Location
Two minutes from the river. One minute from the hospital.
Whanganui is a beautiful, friendly community, and a friendly welcome is assured. We sit at 59 Heads Road, just off the motorway — cross the Cobham Bridge and you are in the centre.
Where we are
59 Heads Road.
Next to Whanganui Base Hospital, just off the motorway and close to the airport. On-site parking means you can pull up, unload, and go inside.
Whanganui, New Zealand
Getting around
How close is everything?
Close enough to walk, close enough to drive, close enough to get to on time. These are approximate drive times from the motel door.
The river road west of the city, on the way to the west coast.
The guide
A small city with a great deal in it.
Whanganui is renowned for the river that runs through the central city. We are literally two minutes away, and a friendly welcome is assured. There are many attractions and things to do — best researched on the two main city websites.
Moorings — Peter Nicholls, on the Whanganui waterfront.
Whanganui and the Town Bridge, photographed around 1908 — the same crossing, a century on.
Sarjeant Art Gallery
One of the finest small galleries in the country, and home to a genuinely serious collection. It anchors the cultural side of the city and is worth an unhurried hour.
Whanganui Museum
Regional history on the river, in the old Riverboat Centre. A good place to pick up the story of a city shaped by the water it sits on.
Chronicle Glass
New Zealand glass and studio craft, made right here in the city. Worth a browse whether you plan to buy or not.
River Traders Market
Produce, craft and street food on the riverfront. The easiest way to eat well in Whanganui without trying.
Splash Centre
Swimming and water play, close by, for the days when the weather turns.
Kowhai Park Playground
Space to run, and the kind of park that makes a two-night stop work better for families with children.
The Whanganui River
The reason most people come. It runs through the central city, past the Town Bridge and out to the west coast — and it is two minutes from our door.
The city
Whanganui, in a few pictures.
The Sarjeant Gallery on the hill, the ranges behind it, and Kowhai Park at the bottom of the city. All of it within a short drive of Heads Road.
Sarjeant Art Gallery and the ranges beyond the city.
Kowhai Park Playground — somewhere for the children to burn off a motorway stop.
Gateway MotorLodge, 59 Heads Road — the red roof you are looking for.
Beyond the city
The road out is the point.
Heads Road puts you on the motorway before you have finished your coffee, and the wider region is worth the detour if you have the time.
Come and see it
Ten minutes from the centre. Better than a hotel lobby.
Check the live availability, or ring 06 345 8164 if you would rather talk it through. Free on-site parking, and you can be in the town centre in two minutes.
