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South Sea Hotel

2.5 star property
Waterfront inn in Halfmoon Bay with a bar

Photo gallery for South Sea Hotel

Beach nearby
Outdoor dining
Bar (on property)
Standard Studio, Kitchenette (Studio Units)
Exterior

Reviews

8.8 out of 10
Excellent

Popular amenities

  • Breakfast available
  • Bar
  • Housekeeping
  • Parking available
  • Laundry
  • Free WiFi

Explore the area

View map
26 Elgin Terrace, Halfmoon Bay, 9846
  • Bunkhouse Theatre
    ‪2 min walk‬
  • Rakiura Museum
    ‪3 min walk‬
  • Observation Rock
    ‪8 min walk‬
  • Stewart Island (SZS-Ryans Creek)
    ‪7 min drive‬

Room options

Standard Room, Shared Bathroom (Cottage Twin)

8.0 out of 10
Very good
(3 reviews)

Highlights

Heating
Fridge
TV
Hairdryer
Satellite channels
Daily housekeeping
Wardrobe
  • Sleeps 2
  • 2 Twin Beds

Hotel Seaview Double plus Single

9.0 out of 10
Wonderful
(2 reviews)

Highlights

Heating
Fridge
TV
Hairdryer
Coffee/tea maker
Satellite channels
Daily housekeeping
Wardrobe
  • Sleeps 3
  • 1 Double Bed and 1 Twin Bed

Standard Room, Shared Bathroom (Hotel Twin Room)

Highlights

Heating
Fridge
Hairdryer
Daily housekeeping
Wardrobe
  • Sleeps 2
  • 2 Twin Beds

Traditional Hotel Double plus Single

9.0 out of 10
Wonderful
(4 reviews)

Highlights

Heating
Fridge
Hairdryer
2 bathrooms
Daily housekeeping
Wardrobe
  • Sleeps 3
  • 1 Double Bed and 1 Twin Bed

View all photos for Standard Studio, Kitchenette (Studio Units)

Standard Studio, Kitchenette (Studio Units)

Standard Studio, Kitchenette (Studio Units)

9.0 out of 10
Wonderful
(2 reviews)

Highlights

Heating
Kitchenette
Fridge
TV
Hairdryer
Private bathroom
Coffee/tea maker
Satellite channels
  • Sleeps 3
  • 1 Double Bed and 1 Twin Bed

Standard Room, Shared Bathroom (Hotel Double Room)

8.0 out of 10
Very good
(1 review)

Highlights

Heating
Fridge
Hairdryer
Daily housekeeping
Wardrobe
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Double Bed

View all photos for Standard Room, Shared Bathroom (Cottage Queen)

Standard Room, Shared Bathroom (Cottage Queen)

Standard Room, Shared Bathroom (Cottage Queen)

Highlights

Heating
Fridge
TV
Hairdryer
Coffee/tea maker
Satellite channels
Daily housekeeping
Wardrobe
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Double Bed

Standard Room, Shared Bathroom (Hotel Single room)

Highlights

Heating
Fridge
Hairdryer
Daily housekeeping
Wardrobe
  • Sleeps 1
  • 1 Twin Bed

View all photos for Standard Room, Shared Bathroom (Seaview)

Standard Room, Shared Bathroom (Seaview)

Standard Room, Shared Bathroom (Seaview)

9.0 out of 10
Wonderful
(4 reviews)

Highlights

Balcony or patio
Heating
Fridge
TV
Hairdryer
Satellite channels
Daily housekeeping
Wardrobe
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Double Bed

About the area

Oban

At South Sea Hotel you'll be within steps of Bunkhouse Theatre and Rakiura Museum. Highlights at this inn include free in-room WiFi. .For a drink, you can stop by the inn's own lounge bar. Other amenities include free Wi-Fi in public areas and laundry facilities. Full breakfast is available daily between 8:00 AM and 10:30 AM. .Sights within a 15-minute walk of this Halfmoon Bay inn include Presbyterian Church Hall and Observation Rock.
View more Inns in ObanOpens in a new window

What's nearby

  • Bunkhouse Theatre - 2 min walk - 0.2 km
  • Presbyterian Church Hall - 2 min walk - 0.2 km
  • Rakiura Museum - 3 min walk - 0.3 km
  • Observation Rock - 8 min walk - 0.7 km
  • Rakiura National Park - 33 min drive - 3.8 km

Getting around

  • Stewart Island (SZS-Ryans Creek) - 4 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪South Sea Hotel - ‬1 min walk
  • ‪The Snuggery - ‬3 min walk
  • ‪Kai Kart - ‬2 min walk
  • ‪bird on a pear - ‬4 min walk
  • ‪Drunken Octopus - ‬3 min walk

About this property

South Sea Hotel

Waterfront inn in Halfmoon Bay with a bar
South Sea Hotel offers its guests a garden, a picnic area, and laundry facilities. Public spaces have free WiFi. You can enjoy a drink at the bar/lounge.

