Finding the best motels in Palmerston North usually comes down to practical things: a kitchenette for a long work stay, a spa bath at the end of the day, and parking outside the door. The motels in Palmerston North below run from single studios to two bedroom suites, with corporate rates, guest laundries and in-room breakfasts among the options. Cornwall Motor Lodge and Rose City Motel both sit on Fitzherbert Avenue, a short walk from the shops and restaurants of the city centre.
1Cornwall Motor Lodge
Cornwall Motor Lodge is a motel on Fitzherbert Avenue in central Palmerston North, with studio units, one bedroom suites and two bedroom suites. The studio units have balconies, Sleepyhead super king beds and large self fill spas, and every unit has a kitchenette with a microwave, hob, toaster, fridge and plunger coffee. A corporate package is offered for business guests travelling alone.
Services
- Studio units with balconies and super king beds
- One bedroom suites
- Two bedroom suites
- Corporate rate package for business guests
- Breakfasts delivered to the unit, from lite and health options to full cooked
Highlights
- Accessible one bedroom units
- Large self fill spas and spa baths, with LED televisions positioned to watch from the bed or the bath
- On site guest laundry and a same day dry cleaning service
- All units fitted with hush glass, and none with a verandah or stairwell overhead
Location & Contact
Name: Cornwall Motor Lodge
Address: 101 Fitzherbert Avenue, Palmerston North
Phone: 06 354 9010
Website: cornwallmotorlodge.co.nz
2Rose City Motel
Rose City Motel is a renovated motel on Fitzherbert Avenue in central Palmerston North, where every unit is fully self contained with its own cooking facilities. Room types run from studios with access facilities and spa units through to family apartments and two bedroom suites. The motel is a two minute walk from the cafes, restaurants, theatres and shops of the city centre, and a short distance from Massey University and the Victoria Esplanade.
Services
- Self contained studio units with cooking facilities
- Studios with access facilities
- Spa units
- Family apartments and two bedroom suites
Highlights
- Squash court on site
- Spa pool, plus a grassed barbecue area with a children’s play area
- Free guest laundry
- Extra large off street parking with room for trailers
- Free unlimited ultra fast Wi-Fi and a Sky decoder with 50 plus channels in every unit
Location & Contact
Name: Rose City Motel
Address: 120-122 Fitzherbert Avenue, Central, Palmerston North
Phone: 06 356 5388
Website: rosecitymotel.co.nz
3Avenue Motel Palmerston North
Avenue Motel is on Fitzherbert Avenue, a three minute walk from the Palmerston North city centre, The Plaza Shopping Centre and the Square. Accommodation covers studio, one bedroom and two bedroom units, with the two bedroom units each having a private spa pool. Ray Zhang manages the motel, and a bus to Massey University runs regularly from opposite the door.
Services
- Studio units
- One bedroom units
- Two bedroom units with a private spa pool
Highlights
- Heat pump and air conditioning in every room
- Smart televisions of 40 and 50 inches, with Netflix and three Sky Sport channels
- Free ultra fast wireless broadband in all units
- Car parking close to the unit door, and a CCTV security system
- House policy of no parties, and no long term or emergency housing bookings
Location & Contact
Name: Avenue Motel Palmerston North
Address: 116 Fitzherbert Avenue, Palmerston North
Phone: 06 356 3330
Website: avenuemotel.co.nz
4Fitzherbert Castle Motel
Fitzherbert Castle Motel is a studio motel on Fitzherbert Avenue, set up for guests who are in Palmerston North for business, study or a short break. Unit types run from a mini studio with a dining table through to an executive studio with a super king bed that splits into two singles, a lounge suite that converts to a sofa bed and an ensuite spa bath. Rooms are serviced daily and in room breakfasts can be arranged.
Services
- Executive studio with super king bed, lounge suite and single spa bath
- Superior studio with kitchenette, electric frypan and double spa bath
- King studio with a shower over a spa bath
- Twin studio sleeping up to three people
- Mini studio with a dining table
Highlights
- MY SKY HD decoders in every room, so guests can pause, rewind and record across 50 plus channels
- Free guest laundry service, with washing done for guests
- Fairtrade coffee and a bowl of chocolates in every room
Location & Contact
Name: Fitzherbert Castle Motel
Address: 124 Fitzherbert Avenue, Palmerston North 4410
Phone: 06 358 3888
Website: castlemotel.co.nz
5B-K’s Premier Palmerston North
B-K’s Premier Palmerston North sits on Cuba Street in Palmerston North Central and is one of the motels run by the B-K’s Motel Group. Rooms come with a smart TV, tables and chairs, double glazed windows and a heat pump. Two further operations sit on the property: the Begonia Spa for massage, and Basil Bar & Food for meals and barista made coffee.
