if you want to be right in the thick of things without dealing with the tourist chaos. You’re literally steps from Napier’s inner harbor, and I could hear the gentle lapping of water from my room (which was oddly soothing, not annoying like I thought it might be). The Art Deco buildings are right there too – you can walk to most of the famous earthquake reconstruction sites in maybe ten minutes, fifteen if you’re taking your time and actually reading the plaques.

What really got me was how the staff seemed to actually know Napier, not just the basic tourist stuff. The guy at reception – I think his name was Mike? – gave me this whole rundown about which wineries in Hawke’s Bay were worth the drive versus the ones that are just Instagram pretty. He was right about Craggy Range, by the way. The rooms themselves are clean and comfortable, nothing fancy but everything works properly (you’d be surprised how rare that is). I had a harbor view room and could see the cruise ships coming in early morning, which was kind of mesmerizing with my coffee. The Wi-Fi actually worked throughout the building – even down in what I assume was the basement parking area, though I only discovered that because I got lost looking for the ice machine.

Here’s the thing about staying on West Quay though – you’re going to hear some street noise, especially on weekend nights when people are bar-hopping along the waterfront. It’s not terrible, just something to know if you’re a super light sleeper. The walls seem pretty solid between rooms at least. Parking was easy enough, and honestly, having a car here makes sense because while you can walk around central Napier just fine, you’ll probably want to explore the wider Hawke’s Bay region. I ended up driving out to Cape Kidnappers one day and Te Mata Peak another – both totally worth it. The lodge sits at that sweet spot where you’re close enough to walk to dinner (there’s this great little seafood place called Emporium just around the corner), but you can also easily get out of town for day trips. For a 4-star place with an 8.1 rating, the Anchorage delivers exactly what you’d hope for – nothing groundbreaking, but solid, comfortable, and staffed by people who seem to genuinely like helping visitors figure out Napier.