Choosing the best motels in Timaru usually comes down to what you need from a stop on State Highway 1: a self-contained kitchen, a spa bath, quiet parking at the door, or a bed within walking distance of Caroline Bay. The motels in Timaru below offer serviced units with kitchen facilities, Sky television and free off-street parking, suiting business travellers, families and South Island road trippers alike, from ASURE Ashley Motor Lodge on King Street to Harbour View Motel a short stroll from the harbour.
1ASURE Ashley Motor Lodge
ASURE Ashley Motor Lodge offers apartment style motel accommodation on King Street, with studios and one and two bedroom units built around kitchen facilities, air conditioning and spa baths in most rooms. The lodge caters to business travellers, families, groups and solo travellers, and several units open onto a private courtyard or upstairs balcony. Wheelchair accessible studios are part of the mix.
Services
- Deluxe studios with wet floor shower and wheelchair access
- Executive and superior studios with double corner spa bath
- One bedroom units with spa bath and private courtyard
- Two bedroom units sleeping up to five with full kitchen
- Corporate single occupancy studio with work station
Highlights
- Fully equipped kitchens with hob and oven in the two bedroom units
- Sky television, with Chromecast and 50 inch screens in the larger lounges
- Free unlimited Wi-Fi in every unit
- Air conditioning throughout and ample on site parking
Location & Contact
Name: ASURE Ashley Motor Lodge
Address: 95-99 King Street, Timaru
Phone: 03 688 9939
Website: ashleymotorlodge.co.nz
2Harbour View Motel
Harbour View Motel sits on Evans Street with top storey units looking out over the sea and harbour, and Caroline Bay roughly 100 metres away. Every unit is self contained and fitted with king size beds, leather lounge suites, work stations and flat screen televisions carrying Sky and Freeview. The complex is within about 500 metres of the Timaru CBD, restaurants, the Aquatic Centre and the art gallery.
Services
- One bedroom spa suites with kitchenette and cooktop
- Ground floor one bedroom suites
- King studios sleeping one to two guests
- Studio twin share and two bedroom suites
- Three bedroom apartment for larger groups
Highlights
- Double glazing and sound proofing in every unit
- Sea and harbour views from the top storey rooms
- Continental and light breakfast available
- On site guest laundry and off street parking
- Non smoking units with unlimited free Wi-Fi
Location & Contact
Name: Harbour View Motel
Address: 8 Evans Street, Timaru
Phone: 03 686 6811
Website: harbourviewmoteltimaru.co.nz
3ASURE Avenue Motor Lodge
ASURE Avenue Motor Lodge occupies a quiet, tree lined stretch of Craigie Avenue, close to Timaru Hospital and an easy five minute walk from the Botanic Gardens. The units are executive studios and one and two bedroom spa apartments with super king beds, full kitchen facilities and a private north facing balcony or courtyard. Its main market is the corporate traveller, though families and groups are catered for in the larger apartments.
Services
- Executive studios and executive family studios
- One bedroom spa apartments with workstation
- Two bedroom spa apartments sleeping up to five
- Full cooked breakfast served to guests
Highlights
- Built in 2004, with further apartments added in 2007
- Double glazing, electric blankets and heat pumps in the larger apartments
- Guest laundry and barbecue for guest use
- Off street parking with extra room for trailers
- Walking distance to the Botanic Gardens and close to Timaru Hospital
Location & Contact
Name: ASURE Avenue Motor Lodge
Address: 31 Craigie Avenue, Timaru
Phone: 03 684 8383
Website: avenuemotorlodgetimaru.co.nz
4Parklands Motor Lodge Timaru
Parklands Motor Lodge Timaru has 14 ground floor, fully self contained apartments on an elevated site beside Ashbury Park on Evans Street. Every unit has a full kitchen with stove and oven, a spa bath with a separate shower and an LCD television with more than 50 Sky channels. Sitting directly on State Highway 1 with Pak’nSave and a run of takeaways close by, it suits overnight stopovers as much as longer stays.
Services
- Queen, king and twin studios with spa bath and full kitchen
- One bedroom units sleeping up to four
- One bedroom family units sleeping up to six
- Two bedroom units sleeping up to five
- Charge back meals arranged for guests
Highlights
- All 14 apartments are ground floor and fully self contained
- Cot and highchair available on request
- Complimentary guest laundry and free on site parking
- Travel advice and forward booking assistance for onward South Island travel
Location & Contact
Name: Parklands Motor Lodge Timaru
Address: 65-67 Evans Street, Timaru
Phone: 03 688 4108
Website: parklandstimaru.co.nz
5Cedar Lodge Motel
Cedar Lodge Motel is a quiet, secluded complex on King Street in Kensington, offering ground floor units with parking at the door. Rooms run from studios with a queen bed and kitchenette through to two bedroom units that sleep four in king beds or king singles. The motel is pitched at business travellers, holidaymakers, families and sports groups looking for straightforward, affordable accommodation.