This Halfmoon Bay inn is smoke free.

  • 27 guestrooms or units
  • Breakfast available (surcharge)
  • Self-service laundry
  • Front desk (limited hours)
  • Storage area for luggage
  • Front desk safe
  • Pool or billiards table
  • Garden
  • Outdoor picnic space
  • No smoking on site
  • Bar or lounge
South Sea Hotel offers 27 accommodations with a hairdryer. This Halfmoon Bay inn provides complimentary wireless Internet access. Housekeeping is provided on a daily basis.

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Exterior

Bay Motel

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  • Free WiFi
  • Breakfast available
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4.7 out of 5, Exceptional, 140 reviews
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Property amenities

Internet

  • Available in all rooms: Free WiFi
  • Available in some public areas: Free WiFi

Food and drink

  • Daily full breakfast available 8:00 AM to 10:30 AM for a fee: NZD 10 to 30 per person
  • A bar/lounge

Things to do

  • Billiards/pool table

Family friendly

  • In-room refrigerator
  • Laundry facilities

Conveniences

  • Laundry facilities
  • Limited-hour front desk
  • Luggage storage
  • Safe at front desk

Guest services

  • Housekeeping (daily)

Outdoors

  • Garden
  • In a national park
  • On the waterfront
  • Picnic area

Accessibility

  • If you have requests for specific accessibility needs, please contact the property using the information on the reservation confirmation received after booking.
  • No lift
  • Wheelchair accessible (may have limitations)

More

  • Smoke-free property

Room amenities

Bedroom

  • Bedsheets provided

Bathroom

  • Hair dryer
  • Towels provided

Food and drink

  • Refrigerator

More

  • Heating

Policies

Check-in

Check-in start time: 2 PM; check-in end time: 8:00 PM
Late check-in subject to availability
Minimum check-in age - 18

Check-out

Check-out before 10 AM

Special check-in instructions

The front desk is open daily from 7:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Front desk staffed during limited hours
If you arrive at the property after hours, you'll need to check in at an alternative location: [At the bar.]

Access methods

Front desk (limited hours)

Pets

  • No pets allowed

Children and extra beds

  • Children are welcome.
  • Rollaway/extra beds are not available.
  • Cots (infant beds) are not available.

Payment types

Important information

Optional extras

The fees and deposits listed below will be charged at the time of service, check-in, or check-out.

  • Fee for full breakfast: approximately NZD 10 to 30 per person

This may not be a comprehensive list. Fees and deposits are subject to change and might not include tax.

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
This property accepts credit cards, debit cards and cash
Cashless transactions are available
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher, a smoke detector and a first aid kit
Charges for extra guests may apply and vary according to property policy.
A cash deposit, credit card or debit card for incidental charges and government-issued photo identification may be required upon check-in.
Special requests are subject to availability at the time of check-in. Special requests can't be guaranteed and may incur additional charges.
    This property is managed by a professional host. The provision of housing is linked to their trade, business or profession. This property accepts Visa, Mastercard, American Express, debit cards and cash. For guests' safety, the property includes a fire extinguisher, a smoke detector and a first aid kit in all accommodation. Cashless payment methods are available for all transactions.

National rating

For the benefit of our customers, we have provided a rating based on our ratings system.

Property is also known as

South Sea Hotel Oban
South Sea Oban
South Sea Hotel Inn
South Sea Hotel Halfmoon Bay
South Sea Hotel Inn Halfmoon Bay

Frequently asked questions

What is the cancellation policy at South Sea Hotel?

South Sea Hotel offers free cancellation on select room rates. Check out the cancellation policy for more info.

Are there any beaches close to South Sea Hotel?

The closest beach to South Sea Hotel is Oreti Beach (51.2 km).

Does South Sea Hotel serve breakfast?

You bet, full brekkie is served daily between 8:00 AM and 10:30 AM.

Is there a free airport shuttle available at South Sea Hotel?

