Stayed for two nights in January 2012 with a family of four. Got upgraded on check in to view over the Whakerewarewa Thermal Village and also allowed to check in early. This was a great start. The rooms were great and so was the view of the Village, comfy beds and nice decor. It was misty rain on the first day so the pool was great as it is very warm. On the second day it when it was very hot the pool was too warm for my liking but still better than a freezing cold pool.
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It is a very comfortable hotel and offers good rates. If you are just travelling through Rotorua like we were i think it is a great option like Fi-W-Scotland has mentioned. However, I will qualify that although I did not pay for the thermal village views i think it added to my stay. It was a pretty unique view of steaming pools and when we were in the room added to the holiday.
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Parking is free out the front of the property.

We only stayed one night at the Holiday Inn on our road trip through New Zealand, and for this it was perfect. It wasn't one of the most expensive places we used and therefore we didn't have terribly high hopes but it was clean, with good amenities, friendly staff and the comfiest bed ever!

Good sized room overlooking the car park (but we didn't travel NZ to sit in our room so who cares), with really soft bedding but comfy firm bed. A little away from the main centre of Rotorua but again this suited us as we were travelling and so had a car. We were out at night and so didn't try the restaurant but did si tin the bar before/after going out and it was pleasant enough.

Some have commented that it smelled - not true. The town of Rotorua smells with the sulphur pool - the hotel was not smelly in itself - in fact we could hardly smell anything from our room.

All in all, I would book again if travelling - I don't think I would choose Rotorua for longer than a couple of nights anyway. Hotel is right next door to the Whakerewarewa Thermal Village which is very worth a visit for the guided tour.

We booked for a long w/e in Rotorua at quite late notice last week and were surprised to find that the hotel (in which we've stayed at least 6 or 7 times before) had changed from the 'Park Heritage Hotel' to a member of the Holiday Inn franchise. Notwithstanding a few apprehensioins about that, the hotel was basically very good and we thoroughly enjoyed our short stay. Of course, as with much of what most of the north island has been like this summer, the weather wasn't that good - being quite showery and with a cold, cold wind. But that was one of the reasons we went to Rotorua and the hotel because we decided that swimming in the sea at home (north shore of Auckland) is way too cold for us this year, so the warm/hot swimming pool of what we knew as the Park Heritage was very appealing! And, sure enough, the swimming pool is the same - perhaps a bit warmer than we recall it, and the two separate outdoor spa pools didn't seem as hot as before. But the pool was nice - well maintained and big enough to have a 'bit' of a swim.
We'd booked a Superior room, furnished with two queen sized beds and a choice of soft or firm pillows. The LG flat screen TV was reasonably good with a standard selection of free to air and basic Sky channels. (Not being Sky subscribers it always amazes us to see the rubbish that people actually pay their hard-earned money for on Sky!!). There's no minibar, but a good fridge in which you can put your own stuff, and a good selection of glasses along with the simple tea/coffee making facilities. The bathroom was more than reasonable, and was clean.
We didn't eat in the hotel, not because there's anything wrong with the Chapmans restaurant - more that we liked being out and about eating locally. Capers, in Eruera St offers excellent breakfasts (and meals all day for that matter). We also went to the Cafe de Paris in Hinemoa St which is genuinely French and also offers a great breakfast. We self catered our first night's dinner and ate out the other two nights. We thoroughly enjoyed Yamato Japanese restaurant in Pukuatua St where you sit at the bar and watch the chef slice and dice the immaculately fresh fish for your sashimi and sushi. Also went to the Thai restaurant in Tutakenkai St, but, to be honest, we didn't enjoy that meal as much as we have done at the same place in the past. (Maybe these should have been separate reviews from the hotel - sorry about that!).
Rotorua offers great walks around and about the Lake. It's almost a must-do for us to go for one of the walks in the Redwoods each time we go there. There are plenty of other activities to keep you busy if you want - though this time we just wanted a long w/e to chill out, relax, read books and have walks. Perfect.
I'd have to say that our reception at the hotel was less than wholeheartedly welcoming this time. Maybe the staff member involved was having a bad day. Also, whilst we have always had the option to have a a paper (usually Saturday morning's) left outside the room at this hotel, we weren't given that option this time. There was no card on the back of the door to request a paper. When I went down to ask if I could order a paper I was advised (by the same staff member) that I could only have a paper if I was a Priority Club member of Holiday Inn - which I'm not. So, even when I asked if I could have a paper delivered to our room and put on my account I was advised it would only be if there were any left. So I was a bit miffed about that!
Next morning, however, there was a paper outside our room and there were also several papers available in the lobby for guests to pick, so goodness knows what that was all about. As I said - maybe a bad day.
On the Sunday night my wife went down to ask about becomming a Priority Club member - which was immediate and free to join (I hadn't been offered that opportunity!) and we duly received our copy of the Herald on Monday.
Overall though, it's still a good place to stay. There was nothing much on in Rotorua that w/e - so the hotel and the pool were commensurately quiet, which was quite nice for us.
A bit out of town (being adjacent to Whakarewarewa) but it's quiet and peaceful - it feels reasonably secure as far as your car is concerned, (all outdoor parking in the hotel grounds) although there's some pretty dinghy housing nearby - and we just enjoy the place. So, Holiday Inn or not, we think it's still a good place to stay. No doubt we will go again and I'd be happy to promote it as a 4 star recommendation.

Booked over phone and got a very good rate. Supposed to be a romantic night (Xmas gift) so when I made the booking I used a friends c/card to keep it a surprise and so she wouldnt know $ or details etc.
Turned up and room was average. Asked for a bigger room and got that no problems. When we went to leave they went to charge us. I said we had already paid. Next day my wife goes online to bank and sees they have charged her c.card. So much for keeping it a secret. Turns out when I went to get the bags on checkin they took an imprint of her card and then used that for payment after we left. So despite it being a great weekend, having the recipient of the surprise present being charged kind of destroyed the gift/Xmas idea