Services
- Studio units with queen bed, ensuite and kitchenette
- One bedroom and superior one bedroom units sleeping three
- Two bedroom units sleeping four, with kitchen and oven
- Accessible unit for guests with mobility needs
Highlights
- Extensively refurbished in 2019
- Every unit is ground floor with parking directly outside
- Complimentary guest laundry, free unlimited Wi-Fi and Sky Guest Select
Location & Contact
Name: Cedar Lodge Motel
Address: 36 King Street, Kensington, Timaru
Phone: 03 684 4084
Website: cedarlodgetimaru.nz
Motels in Timaru at a Glance
| Business | Based in | Highlight |
|---|---|---|
| ASURE Ashley Motor Lodge | Timaru | Fully equipped kitchens with hob and oven in the two bedroom units |
| Harbour View Motel | Timaru | Double glazing and sound proofing in every unit |
| ASURE Avenue Motor Lodge | Timaru | Built in 2004, with further apartments added in 2007 |
| Parklands Motor Lodge Timaru | Timaru | All 14 apartments are ground floor and fully self contained |
| Cedar Lodge Motel | Kensington | Extensively refurbished in 2019 |
How to Choose the Right Motel in Timaru
- Match the unit to the party. A studio suits a couple, while a two bedroom apartment or family unit is what you want for children, a sports team or two couples travelling together.
- Decide whether you need a full kitchen or a kitchenette. A stove with an oven matters for a week long stay; a cooktop and microwave are usually enough for one night.
- Check the location against your reason for visiting. Craigie Avenue is handy for Timaru Hospital, Evans Street sits on State Highway 1 and near Caroline Bay, and King Street runs south towards Kensington.
- Ask about noise. Double glazing, sound proofing and units set back from the road make a real difference on a highway route used by trucks.
- Confirm parking, laundry and accessibility before booking. Ground floor units with parking at the door, a guest laundry and a designated accessible room are not standard everywhere.
Frequently Asked Questions About Timaru Motels
How much does a motel room in Timaru cost per night?
Rates vary by unit size, season and how far ahead you book. As a guide, Parklands Motor Lodge Timaru publishes studio rates from $150 a night for two people, with about $30 for each additional guest. Booking direct through a motel’s own website is the reliable way to see what a room actually costs on your dates.
Do Timaru motels have self-contained kitchens?
Most units are either self contained or fitted with a kitchenette. A self contained apartment generally means a full kitchen with a stove and oven, fridge and freezer, and often a dishwasher in the larger apartments. A studio kitchenette is usually a cooktop, microwave and fridge, which covers breakfast and a simple dinner but not a roast.
Which part of Timaru should I stay in?
Evans Street runs along State Highway 1 on the northern approach and puts you within a few minutes of Caroline Bay, the harbour and the town centre, which suits a road trip stopover. Craigie Avenue is quieter and closer to Timaru Hospital, Aoraki Polytechnic and the Botanic Gardens. King Street heads south through Kensington and is a good middle ground if you want to be near the centre without being on the main route.
Is parking included when you stay at motels in Timaru?
Free off street parking is standard at motels in Timaru, and in most cases you park directly outside your unit. If you are towing a boat or a trailer, or driving a campervan, say so when you book, because only some properties have the extra room to accommodate it.
How do I check the star rating of a New Zealand motel?
Star ratings on motel websites are often self assessed, so it pays to look for an independent assurance mark instead. Qualmark is New Zealand’s official quality assurance organisation for tourism businesses, and you can look up which properties currently hold a rating on the Qualmark website. A property without a Qualmark rating is not necessarily poor quality, but a rated one has been independently assessed.
Can motels take families and larger groups?
Yes. Family units and two and three bedroom apartments sleeping four to six people are common in Timaru, and cots and highchairs can often be arranged on request. For sports teams or extended families, ask about connecting units or roll away beds at the time of booking rather than on arrival, since extra bedding is usually limited.
How far in advance should I book?
Timaru fills up quickly around Caroline Bay’s summer season, school holidays, agricultural field days and major sporting fixtures, so a few weeks ahead is sensible for those periods. Outside them, a night or two of notice is often enough, though direct booking still tends to secure the better rate and the unit type you actually want.
What is there to do near the motels?
Caroline Bay is the main draw, with a swimming beach, walkways and the summer carnival, and it is within walking distance of the Evans Street properties. The South Canterbury Museum, the Aigantighe Art Gallery, Te Ana Māori Rock Art and the Timaru Botanic Gardens are all a short drive apart, and the Timaru District Council publishes current information on facilities such as the CBay aquatic centre and local parks.
How We Chose the Best Motels in Timaru
Every business in this guide was found by searching for motels in Timaru, then checked against its own website. Names, addresses and phone numbers are taken from the business’s own site rather than a directory feed, so what you see here is what they publish themselves. We also check that each one is actually based in or genuinely serving Timaru, rather than a national operator running a local landing page. A business with no website of its own is not listed, because there is no primary source to verify it against.