No, South Sea Hotel does not offer an airport shuttle service.

What time are check-in & check-out at South Sea Hotel?

Check-in begins at 2 PM. Check-out time is 10 AM.

Are pets allowed at South Sea Hotel?

No, pets are not allowed.

South Sea Hotel Reviews

Reviews

8.8

Excellent

Rating 10 - Excellent. 180 out of 383 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 155 out of 383 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 39 out of 383 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 6 out of 383 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 3 out of 383 reviews

9.0/10

Cleanliness

8.8/10

Staff & service

8.2/10

Amenities

8.0/10

Property conditions & facilities

8.2/10

Eco-friendliness

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2024

6/10 Okay

jack

Bit too expensive for the shared bathrooms. Room could have been nicer and cleaner. Heater didn't work. Weird people outside partying all night. In future would stay at the back packers instead
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2024

10/10 Excellent

Sharon

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Great location
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2024

10/10 Excellent

Mark

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Awesome food & stafff
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2024

10/10 Excellent

Angela

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 2 nights in May 2024

10/10 Excellent

Geoff

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
This was a unique experience, the accomodation was great & central to Halfmoon bay, staff were friendly & helpful.
Stayed 2 nights in May 2024

10/10 Excellent

Chris

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
.
Stayed 1 night in May 2024

10/10 Excellent

Nicky

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
We love the South Sea and stay there every time we spend the night at Rakiura. The staff are awesome. Its not flash - old pub accomodation, but its traditional, clean and welcoming. Perfect views and the food is amazing.
Stayed 1 night in May 2024

10/10 Excellent

Karen

Travelled with partner, Travelled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Very homely, beautiful spot and friendly, helpful staff
Stayed 2 nights in May 2024

8/10 Good

Sandra

Travelled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
All of the above
Stayed 2 nights in May 2024

10/10 Excellent

Steven

Everything was great no problems
Stayed 2 nights in May 2024

8/10 Good

Connie

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The staff was fantastic and very informative. Very easy access to Ferry Terminal - about a 3 minute walk.
Stayed 2 nights in May 2024

10/10 Excellent

Rebecca

Stayed 1 night in May 2024

8/10 Good

Tracey

Liked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2024

10/10 Excellent

Charles L.

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
A unique hotel on an incredible island. People were friendly. The restaurant and bar offered a wonderful and authentic atmosphere and great food. A wonderful experience.
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2024

8/10 Good

Brett

Travelled with partner
Very convenient quirky, I haven't stayed in a hotel without an ensuite in a long time. Nice area upstairs overlooking the bay,with tea and coffee facilities. I would recommend staying here
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2024

10/10 Excellent

Ori

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2024

10/10 Excellent

Alicia

Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2024

6/10 Okay

Shazia

Liked: Cleanliness
On the harbor
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2024

6/10 Okay

Shazia

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Convenient location
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2024

8/10 Good

Rita

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Very nice basic accommodations with beautiful views of the harbor. The staff was very friendly and accommodating!
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2024

8/10 Good

CARSWELL

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Stewart Island stay

Good stay at good old Kiwi pub. Prices were fair and food and drink was good Would definitely stay there again
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2024

10/10 Excellent

Martin

Travelled with group
Liked: Room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2024

8/10 Good

Mary

Travelled with partner
Liked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities
We paid for a room that was advertised as sea view. What we weren’t told was that our sea view would be obscured, during the day, by people using the second floor porch! If we opened our curtains during the day, people using the porch and picnic tables could look right into our room. If we closed our curtains we of course didn’t have a sea view at all. We could hear conversations as if people were right in our room. This continued on into the night—people weren’t supposed to use the porch after 8 but were often there,talking, laughing and carrying on, after midnight. No one enforced the 8 rule. It really wasn’t anyone’s idea of a sea view.
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2024

2/10 Terrible

Verified traveller

Travelled with family
Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Disgusting do not stat here

We arrived to a rude man who clearly felt he had more important things to do than make an effort to make guests checking in feel welcome. Not a good start and then to the rooms - basic is okay but to not even provide a bedside lamp is lazy. The room was just filthy from the curtains that we’re falling off the hooks, to the window sills that had layers of dust on to the inside of the one bedside table between two. The cleaning team didn’t service my room even though i hung the sign. That was the first room. The second room I had had period blood stains and so on starkly on the top duvet and stank of urine. Just completely disgusting and horrific.
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2024