Having had a most fantastic day driving up to Blenheim from Christchurch we were really looking forward to a nice hotel that we could just relax, get a bite to eat and have a bottle or two of local wine. We were so disappointed when we arrived at the Scenic Circle. The receptionist was in the process of checking us in and was really quite pleasant when a "supervisor" came bursting out from the back office and started barking orders at the receptionist! "give me the paper I wrote on, no, no, NO that one........." needless to say we were totally taken aback by this behavior. Then a gentleman came to the desk and asked to check out as he actually wouldn't be staying the night. (This should have given us a hint of what was to come!) We were then told that we would have to use a car park at the back of the hotel and use the rear entrance, which we did, no problem with that. When we entered the hotel from the car park it was along a dimly lit, narrow hallway which cant have been decorated any time in the past twenty years. We found our room which was decorated with Brown bed clothes, yuck, it was so dingy, the bathroom was nearly as small as the one on the airplane with a tiny shower which had a huge metal step into it! You could also hear every word being said in the room next door. Needless to say we decided not to stay in the hotel but rather check back out and go to the tourist office and find somewhere else! In fairness to the hotel, we had booked through a travel agents and had specified that we were on honeymoon and only wanted 4 & 5 Star hotels on our trip and the hotel was in no way claiming to be a 4 star hotel, they did however say they were a 3.5star which I really think is a huge stretch of the imagination by anyone's standards! We stayed in a few Scenic Circle hotels while in NZ & this was the only bad one. The "supervisor" was much more pleasant when we were leaving the hotel than when we checked in perhaps she was pleased to have another guest checking out!

Hardly spent anytime in this hotel due to sightseeing, but the large room was perfectly adequate. However, the restaurant was completed full due to a large tour party and the pool was closed for winter during our stay.

We knew on arrival that this was going to be a poor experience. We were followed at reception by a coach party...always a bad sign for an independent traveller. As usual with coach parties, we found hotel service was directed towards the coach party at the expense of individual travellers. Particular incidents of note: 1. We could not book restaurant for 7.30 as we had wanted but settled for 8.00 because a large party had booked in for 7.30. 2. We were not given any help with luggage whereas coach party were helped by 2 people. 3. Lift was almost permanently in use for coach party and the movement of their luggage thus making it much more difficult for us. 4. Bar manager had disappeared for around 10 mins when we wanted a drink...presumably to attend to the needs of someone in the coach party. 5. 2 course dinner took 2hrs 15 mins. We had to ask for an ice bucket, ask for the sweet menu ( twice) and then for the bill. Having attended to the coach party, staff were all clearing tables and preparing tables for breakfast giving no service to the two tables with dinner guests still waiting to be served. To add insult to injury, most restaurant staff were departing for the night before we were able to settle our bill. Such contempt. We didn't use the bar or the dining facilities after that first night, refusing to be treated in that manner again. We later came across 2 Blenheim locals ( both in the tourism business but not rivals) who advised us not to eat here as the restaurant had a bad name. I can see why. The room was really dull. It was finished in dark brown and cream which must be the most dingy colours anyone could choose especially as it was all showing signs of age. Location was good, being on the corner of a relaxed grassy square and , despite the misleading name, really close to the centre of Blenheim. We found difficulties with 2 other Scenic Circle hotels in South Island resulting from apparent preference for coach parties so I advise independent travellers to think twice before booking any Scenic Circle hotel & certainly don't pay in advance as we did.

This is a fairly basic hotel used by coach parties but comfortable enough for the 1 night we spent there. The colour scheme in the rooms is brown and cream which has the overall effect of making it look dowdy. The bathroom was basic and we didn't much like the look of all the green round the shower head jets. The beds were comfortable and we slept well. However, getting a meal in the evening was a lengthy process as they had 3 coach parties in and we had to sit in the bar area. The meal wasn't particularly good when it arrived.

We stayed at this property at the last minute due to a death in the family, very lovely people at reception helped us out with two rooms and we stayed for a week. Nice rooms, other family members were in a triple room and myself and my partner were in another. Nice and spacious, quiet as well. The spa and sauna are amazing! great place to relax after a stressful day. the only downside was the breakfast we had one morning, we came down but were told the buffet was closed and we could only have something off the a la carte menu. My partner ordered french toast and mushrooms. The french toast was just bread fried in the deep fryer! was really bad, not what he was expecting at all, eggy bread with cinnamon etc. And it took over 25 mins to get to our table as well. BUT, really the hotel was great, totally reccommend it to anyone as it is in a great location, has car parking available, and staff were lovely. Nice bathrooms also, great bath.