---
title: "Abelia Motor Lodge vs Castles Motel: which hotel is better?"
description: "Abelia Motor Lodge or Castles Motel in Nelson? Compare guest ratings, location, amenities, rooms and prices side by side."
url: https://stayversus.com/en/compare/abelia-motor-lodge-nelson-vs-castles-motel-nelson/
language: en
source: StayVersus (https://stayversus.com)
retrieved: 2026-11-15
---

# Abelia Motor Lodge vs Castles Motel

Both are in Nelson, 550 m apart. Here is where each one is stronger.

Motel · ★★★★ · Tāhunanui
## [Abelia Motor Lodge](https://stayversus.com/en/hotel/abelia-motor-lodge-nelson/)

- **Guest rating:** 8.3 ·  Very good

- **Location score:** 4.5

- **Score by category:** 0 of 5

[Check rates](https://stayversus.com/go/1095926/agoda/?lang=en)

Motel · ★★★★ · Tāhunanui
## [Castles Motel](https://stayversus.com/en/hotel/castles-motel-nelson/)

- **Guest rating:** 8.2 ·  Very good

- **Location score:** 6.8

- **Score by category:** 4 of 5

[Check rates](https://stayversus.com/go/1257621/agoda/?lang=en)

The short answer

## Pick Castles Motel

It leads in 4 of 5 categories. 550 m apart.

### Choose Abelia Motor Lodge if you want

-   the more consistently praised stay (8.3 / 8.2)

### Choose Castles Motel if you want

-   to be closer to the beach (480 m / 1.0 km)
-   to walk to the sights (640 m / 1.2 km)
-   more restaurants on the doorstep (12 / 2)

### Why is Abelia Motor Lodge better than Castles Motel?

No clear advantages in our data.

### Why is Castles Motel better than Abelia Motor Lodge?

1.  550 m closer to the beach (480 m vs 1.0 km) (−550 m)
2.  More guest reviews (55 vs 13), so the rating is more reliable (×4.2)
3.  10 more restaurants and cafés within 500 m (+10)
4.  More walkable surroundings (walk grade 45 vs 24) (+21)
5.  Offers an airport transfer

## All compared facts

Every category is scored from 0 to 10 with the same formula for every hotel.

 

|  | Abelia Motor Lodge | Castles Motel |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Score by category |
| Guest rating | 8.3 | 8.2 |
| Location | 4.5 | 6.8  (+2.3) |
| Facilities | 3.3 | 4.2  (+0.9) |
| Spa & wellness | 0.0 | 1.0  (+1.0) |
| Beach access | 6.8 | 8.7  (+1.9) |
| Ratings & reviews |
| StayVersus score | 8.6  (+0.2) | 8.4 |
| Guest rating | 8.3  (+0.1) | 8.2 |
| Number of reviews | 13 | 55  (+42) |
| Google rating | – | 3.9/5 |
| Google reviews | – | 69 |
| Rank in Nelson | bottom 19%  (+4%) | bottom 15% |
| Location |
| Location score | 4.5 | 6.8  (+2.3) |
| Distance to Tāhunanui centre | 390 m  (−180 m) | 570 m |
| To the beach | 1.0 km | 480 m  (−550 m) |
| To the airport | 2.1 km | 2.5 km |
| Restaurants within 500 m | 2 | 12  (+10) |
| To the nearest food shop | 1.1 km  (−530 m) | 1.7 km |
| Shops within 500 m | 1 | 0 |
| Sights within 1 km | 2 | 2 |
| Rooms & building |
| Star rating | ★★★★ | ★★★★ |
| Rooms | 12 | 11 |
| Floors | 2 | – |
| Listed amenities | 13 | 12 |
| Policies |
| Check-in from | 14:00 | 14:00 |
| Check-out until | 10:00 | 10:00 |
| Amenities |
| Free Wi-Fi | ✓ | ✓ |
| Free parking | ✓ | ✓ |
| Laundry | ✓ | ✓ |
| Luggage storage | ✓ | ✓ |
| Terrace | ✓ | – |
| Smoke-free | ✓ | – |
| Air conditioning | ✓ | ✓ |
| Balcony | ✓ | – |
| In-room safe | ✓ | – |
| Coffee or tea maker | ✓ | – |
| Blackout curtains | ✓ | – |
| Airport transfer | – | ✓ |
| Breakfast | – | ✓ |
| Room service | – | ✓ |
| Hot tub | – | ✓ |
| Meeting rooms | – | ✓ |
| Which hotel suits you |
| Couples | – | ✓ |
| Beach holidays | – | ✓ |
| Sightseeing on foot | – | ✓ |
| Business trips | – | ✓ |
| Spa & relaxation | – | ✓ |

## Live prices around both hotels

Real nightly rates from booking partners for the dates you picked above. Tap a price for the offer.

## Location

550 m apart

Abelia Motor Lodge: city centre: 1.2 km, Nelson Airport (NSN): 2.1 km, beach: 1.0 km, 2 places to eat within 500 m, 2 sights within 1 km.

Castles Motel: city centre: 640 m, Nelson Airport (NSN): 2.5 km, beach: 480 m, 12 places to eat within 500 m, 2 sights within 1 km.

## Weather in Nelson

[Nelson weather: 15-day forecast](https://atlasofseasons.com/en/new-zealand/nelson-region/nelson/weather)

## Abelia Motor Lodge or Castles Motel: common questions

### Which is better, Abelia Motor Lodge or Castles Motel?

Castles Motel leads in 4 of 5 categories, including location, facilities, spa & wellness.

### Which is cheaper, Abelia Motor Lodge or Castles Motel?

Prices change by date. Pick your dates above to see both nightly prices side by side.

### Which hotel is closer to the centre?

Abelia Motor Lodge is closer: 390 m from the centre, against 570 m for Castles Motel.

### Which hotel is closer to the beach?

Castles Motel is 480 m from the nearest beach; Abelia Motor Lodge is 1.0 km.

### How far apart are Abelia Motor Lodge and Castles Motel?

The two hotels are 550 m apart in a straight line.

## Compare now

Updated 6 Oct 2026. Data: Agoda, Overture Maps, OpenStreetMap, OurAirports and hotels' own websites. We may earn a commission from partner links; it never changes the comparison. [How we score](https://stayversus.com/en/about/)

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Source: https://stayversus.com/en/compare/abelia-motor-lodge-nelson-vs-castles-motel-nelson/. Facts are compiled by StayVersus from partner data (Agoda), Overture Maps, OpenStreetMap, OurAirports, public Google Maps listings and hotels' own websites. Scores use one formula for every hotel. Methodology: https://stayversus.com/en/about/