Rutherford Hotel Nelson

4.0 star property

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Photo gallery for Rutherford Hotel Nelson

Reception
Seasonal outdoor pool, open 6:00 AM to 9:30 PM, pool umbrellas
Exterior
Terrace/patio
Premium Triple Room, Multiple Beds | Living area | 42-inch flat-screen TV with cable channels, TV

Reviews

8.8 out of 10
Excellent

Popular amenities

  • Parking available
  • Bar
  • Gym
  • Room service
  • Breakfast available
  • Pool

Explore the area

Map
Trafalgar Square, Nelson, 7010
  • Christ Church Cathedral
    ‪3 min walk‬
  • Nelson Provincial Museum
    ‪4 min walk‬
  • Nelson Market
    ‪6 min walk‬
  • Nelson (NSN)
    ‪12 min drive‬

Room options

Premium Triple Room, Multiple Beds

  • 463 sq ft
  • Sleeps 4
  • 1 Queen Bed and 2 Twin Beds

Premium Quadruple Room, Multiple Beds

  • 398 sq ft
  • Sleeps 5
  • 1 King Bed and 3 Twin Beds

Premium Double or Twin Room, Multiple Beds

  • 291 sq ft
  • Sleeps 3
  • 1 Queen Bed and 1 Twin Bed

Premium Double Room, 1 King Bed

  • 291 sq ft
  • Sleeps 3
  • 1 King Bed

Premium Double or Twin Room, Multiple Beds, Accessible

  • 291 sq ft
  • Sleeps 3
  • 1 Queen Bed and 1 Twin Bed

Executive Apartment, Multiple Beds

  • 1238 sq ft
  • Sleeps 6
  • 1 King Bed, 1 Queen Bed and 2 Twin Beds

Deluxe Suite, 1 King Bed

  • 614 sq ft
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 King Bed

Similar properties

About this property

Rutherford Hotel Nelson

4-star hotel in Nelson City Centre
A restaurant, a fitness center, and a bar/lounge are available at this hotel. WiFi in public areas is free. Additionally, a sauna, a 24-hour business center, and a conference center are onsite.
Rutherford Hotel Nelson offers 113 accommodations with minibars and coffee/tea makers. A pillow menu is available. 42-inch flat-screen televisions come with cable channels. Bathrooms include bathrobes, complimentary toiletries, and hair dryers.

Guests can surf the web using the complimentary wired and wireless Internet access. Business-friendly amenities include phones along with free local calls (restrictions may apply). Housekeeping is provided daily.

Recreational amenities at the hotel include a sauna, a fitness center, and a seasonal outdoor pool.

The recreational activities listed below are available either on site or nearby; fees may apply.

In addition to a seasonal outdoor pool, Rutherford Hotel Nelson provides a sauna and a fitness center. Dining options at the hotel include a restaurant and a coffee shop/cafe. A bar/lounge is on site where guests can unwind with a drink. A computer station is located on site and wired and wireless Internet access is complimentary.

Business-related amenities at this 4-star property consist of a 24-hour business center and 6 meeting rooms. Event facilities measuring 6297 square feet (585 square meters) include a conference center. This eco-certified hotel also offers multilingual staff, gift shops/newsstands, and tour/ticket assistance. Onsite parking is available (surcharge), along with a car charging station.

Rutherford Hotel Nelson has designated areas for smoking.

Full breakfasts are available for a surcharge on weekdays between 5:00 AM and 10:00 AM and on weekends between 5:00 AM and 10:30 AM.
Oceano - This restaurant specializes in seafood and serves breakfast and dinner.
Atom Cafe - This café serves breakfast and lunch. Open select days.
Port O' Call - This bar serves dinner and light fare. Open daily.
24-hour room service is available.

Awards and affiliations

Eco-Certified Property
This property participates in Qualmark Sustainable Tourism Business Award, a program that measures the property's impact on one or more of the following: environment, community, cultural-heritage, the local economy.

