Hotel BreakFree on Cashel (Christchurch, New Zealand)

Rooms are clean and comfortable. They are remarkably quiet too. There are plenty of places to eat nearby but the on-site breakfast option is as good as most in the vicinity.

Staff members – for the most part – are friendly and helpful. So too are the management who seem to have a very much ‘hands-on’ approach. Some reception staff can be a bit ‘sniffy’, but management always go out of their way to be helpful.

This city centre setting, within walking distance of attractions, is a prime feature. Also and particularly given the city centre location, rooms are remarkably quiet.

Rooms can’t be faulted for cleanliness and comfort but if, prior to your stay, you have a slight claustrophobic problem ... it will be more pronounced by the time you leave. Rooms are very small and cramped and not helped by windows that fail to open. Some don’t have windows at all and have all the appeal of a hostel room. Air conditioning is noisy and intrusive.

It’s advisable not to have a mood in the bathroom, as the room’s mood lighting system doesn’t extend there. You probably will have a mood when faced with the cost of Wi-Fi. This isn’t a major expense but in an age where most hotels supply it free, the tendency is to feel somewhat disgruntled at having to pay anything.

There is little, if any, parking here and no assistance is offered to paying guests – strangers in town – as to what solutions are available. There are some spaces, but at a cost. It would just be nice if the hotel took an interest in the problem.