Set aside the automatic doors that didn’t work, the newly appointed concierge who didn’t know that the non-Tesla EV charging point was, and the lift that refused to take me to my room no matter how many times I tapped my key card … and the Novotel Rotorua is a joy!

My room had a view over the lake and that was a daily morning enticement to a brisk walk on the lakeside. The hotel’s proximity to Eat Streets meant I had ample choice of cuisine and was not limited to the less than creative breakfast and dinner budget offerings. Eat Streets was less than a five-minute stroll from the hotel’s main entrance.

Speaking of the main entrance, that is also where the reserved parking lots for Accor members are located alongside a solitary charging point for the EV owner who dares arrive in anything other than one of Musk’s electric vehicles.

The highlight of my three night stay at this hotel was the outdated kidney-shaped swimming pool warmed to a most comfortable temperature.

The 3 hot pools heated to 31 degrees C eased all my sore and tired muscles while the one plunge pool of 16 degrees C was a refreshing way to end a morning soak. I always felt so relaxed and revitalized every morning so I didn’t crave a caffeine wake up throughout the day. I finished every day with a swim and then an indulgent soak in one of the hot pools.

There was a rumor I heard of a room with its own private spa but I did not have time to look into it. It may be well worth investigating for my next visit which I hope will not be too long from now.

I would highly recommend a stay here just for the use of the pools but you would want to do it during the off peak winter months and make a bee line for the pool area at the very early hours of morning and late at night to avoid the crowd.