James Cook Hotel Grand Chancellor

Hardly an apex of high luxury, but it’s not bad. I’ll give you two reasons why you should stay here. 1.) Fresh rooms and has beds with big pillows. 2.) Location convenience. Back escalators take you down conveniently to Wellington Central, with all the fun tourist shops and endless array of shoe stores. Dear readers, please believe me, New Zealanders love shoes it seems like. There were literally three shoe stores back to back and at least ten shoe stores in a two block radius. I’m not lying. You’re also in walking distance to the docks and to the New Zealand History Museum.
Here’s another reason I’m not lying, thus, the truth: I checked in at 2 a.m. in the morning and the 3 a.m. fire alarm, summoning the fire department, drew us all out down the emergency stairs exits and out onto the street. Turns out some old Chinese ladies admitted they were smoking up a storm, they happened to be the room across from us in a building of hundreds of rooms. What luck! Really, it wasn’t that bad. No firemen heroes this nite. But those sound alarms are loud. «What are we idiots, we can’t hear ourselves?» Hey, call me an idiot, but despite this incident, I probably would stay here again. Hey, talk about it at Whitby’s, the all you can eat restaurant on the 17^th floor, that fills you up with prime rib, chicken, mutton and fettucine primavera and tons of shellfish more. #newzealand

This place isn’t too bad for a two night stay, I wouldn’t go out of my way to come back though.
This is one of those big hotels that’s just become run down and looks a little bit dirty in it’s corners.
The service isn’t 5 star but the staff are reasonably friendly upon entry, and the valet is reasonably fast.
Over all if you don’t want to stay in a back packers but can’t afford 5 star, this place will do. After all you don’t come to Wellington to stay in your hotel room all day!

Not really sure how to rate this one. Maybe 2.5 is more accurate…
Overall, I was not a fan of the hotel or experience, but I wasn’t paying a lot for the room so I pretty much got what I paid for.
I wouldn’t spend more than around $ 100 a night here.
If you’ve ever apartment hunted and walked into a totally standard apartment that did not excite you at all, that is the feeling you get here. The bathrooms are a bit depressing.
Don’t trust that the concierge knows what they’re talking about. This may be a specific incident but we asked where we should see The Hobbit: Battle of Five Armies opening weekend and they recommended READING CINEMAS (a totally standard theater in a mall) when THE EMBASSY (the theater that Peter Jackson helped renovate and held premieres for his movies with premium seating, 3D picture and sound) was two blocks down the same street!
Luckily a local pointed us in the right direction.
That being said, the Assistant Manager at the hotel bar/​café in the hotel (morning shift) was extremely kind and generous.
The Room Service food is drab. Pizza and Fish and Chips were pretty terrible and we were desperate.
I wouldn’t come here again, but if you’re trying to save money and be somewhat central, it may work for you.
TIPS: Don’t bring your significant other here, but if you’re on business or with family, then maybe…
ALSO, Wifi is free for about 100MB of use per 24 hours. After that you have to pay.