The Sands

We stayed in room 208, which was in desperate need of a complete makeover. Everything felt old, and many items were broken or on the verge of breaking. The main bed was uncomfortable because it was very basic. The carpet also needed replacing, and the outdoor area should be entirely removed, as it was a broken, rusty mess on the dirty, unkempt deck. This was not at all what we expected when we booked this property, and it was very disappointing, to say the least. At $390 a night, we expected a much better experience.

Fantastic location with shops and a bar/restaurant underneath, more restaurants around the corner and Tahunanui Beach just across the road. We stayed in Apartment 307 which was spacious and very well appointed. However the cleanliness was just not up to standard. The first thing I noticed when I walked into the living area was a huge stain in the middle of the carpet. It looked as though someone had spilled their entire drink and just left it. There were other various small stains throughout the apartment. The ironic thing is that there is a sign on the front door saying "Please remove your shoes" - ummm no thanks, I don't want to be walking in bare feet all over God knows what on the dirty carpet! There was a small mark on one of the cream leather couches which I wiped off before I sat on it but the tissue I used came up black so obviously the couch had ingrained dirt and hadn't been cleaned in a very long time. I understand that this particular apartment is currently listed for sale but in the meantime it would be a great idea to actually have the carpet cleaned for paying guests.

This review is intended to help anyone considering working for the apartments. I signed on to help with housekeeping during the busy holidays. They were desperate for help as they are constantly losing staff because of how uncomfortable it is to work there. In short- there are huge amounts of drama going between the building manager and housekeeping manager on a daily basis which consistently negatively affects the cleaners. I was able to ignore most of it, as I was only helping out for 2.5 weeks, but felt the need to post a review when I was mislead and then underpaid on my last paycheck. I was asked to work on New Year's Day. I was the only cleaner to come in that day, which I agreed to do because I was told I'd be paid double time for working on a public holiday. The housekeeping manager told me this repeatedly (being very grateful that I was coming in so she could enjoy the holiday) and I had a separate conversation with the building manager specifically asking him about pay for that day before agreeing to it. When my paycheck came through, I wasn't paid double time as promised. When I contacted the building manager about it, he insisted that because New Years fell on a Sunday it didn't count as a public holiday. In short, he refused to pay what I had been promised multiple times. He knows that as a traveller on a working holiday visa that there isn't anything I can do about it. It's worth your time to find somewhere else to work and stay away from here- everyone needs help these days and I have found most Kiwis to be honest, upfront, laid back, and kind!

Nice apartments, everything was clean and well equipped with kitchen and laundry facilities. Great location, especially if you have young kids as the park is just over the road. Parking was nice and easy.

Stopped in to buy us a kai. Even though they were closing,they cooked us a beautiful kai of fresh cod and chips and our tin of sauce for $20. Thank yous for an awesome kai and The Southern Hospitality. The partner even knew where Otorohanga was. Ka pai 👍✌♥️