Where can I eat near The Pier Hotel and Restaurant?

The Pier Hotel's own restaurant serves local seafood, bar food, and European dishes, with a bar featuring local Emporium Brewery beers. Nearby on West End, you'll find Zephyr Restaurant, Thai Siam Restaurant, Groper Garage, and Strawberry Tree. On Beach Road, Black Rabbit Pizza and The Kaikoura Indian Restaurant are close by. For a casual bite, Why Not Café and Bernie's Diner are also within easy reach. The hotel's restaurant is a solid choice for a meal with a sea view, and the other spots offer a good range of cuisines.

What is the area around The Pier Hotel and Restaurant like?

The Pier Hotel sits right across from the beach on Avoca Street, so you can step out to the shore in moments. The Kaikoura Lookout is an 11-minute walk away, and the Kaikoura Peninsula Walkway and Point Kean Viewpoint are each a 20-minute stroll. The Kaikoura Seal Colony is 23 minutes on foot, and the visitor information centre is 25 minutes away. The hotel's own restaurant and bar serve local seafood and drinks with sea views, and the town centre with its shops and eateries is a short walk along the waterfront. It is a relaxed, coastal setting with easy access to the peninsula's sights.

How do I get to The Pier Hotel and Restaurant from the airport or main train station?

From Kaikoura Airport, the hotel is about 9 km away, roughly a 9 minute drive by car or taxi. If you are driving from the main highway, turn off Beach Road into West End, continue along Esplanade for about 2.5 km to Avoca Street, and the hotel is on the corner across from the beach. There is plenty of parking on site. For a direct trip, a pre-booked transfer or ride-hailing service will bring you right to the door.

What's there to do near The Pier Hotel and Restaurant in the evening?

In the evening, you can enjoy a meal or a drink at The Pier Restaurant, which offers local cuisine, seafood, and bar options with sea views. Other nearby dining spots include Zephyr Restaurant, The Whaler Bar and Restaurant, Thai Siam Restaurant, The Kaikoura Indian Restaurant, Black Rabbit Pizza, Groper Garage, and Strawberry Tree. For a stroll, the Kaikoura Peninsula Walkway and Point Kean Viewpoint are a 20-minute walk away, offering coastal views. The Kaikoura Seal Colony is a 23-minute walk, where you might see seals in the evening. Sunset kayak tours are also available in the area.

Is The Pier Hotel and Restaurant a good base for exploring Kaikoura?

The Pier Hotel and Restaurant is a great base for exploring Kaikoura on foot. You can walk to the Kaikoura Lookout in 11 minutes, Encounter Kaikoura in 18 minutes, and the Kaikoura Peninsula Walkway and Point Kean Viewpoint in 20 minutes. The Kaikoura Seal Colony is a 23-minute walk, and EcoZip Adventures Kaikoura is 24 minutes away. The Kaikoura Visitor Information Centre is a 25-minute stroll. For the Kaikoura Museum, which is 2.0 km away, you can take a short drive or taxi. The hotel sits right across from the beach, making it easy to start your day with a coastal walk.

The Pier Hotel and Restaurant Kaikoura

Name: The Pier Hotel and Restaurant
Address: 1 Avoca Street, Kaikoura, 新西兰

Guest reviews

4.4Very good(1,919)

Excellent1,186
Good452
Average142
Poor61
Terrible78

What guests say about…

Dining
Service
Bar
Breakfast
Nightlife
Restaurant

Guests like

Sea Views: Guests praise the views over the bay and pier from rooms and balconies, calling them astounding and magical.
Food Quality: Reviews highlight the fresh seafood, including mussels and a seafood platter, and the delicious, well-received dishes.
Staff Service: Guests describe the staff as warm, friendly, and helpful, with fast service that made stays and meals enjoyable.

Guests mention

Restaurant Reservations: Several guests note the restaurant is in high demand, so booking a table ahead of your stay is recommended.
Morning Noise: Some guests mention being woken by noise from below on weekend mornings, so a room on a higher floor may be quieter.
Wi-Fi Connectivity: A few guests report the Wi-Fi disconnecting at times, so it is worth checking the connection on arrival if you need it.