Languages

Afrikaans, Dutch, English, Filipino, French, German, Hindi, Hungarian, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish

Property amenities

Internet

  • Available in all rooms: Free WiFi and wired internet
  • Available in some public areas: Free WiFi and wired internet

Parking and transportation

  • Electric car charging station on site
  • Height restrictions apply for onsite parking
  • Secured, uncovered self parking on site (NZD 10 per night)
  • Secured, uncovered valet parking on site (NZD 10 per night; includes in/out privileges)
  • RV/bus/truck parking (surcharge) on site
  • Wheelchair-accessible parking available

Food and drink

  • Full breakfast available for a fee 5:00 AM to 10:00 AM on weekdays and 5:00 AM to 10:30 AM on weekends; NZD 34.50 for adults and NZD 17.50 for children
  • A bar/lounge
  • A coffee shop/cafe
  • A restaurant

Restaurants on site

  • Atom Cafe
  • Oceano
  • Port O' Call

Things to do

  • Bicycle tours
  • Gym
  • Sauna
  • Seasonal outdoor pool

Family friendly

  • Fenced pool
  • In-room babysitting (surcharge)
  • In-room crib
  • Laundry facilities
  • Seasonal outdoor pool

Conveniences

  • 24-hour front desk
  • Gift shop/newsstand
  • Laundry facilities
  • Luggage storage
  • Safe at front desk
  • Water dispenser

Guest services

  • Concierge services
  • Dry cleaning/laundry service
  • Housekeeping (daily)
  • Multilingual staff
  • Tour and ticket assistance
  • Wedding services

Business services

  • 24-hour business center
  • 6 meeting rooms
  • Computer station
  • Conference center (6,297 square feet of space)

Outdoors

  • In a nature reserve
  • Pool loungers
  • Pool umbrellas

Accessibility

  • If you have requests for specific accessibility needs, please contact the property using the information on the reservation confirmation received after booking.
  • 3 accessible parking spaces
  • Elevator (39 inch wide door)
  • Handrails in stairways (35 inches high)
  • Stair-free path to entrance
  • Well-lit path to entrance
  • Wheelchair accessible (may have limitations)
  • Wheelchair-accessible bathroom vanity (28 inches high)
  • Wheelchair-accessible business center
  • Wheelchair-accessible concierge desk
  • Wheelchair-accessible gym
  • Wheelchair-accessible parking
  • Wheelchair-accessible path of travel
  • Wheelchair-accessible path to elevator
  • Wheelchair-accessible public washroom
  • Wheelchair-accessible registration desk (39 inches high)
  • Wheelchair-accessible restaurant

More

  • At least 80% lighting from LEDs
  • Ballroom
  • Designated smoking areas (fines apply)
  • Eco-friendly cleaning products used
  • Local artist showcase
  • Locally-owned and organized tours and activities
  • Vegan dining options
  • Vegetarian breakfast available
  • Vegetarian dining options

Room amenities

Bedroom

  • Free crib
  • Pillow menu

Bathroom

  • Bathrobes
  • Free toiletries
  • Hair dryer
  • Shampoo
  • Soap
  • Toilet paper
  • Toothbrush and toothpaste (on request)
  • Towels provided

Entertainment

  • 42-inch flat-screen TV with cable channels

Food and drink

  • 24-hour room service
  • Coffee/tea maker
  • Electric kettle
  • Meal delivery service
  • Minibar
  • Restaurant dining guides

More

  • Air conditioning (climate-controlled)
  • Energy-saving switches in guestrooms
  • Free local calls
  • Heating (climate-controlled)
  • Iron/ironing board
  • Laptop workspace
  • Phone
  • Recycling

Policies

Check-in

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

Check-out

Check-out before 10:00 AM
Contactless check-out available

Special check-in instructions

Front desk staff will greet guests on arrival at the property
At check-in, guests must provide a record of full COVID-19 vaccination

Renovations and closures

The following facilities will be closed during October, May, June, July, August, and September:
  • Swimming pool
The property will be renovating from June 10 2024 to December 31 2025 (completion date subject to change). The following areas are affected:
  • Dining venue(s)
  • Exterior
  • Fitness facilities
  • Front desk
  • Guestrooms
  • Lobby
  • Meeting facilities
  • Parking area
Renovation work will only be conducted during business hours on weekdays. Every effort will be made to minimize noise and disturbance.

Access methods

Staffed front desk

Pets

Pets not allowed

Children and extra beds

Children are welcome
1 child, up to the age of 13 years, can stay for free if using existing beds when occupying the parent or guardian's room
Rollaway/extra beds are not available
Free cribs are available on request at the property

Property payment types

Important information

Optional extras

  • Fee for full breakfast: approximately NZD 34.50 for adults and NZD 17.50 for children
  • Uncovered self parking fee: NZD 10.00 per night
  • Uncovered valet parking fee: NZD 10 per night (in/out privileges)

The above list may not be comprehensive. Fees and deposits may not include tax and are subject to change.

