My family of two adults and two teenagers booked a 2 bedroom cottage for 3 nights in late September. Walking into our cottage was a treat - beautifully decorated and well equipped rooms which made it all feel so homey. Our cottage had a lovely little porch surrounded by planter boxes, and a view of the nearby hills. The motel is easy to find and there is parking on-site. It was located an easy walk from the harbour, cafés, craft stores and the local dairy. And no more than a 20 minute drive from all the wildlife spots. There was adequate heaters in all the rooms and warm bedding. The shared bathroom had enough counter and cupboard space for all the toiletries and there were enough towel racks for everyone’s towels to dry (there was one heated towel rack too). The kitchen was well equipped (microwave, portable induction cook tops) and we were able to cook meals. Greg and Jo were helpful and friendly throughout the booking process and our stay. We would definitely recommend this motel to others.

Stayed here for just one night in late April when on our way back from Fiordlands to Christchurch. We had a Comfort Studio 1 King bed cottage that was overlooking the water/ harbour and we loved it so much we wished we were staying longer than 1 night. Check in and out were quick with friendly and accommodating staff. Our cottage was adorable - 1 bedroom, good size and very well equipped kitchenette, nice bathroom and a small balcony overlooking the gardens with bird feeders. Very clean and with a beautiful cozy decor throughout! They also use organic and ‘eco’ washing liquid and dish tools - very nice touch! Since the motel is in a very quiet area, we ended up relaxing on the patio, drinking tea and enjoying the lovely tui birds who were constantly at the bird feeder making a lot of noise; very relaxing and just delightful!
Also, the drive from Dunedin along the winding coastal road is quite lovely. We also went for a walk to see the local piers, shacks along them and plenty of birds. The pub/ restaurant opposite the motel’s driveway (1908 Cafe Restaurant) was the only place open on a Great Saturday for dinner and it’s recommended you make reservations there during holiday such as this (Easter).
The motel was a short 15-20 min drive to the Royal Albatross Centre where we went to see the korora (blue penguins). Overall we had a very short but very enjoyable visit to lovely Portobello and we were glad we stayed in this property vs somewhere in Dunedin. Highly recommended!