Black Swan Lakeside Boutique Hotel in Rotorua

I was scammed by Ctrip. There's no Black Swan at the Black Swan Hotel. Ctrip listed the Black Swan as the top luxury hotel and scenic hotel in Rotorua. The pictures looked exquisite, but upon arrival, it was a complete mess. It wasn't really a hotel at all, but a renovated villa with several guest rooms converted from the original ground floor bedrooms, and a restaurant on the second floor. At just over 2,200 per night, the value was poor.

Facilities: Outdated, the tables and chairs were wobbly, the mattress was a bit saggy, and not very comfortable to sleep on. The shower head was water-stained, and the TV was a Konka. For some reason, I felt like the furniture was bought at a secondhand market; it was poor quality and tattered.

Cleanliness: The room wasn't cleaned properly. The bath towels and duvet covers were stained, the sink and bathtub weren't cleaned, and the sofa armrests were black. Location: On the lakefront, quite far from the city center, with nothing nearby. Dining out is about a 10-15 minute drive. Despite being called the Black Swan Hotel, we didn't see any black swans during our three-night stay. Instead, there were plenty of black swans and seagulls at the amusement park next to the Municipal Gardens.

I recommend staying in Rotorua until around 5:00 PM and then driving an hour to Taupo. The Huka Lodge in Taupo is truly excellent and highly recommended. If you absolutely must stay here, consider the Novotel or Pullman. While the cleanliness and facilities aren't as impressive, they're close to the Municipal Park, supermarkets, and food courts. The lake is also within walking distance, making it easy to feed the black swans, seagulls, and ducks.