Trinity Wharf, Tauranga - Hotel Review

Hello again all and welcome to my Staycation Review of the Trinity Wharf, Tauranga! The Trinity Wharf is not only one of the most highly acclaimed hotels in the Bay of Plenty region, but lies on a spectacular stretch of land which entices guests in!

 

Before I get into the review, let’s have a chat! Things are happening again in New Zealand… the travel bubble is opening and we will be allowing Australians to come back to NZ! Now, don’t get me wrong, I am SO excited at the prospect of being able to travel back across the ditch, in fact, some of my best travel memories have been in Australia! But, I’m worried! With COVID not yet gone in Australia, it only takes one person to bring it here and we lose the bubble! Back to lockdown and back to a couple of years before we can get back out.

But I’d like to hear from you! I know that there are so many other places around the world struggling immensely with this terrible virus and have it much worse than the whole of Oceania combined. How are you doing during this time?

Even though international travel is not really a thing right now, I’ve been exploring NZ far and wide for the best activities, places to stay, food, and more! Luckily, I had a great excuse to travel to Tauranga - thanks to my partner - so while he was driving ambulances, I got the chance to explore and live it up!

First Impressions

The Trinity Wharf upon the first impression definitely made me feel welcome. Arriving, it was not difficult to find and welcomed me in with a big car park that was free for hotel guests! Thank goodness. If there is one thing that I find a rip-off at a hotel is having to pay for parking when you are paying an extraordinary bill at the end of the stay anyway. Being easily able to find a park, be aware because the hotel is popular so have your parking skills up to scratch as you’ll likely be reversing into a park between a Maserati and a Porsche - and the spaces feel oddly smaller when you are put in that predicament!

After finding my park, I headed in through the beautiful sliding glass front doors and was greeted by a modern interior, friendly staff, and the smell of freshly brewed coffee! Having woken up at 5 in the morning to drive from Auckland, this was just what I needed!

The check-in process was a breeze where I paid for my stay upfront. Staying here will be a small bill, be prepared to pay around $500NZD for a 2-3 night stay depending on the room you choose and not including other amenities you wish to enjoy during your stay. But I will say, you’ll want to hear about the bar, so keep reading!

Rooms

I was genuinely surprised at how large the hotel felt on the inside, looking from outside it looked of average proportions, though I felt a little lost in the hallways at first! But once I was able to get my bearings I felt a bit better navigating around the property! During my stay, I stayed in 2 different rooms 1x Harbour Deluxe Spa Room and 1x Urban King Room.

The first 2 nights I stayed in the Harbour Deluxe Spa Room, upon first entrance I was impressed with the room size, decor, and most of all the view! A wonderful spot to not only enjoy the grandeur of the hotel itself through the living room window but also gaze out at the Tauranga bridge transporting vehicles across the harbor. 

Spending time in this room was nothing but a joy, a lovely spot to have a night in, work in and wake up to a beautiful sunrise. The only thing that I would be aware of is if you have a balcony. We shared a balcony with another room adjacent to us. This was fine as the balcony was absolutely massive, there was enough space for each room to keep to themselves. However, it really depends on the guests in each room right?

Through no fault of the Trinity Wharf we were blessed (not) with some very loud neighbors who enjoyed a late-night fiasco and morning drum and bass blaring speaker party. Though this would be my only constructive critique.

Food/Beverages

Around lunchtime, I was invited to attend a bubbly high tea that the Trinity Wharf services between the hours of 2-5. It truly was the perfect setting to sit and enjoy the view, have a nice drink and some lovely finger food. There was a great selection of food available which I was very happy with and there were also various options for tea and drinks. 

We decided that evening that it would be nice to grab a cocktail by the bar! I was enticed in by the cocktail of the day, which was the Lychee Candy Floss special. Now, this, I’m telling you is insanely good. I could have sat in that bar for days on end with a never-ending bowl of the Lychee Candy Floss special! I was excited to also hear that the bar at Trinity Wharf also offered this drink in other flavors including, mango, pineapple, blueberry, strawberry, and more! At $14, I thought it was an absolute bargain and worth enjoying while watching the sunset!

As the night progressed I ventured into other cocktails including an Espresso Martini and an Orient Express Martini. These as expected did not disappoint either! My favorite was the classic Espresso Martini, but if you love a sweet cocktail, the Orient Express sold flavors of caramel, coffee, and creaminess! Delish!

Once breakfast time came along I enjoyed a delicious continental-style buffet in the beautiful dining room. With a choice of hot food, toast, a deli selection, cereals, drinks, and more there was more than enough choice for everyone. The cafe was open at the bar so you could also purchase a coffee at an extra charge, or just pour your own coffee from an urn. This too I did enjoy, although nothing beats a fresh brew made for you!

Extra Amenities

Most mornings I was needing to stretch my legs so I headed down to the hotel gym. The gym is located on the ‘basement’ floor of the Trinity Wharf Hotel. The cardio equipment was set out by the plenty accompanied by a couple of yoga mats and one multi-use pull/push machine. The gym was good to keep you going for a couple of days, but if you are a serious health/gym enthusiast you’ll be looking forward to getting back to your local area! However, working out in this area was great as there was amazing air conditioning (which I don't even get back at my home gym!). 

Photo by Luke Chesser on Unsplash

One thing that really did attract me to staying with the Trinity Wharf was the incredible infinity pool. This pool overlooks the harbor, and the fantastic curving bridge and is framed by the rooms on either side exuding architectural panache. I was impressed with the cleanliness of the area, though I did not swim as it is indeed too cold to do so in autumn I thought!

One more note I’d like to add is a special mention towards the staff. At most hotels, I tend to get a very warm welcome from staff that slowly fades over a few days, but at the Trinity Wharf, I was continually impressed by the level of professionalism that the staff portrayed. This professionalism was perfectly balanced with a helpful attitude, caring nature and excitement to be sharing this hotel with their guests. No matter what the need was, guests are taken care of and treated with respect, so thank you!

Overall, my staycation at the Trinity Wharf Hotel in Tauranga was very pleasant and definitely somewhere I would return again. I highly recommend staying here if you are looking for a nice place to stay while in the Bay of Plenty, though if you do stay, do it right and get a harbor view room and enjoy some great drinks by the bar!