A Comfortable Stay At The Rydges Hotel Wellington New Zealand

Rydges Hotel Wellington New Zealand

During our month-long trip to New Zealand, we took the ferry from the South Island to the North Island and decided to stay in Wellington for a few days. We needed a break from the outdoorsy stuff and wanted a few days to relax, do laundry and not have too much to do in one day. Wellington was the perfect place for us to do just that before continuing our road trip throughout the North Island of New Zealand.

If you are looking for a hotel that’s in walking distance to all the attractions, this hotel is a good one to consider. I will walk you through my experience at this hotel to help you decide if this hotel is for you.

The ambiance at Rydges Hotel Wellington New Zealand

Rydges Hotel Wellington New Zealand - lobby

The main lobby

This four-star hotel was a breath of fresh air for me after staying mostly in hostels during my month in New Zealand. My first impressions upon walking to the reception are the beautiful and modern designs in the lobby.

I didn’t learn until after my stay that Rydges is an Australian-based chain of hotels that operate in Australia, New Zealand, and London. Before my visit, I never heard of the brand Rydges and thought it was a one-off hotel in Wellington.

The hotel room at Rydges Hotel Wellington New Zealand

Rydges Hotel Wellington New Zealand - double beds

Our room with double beds

Because we were on a budget, we booked the cheapest room in the hotel and ended up with two double beds in the room. The room was clean, modern, and very roomy for two people. Another thing I liked about this hotel is that it’s well-priced, despite being in the land of expensive accommodation.

The room came with a small kitchen which came in handy for us. There was a small stove, microwave, toaster, kettle, and kitchen sink. Since the grocery store was a short walk away from the hotel, we were able to cook our meals during our stay. Pots and pans are also available, but you have to request them.

Rydges Hotel Wellington New Zealand - cutlery

Our room came with cutlery

Rydges Hotel Wellington New Zealand - kitchen

We had a microwave, stove, toaster and kitchen sink in our home

Rydges Hotel Wellington New Zealand - bathroom

The bathroom

The best part about this hotel stay was the FREE AND FAST WI-FI! Guys, you have no idea how valuable data can be in New Zealand, and it was one of the things I struggled with during our travels. Most accommodations often gave us very slow Wi-Fi that would be capped at 500mb (I KNOW RIGHT? Download a photo and you hit your limit!) or 1gb per night. Some places had those caps PER STAY.

We felt well rested after sleeping at the hotel as the room is peaceful and quiet.

Rydges Hotel Wellington New Zealand - minibar

The minibar

The service at Rydges Hotel Wellington New Zealand

The service was excellent during our stay. Check-in was smooth, and the staff were very polite. We had to check out 30 minutes after their check out time of 10:00 AM. I called reception to ask if it was ok and they had no problems with my late checkout. All I had to do was get them to reprogram my card since it automatically gets deactivated at 10 AM.

One thing I will mention is that if you pay with credit card, there’s a transaction fee of 2.0%

The location of Rydges Hotel Wellington New Zealand

Another great feature of this hotel is the location as it is ideal for sightseeing. This hotel is a short walk away to the Harbourfront and the Railway Station. Cuba Street and the Tepapa Museum is only a fun 25-minute walk from the hotel.

The area also had a grocery store worked out for us since we “cooked” most or our meals (aka reheating frozen food) while in New Zealand. What made me ever so happy was the Japanese restaurant that was a short walk away from the hotel. We couldn’t have found it at a better time because I was seriously craving Asian food big time.

The gym and pool at Rydges Hotel Wellington New Zealand

Rydges Hotel Wellington New Zealand - pool

This hotel had a great pool!

The pool at this hotel was great, and we made use of the jacuzzi and pool during our stay. There is also a small and well-ventilated gym for those who want to stay fit.