Services
- Motel rooms with smart TV, tables and chairs
- Massage treatments at the on site Begonia Spa
- Breakfast and dinner at Basil Bar & Food
- In room dining and barista made coffee
Highlights
- Double glazed windows and a heat pump in every room
- Tailored corporate rates for regular guests across the group
- Part of the B-K’s Motel Group, with motor lodges from Whangarei down to Petone in Wellington
Location & Contact
Name: B-K’s Premier Palmerston North
Address: 102 Cuba Street, Palmerston North Central, Palmerston North 4410
Phone: 06 353 5995
Website: bksmotels.co.nz/motel/b-ks-premier-palmerston-north/
Motels in Palmerston North at a Glance
| Business | Highlight |
|---|---|
| Cornwall Motor Lodge | Accessible one bedroom units |
| Rose City Motel | Squash court on site |
| Avenue Motel Palmerston North | Heat pump and air conditioning in every room |
| Fitzherbert Castle Motel | MY SKY HD decoders in every room, so guests can pause |
| B-K's Premier Palmerston North | Double glazed windows and a heat pump in every room |
How to Choose the Right Motel in Palmerston North
- Match the unit type to the stay: a studio suits one or two nights, while a one or two bedroom unit with a full kitchen works better for a week of work or a family trip.
- Check what “self contained” actually means at that motel, since some units have a full kitchen with a hob and frypan and others have a kitchenette with a microwave and toaster only.
- Look at where the parking sits. Parking directly outside the unit door matters if you are unloading tools, sports gear or a trailer.
- Decide whether you need a spa bath in the ensuite or a shared spa pool, because the two are priced and booked differently.
- If you travel to the city regularly, ask about a corporate or single traveller rate before booking through a third party site.
Frequently Asked Questions About Palmerston North Motels
How much does a motel unit in Palmerston North cost?
Rates move with the unit type, the number of guests and how busy the city is that week, so there is no single figure. The most reliable way to see a real price is to open the motel’s own booking page, which shows live availability and the direct rate rather than a headline figure from a comparison site.
Which part of the city should I stay in?
Most of the motels in Palmerston North that suit a short stay are clustered along Fitzherbert Avenue and around the central city, which puts the Square, The Plaza and the Broadway restaurants within a few minutes on foot. Cuba Street sits in the same central pocket. If you are visiting Massey University, look for a motel with a regular bus route nearby rather than assuming you will need to drive each day.
Do Palmerston North motels have kitchens?
Most do, but the level varies. Some units are fully self contained with a hob, frypan and full crockery, which suits a stay of several nights or anyone cooking for dietary reasons. Others are studio kitchenettes built around a microwave, toaster, fridge and tea and coffee facilities. Check the room description before booking if cooking matters to you.
Can I get a unit with a spa bath?
Yes. Several motels in the city offer an ensuite spa bath in specific room types, and some also have a shared spa pool on the grounds or a private spa pool attached to a two bedroom unit. Spa rooms are a limited part of any motel’s stock, so they tend to be the first to go on a busy weekend.
What do the star ratings on a New Zealand motel actually mean?
Star gradings on New Zealand accommodation are usually issued through Qualmark, the quality assurance programme owned by Tourism New Zealand, which assesses properties against a published set of criteria. Not every operator takes part, so the absence of a Qualmark rating does not mean a motel is poor quality, it may simply mean they have not joined the scheme.
Is parking included?
Off street parking is standard at motels in this part of the country, and it is normally free and positioned near the unit. If you are arriving with a trailer, a boat or a work van, it is worth ringing ahead, because the amount of manoeuvring room varies a lot between sites even where every property advertises parking.
When is it hardest to find a room?
Availability tightens whenever a large event is running in the city, particularly at Arena Manawatu and the university campus. The Palmerston North City Council publishes a public events calendar, and checking it before you set dates will tell you whether you are competing with a few thousand other visitors for the same beds.
Are motels a sensible option for a long work stay?
They often work better than a hotel for extended stays. A motel unit with a kitchen, a guest laundry on site and a corporate rate negotiated directly with the operator usually costs less over a fortnight than nightly hotel rates, and having your own cooking and washing facilities makes a longer stay far more manageable.
How We Chose the Best Motels in Palmerston North
Every business in this guide was found by searching for motels in Palmerston North, then checked against what the business publishes itself: its own website, or where it has none, its official social or booking page. Names, addresses and phone numbers come from those pages rather than a directory feed, so what you see here is what the business says about itself. We also check that each one is still trading and is actually based in or genuinely serving Palmerston North, rather than a national operator running a local landing page. A business we can’t confirm from its own pages is not listed.