Summary for your reference

Reviews from

Aimee North

4/5

Google· 2 months ago

We stayed for one night in the honeymoon suite and it was incredible. The views were astounding and magical. The room itself is stunning, warm and cosy - high quality. The room had everything we could want and we loved sitting on the balcony and having a glass of bubbles. The restaurant was incredible, could not fault the food or service. The cocktails were our favourite - unique and delicious. Staff made the stay wonderful. The only thing I can fault is being woken at 730am on a Sunday by twenty minutes of thinking, scraping, banging and dragging below us. We hadn't noticed any noise before then and unfortunately we couldn't get back to sleep after that. Otherwise thoroughly impressed and would stay again.

Jo Ufton

5/5

Google· 2 months ago

Warm,cosy, so clean, stunning decor and amazingly comfy bed, wee bickies and chocolates special wee touches that make it special. Thankyou team our stay was A+ highly recommended and the staff are so helpful and friendly. The food is delicious and fresh. The mussels were so good my husband ordered them 3 times in a day and he’s a very fussy eater. Very happy customers we will be back.

exposurebydjk

5/5

Tripadvisor· 6 months ago

We had a great one-night stay, though we wish it were longer. A lot of the reviews here seem to be for the restaurant, and this review is specifically for the hotel. The hotel room was very nice - in good shape, nice finishes, etc. Our bathroom was quite large, though we didn't have a ton of extra space in the room (but it was enough for us). The bed was comfortable and wifi good when it worked, though it disconnected on us a few times. For what we needed, it was fine. The balcony was best part. We only had a partial sea view room, and it was still pretty good. We could have hung out there for hours had we stayed longer. Despite the restaurant/bar being downstairs, we really didn't hear much noise, though it didn't appear too busy either. While breakfast wasn't included, they told us at check-in that we got a discount. The next morning, however, staff seemed unaware of this, though after some checking they appeared to give us some discount. We enjoyed the locaiton further away from the main town, but it is a bit of walk or a short drive. The quieter end of town and views made it worth it for us. One thing to note is that many pictures here on TripAdvisor, and even Google Streetview, are pre-renovation. It will probably be obvious which are the newer ones, but definitely only look at those post-2024.

Murray Rosser

5/5

Google· 4 months ago

Lovely place with lovely ambiance and delicious food. They have a great seafood menu, I had the seafood platter which was excellent, the only one I’ve ever had with whitebait and paua!! At $55 it was exceptionally great value. We came back for coffee and scones the next morning which were also amazing along with the views from the covered patio out front. The staff were also excellent. Very warm and friendly.

Samantha Thomas

5/5

Google· Edited 3 months ago

Had lunch at The Pier Hotel today. Exceptional! Beautiful food, friendly staff, with fast service. The refurbishment looks incredible, attention to detail! Whoever the young people are, that are serving, please let them know that they hold the bar high for hospitality. A special thanks to the chef. 100% recommend anyone to stop in here.

Kylie N

5/5

Google· 7 months ago

The hotel sits a little distance out of town right beside the pier which means it is quieter and has an amazing view over the bay back towards town. The building has a lot of character and the restaurant is in high demand with reservations a must. The rooms upstairs have been beautifully renovated, they are large with wonderfully big balconies to watch the ocean and pier going ons. The rooms feel luxurious and the bathroom I had was very spacious and well appointed. It is a great spot to start a walk around the peninsula and see the seal colonies or visit the historic house. Parking was free and easy to find.

Wendy Turner

5/5

Google· a month ago

Had the Mussels in Thai green curry 1kg for $28, a special and absolutely delicious broth and all. A sharp contrast to the mussels we had in Havelock the home of mussels where their white wine broth was salty and inedible. The Pier a winner hands down... highly recommend

Sara Styles

4/5

Google· 3 months ago

Crayfish was good, kūmara fritters were very good (the salsa was nice and fresh), kid’s cheese pizza was a little over cooked. Beers good. Ambience is very nice. Very pleasant on a cold, windy day. Would like to come back on a sunny warm day and enjoy the outdoor space.