Police have described the death of Joanne Ingham, 43, as "unexplained".
Police were called to the Harbour City Motor Inn in Webb St at about 2.40am today and a spokesperson said inquiries into the death are under way.
Joanne Ingham had been living in Wellington but was originally from Kaiapoi.
A spokesperson confirmed inquiries into the death were under way.
"Her death is currently being treated as unexplained and a scene examination is being carried out."
"A scene examination will occur this morning. Further information will be provided when it is available."
A man who lives next to the hotel where Ingham was found says police are at the address on average once a month.
He told the Herald he heard sirens this morning but that was not uncommon on Webb St.
"I'm not really bothered by it, everyone that does come and go keeps themselves to themselves for the most part."
He said the hotel had lost its signs in recent weeks, but he still saw people entering and exiting the building.
By just after 1pm, the scene at the motel was almost abandoned. A single police car was parked on the street, and another was halfway down the road at the intersection of Webb and Cuba Sts.
A grill was pulled down over the receptionist's desk but no police cordon was visible.
A security guard told the Herald the hotel had recently changed hands, which was why the signs had been taken down.
A member of the church opposite the hotel told the Herald that disorder - and subsequent police presence - used to be a frequent feature of the area, as it was formerly used for emergency housing, but the issues had mostly ceased when the hotel changed hands.
He said there were often drug deals outside the building, and a corner room was ruined in a fire and its occupant left "in a hurry".
Joanne and Sarah Ingham first came to international attention in 1997. They had stowed away on a Malaysian container ship and claimed to have jumped overboard and survived swimming through crocodile-infested waters in Queensland.
Their tale dominated world headlines and led to them receiving a hefty payment to appear on Paul Holmes' TV show.
In an awkward interview, the twins told Holmes that before jumping off the ship they were told to hold their life jackets down the side so they didn't break their necks when they hit the water.
They were also told they could die if they went under the ship into the propeller so they should jump out as far as they could.
The sisters later married Malaysian partners and lived in Malaysia but left them and returned to New Zealand with their children in 2004.
Joanne Ingham married Malaysian fisherman Hanafi Salleh in 1999 and lived together for five years.
In 2012, Salleh told the Herald he was trying to re-establish ties with his children.
"I'm still the father and I'm still alive," he said at the time.
"I have to take care of my kids. I miss them so much."
When the Herald put this to Ingham, in 2012, she said: "What a joke. He hasn't had anything to do with my kids."
