Magical Location for a Special Place
"Kaikoura is one of our favourite destinations and we enjoyed our stay at Anchor Inn Beachfront Motel so much we stayed another day, We will return."
-Our Awards and Guest Reviews
The Anchor Inn Beachfront Motel is rated "4 star plus" by Qualmark, which is New Zealand tourism's official quality agency. This rating is officially described as "Excellent - consistently achieves high-quality levels".
We have just been awarded the 2025 Travelers' Choice Best of the Best Hotel award! We are in the top 1% of Tripadvisors 1.6 million worldwide listings.
Links to read reviews directly from site:
Thrilled!
"We stayed in the 2 bedroom apartment and were thrilled with it. Kitchen had everything we needed, and entire apartment was well maintained, warm and comfortable. Host was extremely friendly (relatively new to the Anchor Inn) and made us feel very welcomed and valued."
- GlenUtter Perfection
"Loved the very beautiful views from our bed, what a gorgeous way to go to sleep and wake up to. Then there is the spa bath, oh my lord sleeping in there is another option. Kitchen has everything you need to cook but did i mention the view?"
-Beachfront Sunrise Spectacular!
"This super pet-friendly motel deserves ten gold stars!
The awesome new owners instantly made us feel right at home, and what a perfect location! Our large studio unit enjoyed uninterrupted ocean views with a lovely patio, and we woke up to the most fabulous sun-rise. Silent at night except for the sound of gentle rolling waves, just a 10 minute stroll along the beach you will reach cafes, restaurants, bars and all the special attractions on offer like whale and dolphin watching. In the other direction it’s just a 5 minute drive to see the seals at Fyffe Quay and walk the peninsula.
Facilities-wise these guys have thought of everything, we even had a full length mirror and a large vanity for our toilet bags which is so often lacking elsewhere. We’ll be back soon!"
Fabulous motel
"This motel is fabulous, perfect views of the ocean, sparkling clean rooms and very accommodating of our two small poodles. Christina & Jeff are wonderful hosts. Highly recommend staying here. We will come back!"
- JacqPerfect, just perfect
"Christina met me on arrival and was a terrific host. From sorting a room (I hadn't booked) to the room orientation, to recommendations for restaurants, to the fun banter, Christina was terrific. The room was excellent in size, amenities and comfort. This felt like home and being spoiled at the same time. Big thumbs up."
- PaulAbove and beyond!
"Owners go above and beyond to make you feel welcome and at home. Great location, ocean view, quiet part of town, short stroll to the center. Everything is very clean and well maintained."
- JanWonderful stay!
"We had a wonderful 2-night stay at this motel. The owners went above and beyond to make us feel welcome — even surprising us with a bottle of wine for my husband's 65th birthday, which was such a thoughtful gesture. The room was spotless, comfortable, and well-equipped. One of the highlights was being directly opposite the beach — we could watch the sunrise right from our room, which was absolutely magical. We also really appreciated that they have dedicated dog-friendly rooms, making it a perfect stay for both us and our two dogs. Peaceful location, beautiful views, and warm, genuine hospitality. Highly recommend — we’d definitely stay again!"
- Sue & MarkWould stay again!
"Great location, dog friendly, lovely friendly staff. The room was nice and warm ready for when I arrived with my two dogs. I would stay again as we were made to feel very welcome.
Rooms
Nice good size unit type room, open plan, lots of light, small kitchen area, living room and good size bathroom. Nice and clean and warm."
Unforgettable stay thanks to incredible host
"Our stay at The Anchor Inn was truly memorable, thanks to Jef’s outstanding hospitality. When I had unexpected car trouble, while travelling with my two children, Jef went out of his way to help us. His kindness and genuine care turned a stressful situation into a manageable one.
He was warm, welcoming and incredibly helpful. The rooms were spotless, beautifully maintained and the beds were comfy.
Thank you Jef- you went above and beyond. We’re so grateful and won’t forget your kindness!"
Beautiful motel
"Our family highly enjoyed our stay here. The owner that we spoke to is a character and was very helpful, not to mention patient with the children. Our room was extremely clean. The view was indescribably beautiful. We felt lucky to have found such a beautiful place for such a reasonable price."
- DaryneSo Accommodating
"Ownership changed in April and the new hosts are terrific, they were so accommodating and even allowed for an early check-in due to our room being available at the time.
We were caught out by a ferry cancellation and called to ensure a dog-friendly room was available and was offered a garden room which looked to have been recently renovated and was spacious and clean.
We made use of the on-site EV charger (which had a Type-2 plug) which was also very handy.
Great price, great location right on the beach front, and great local knowledge from the hosts. We will definitely be back the next time we are in Kaikoura."
Best Motel!
"After travelling around NZ for a month and staying in Hotels and Motels from Auckland down to the South Island, I have to say this motel was the cleanest and most well equipped than any others by far! (Including the luxury hotels)! We were travelling with our 14 year old dog so it was important for us to find places that prioritised his needs as well as our own. Our hosts Jeff and Christina went above and beyond for us, the standard of service and care in their accommodations was exceptional and the location and views from the rooms were amazing. 10/10 for this accommodation, we will definitely be back for future visits!"
- MuffitPerfect
"The view was spectacular. The owners delightful and so very helpful...above and beyond. Room unbelievable, everything top notch.
Nothing negative, everything was brilliant."
