Staying at CityLife Wellington

CityLife Wellington. Photo / Supplied

Eli Orzessek checks in to CityLife Wellington.

Getting there: Pretty simple — the hotel is right on Lambton Quay. I walked there from the train station. There's a back entrance for cars on Gilmer Terrace.

Check-in experience: Easy and breezy. I arrived on a quiet Easter Sunday morning and was pleasantly surprised to find a room was already ready for me, as I didn't feel like wandering the streets for hours.

Room: An Executive Two Bedroom Suite, with a full kitchen, dining area, lounge and two queen bedrooms — one of which can be converted into two singles.

Price: From $233 on weekends, but the price depends on when you book.

What's so good about this place? Its central location on the main drag — you can walk to most places you'd want to see in the inner city.

What's in the neighbourhood? Plenty of shops and restaurants — although a lot of them were closed during my visit due to Easter. I walked to City Gallery and Te Papa which were both open, thankfully. The cable car to the Botanical Gardens is just down the road too.

Toiletries: Manuka Spa shampoo, conditioner and bodywash.

Food and drink: Breakfast is on offer, but I left too early to have any.

The bed: A comfortable queen bed, which I slept very well on.

A room with a view? My room was at the back, so not much to see.

Bathroom: Small, but functional. It also had a washer and dryer which was useful for sorting out the wet togs and towel I'd carried in my bag from Rotorua to Wellington.

Free Wi-Fi? The package included 2GB free and I had no problems with the service.

Noise: Occasionally a bit from the other rooms, but nothing to keep you up.

Room service: CityLife offers menus from a few local restaurants.

Perfect for: Families. It's a good-sized space to spread out in and the kitchen and laundry facilities would be really useful. Kids under 14 can also enjoy breakfast for free during school holidays and weekends, when dining with their parents.