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
The name on the credit card used at check-in to pay for incidentals must be the primary name on the guestroom reservation
This property accepts credit cards; cash is not accepted
This property reserves the right to pre-authorize the guest's credit card prior to arrival.
Cashless transactions are available
This property uses eco-friendly cleaning products

We should mention

The seasonal pool will be open from October 01 to March 31
Pool access available from 6:00 AM to 9:30 PM
Parking height restrictions apply

National rating

Rating provided by Qualmark®, source of official star ratings for accommodation in New Zealand.

Property is also known as

Rutherford Hotel Heritage Hotel
Rutherford Hotel Nelson Heritage Hotel
Rutherford Nelson
Rutherford Nelson Heritage
Rutherford Hotel Nelson
Rutherford Hotel
Nelson Rutherford Hotel
Rutherford Hotel Nelson Hotel
Rutherford Hotel Nelson Nelson
Rutherford Hotel Nelson Hotel Nelson

Rutherford Hotel Nelson Reviews

Reviews

8.8

Excellent

Rating 10 - Excellent. 274 out of 541 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 204 out of 541 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 53 out of 541 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 7 out of 541 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 3 out of 541 reviews

9.2/10

Cleanliness

8.8/10

Staff & service

8.6/10

Amenities

8.2/10

Property conditions & facilities

8.4/10

Eco-friendliness

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Business traveler
Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2024

10/10 Excellent

Marisol, Gilbert

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
I love
Stayed 5 nights in Nov 2024

8/10 Good

Robert

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Once a grand hotel
This hotel is over 50 years old. When it was first built, it was probably the finest hotel in Nelson. Now it is showing its age. The location is convenient. My room was comfortable. It can use a modernisation.
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2024

10/10 Excellent

Peter

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Clean, spacious room. Beside church/park with mature gardens and trees. Easy walking to restaurants and shops. A landmark in Nelson that is clearly visible from a long distance.
Stayed 3 nights in Nov 2024

10/10 Excellent

Belinda

Stayed 1 night in Oct 2024

10/10 Excellent

Aimee

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
We enjoyed an excellent experience of the room, staff and facilities during our stay at the Rutherford.
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2024

6/10 Okay

Damian

Liked: Cleanliness
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2024

8/10 Good

Maggi

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Good distance to town. Polite and friendly staff.
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2024

10/10 Excellent

Wai Hung

All good
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2024

8/10 Good

David

Traveled with family
Apart from poor breakfast offering, the Rutherford is an excellent place to stay in central Nelson.
Stayed 9 nights in Oct 2024

8/10 Good

Tom

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
The toilet wouldn't flush for us. The extraction in the bathroom didn't work.The guy from reception showed us how to activate the flusher by kicking the button, then gave us another room because of the extraction issue. The extraction in the new room didn't work either but we were fed up with complaining by then so we just put up with it.
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2024

10/10 Excellent

chun

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2024

10/10 Excellent

Te Whata

Business traveler
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The Rutherford is consistently good. I've stayed at some of the motel properties around Nelson and they've been hit and miss. I will always stay at the Rutherford going forward as I don't have to worry about how the stay is going to go - I know it will be good.
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2024

6/10 Okay

Amani, Auckland

Business traveler
Liked: Cleanliness, amenities
Old hotel but tidy. Mix of staff mostly good but let down by a few.
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2024

8/10 Good

David

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Was Easey to walk to town and dining options close nice place to stay
Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2024

10/10 Excellent

Edward, Auckland

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Great hotel amenities were spot on just checkin took a bit longer than necessary with only 3 people there
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2024

8/10 Good

Peter

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities
Hotel is dated
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2024

10/10 Excellent

Gina

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Close to CBD, walking distance to bars & restaurants
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2024

10/10 Excellent

Isabel

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Highly recommend this hotel. Excellent facilities, staff are friendly, rooms are big and luxurious. In a great location walkable to everything but quiet. Have stayed here before and will stay here again.
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

Rachel

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Very comfortable room in a very convenient location. Friendly helpful staff
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

Steve

Stayed 1 night in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

Annette

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

10/10 Excellent

Yuki

Liked: Staff & service
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2024

8/10 Good

Elizabeth

Traveled with family and small children
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Would have given 5 star except was told at check in that breakfast was complimentary only to be told at check out it wasn’t and was charged for it.
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2024

8/10 Good

Tania

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
We had a nice stay
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2024