Lake Karapiro Lodge

Was very disappointed in my night away at Lake Karapiro Lodge, originally booked for the 10th of march for mine and my partners anniversary weekend away which was fine until i told the host i was paying with a GrabOne voucher, which then she changed her mind and said she had no room for a grabone voucher customer as the rowing was on that weekend. Annoyed but still wanting to use the voucher, booked in for the following weekend. When we arrived at the lodge no one answered the door, resulting in us having to physically go and find one of the hosts. When the host was going through the book looking for which room we were in he told us our name had been crossed off a few times, clearly because the other host had been gradually downgrading us from room to room. When we got to our "Lake view" suite the only view we had was a paddock and some dying plants, a tiny bit of lake if you stand on your tiptoes... outside. Also to mention our room didn't even have a kitchenette, so we had to use a tiny shared kitchen which for cutlery only had two teaspoons, no knives or forks or anywhere for us to eat our dinner. The plus side of the lodge was the shower was good, bed was comfy and service in the morning was ok and the breakfast was good. Nevertheless definitely would not recommend this accommodation to anyone, extremely over-priced at 550 a night for the "Lake view" suite i found was not even worth the 250 we spent for a GrabOne voucher.

We had such a great time at Lake Karapiro Lodge. The room and views were gorgeous. And Ed and Ann were wonderful hosts! They made coffee and breakfast to-order every morning for each guest, and we truly enjoyed conversation with them and the other guests around the breakfast table. It was a very different, and welcome, experience after more than a week of city hotels. WiFi was a bit touch-and-go, but so was 4G. It seems like the area in general doesn't have great reception, but we were still able to get things done that we needed, like bookings for later in our trip. We highly recommend this Lodge for anyone who is unsure- it was a perfect place to get away from the city!

My wife and I had a wonderful time at Lake Karapiro Lodge. The welcome was friendly and Colin & Jan made sure we were cared for. Our bed was very comfortable and rooms spacious. There was a separate guest lounge with tea and coffee facilities and the house was warm and welcoming for our arrival back from exploring. A great base for exploring the local region and thoroughly recommended.

Really nice lodge between Hobbiton and Hamilton gardens, both brilliant visits. We stayed in the Sir Tristram - huge room with everything you could want - v comfy bed. Magnificent view. Great breakfast. Colin and Jan very friendly. Helpful with visits and local restaurants. Lovely swim in pool - it was a hot day!

This is the perfect home base for exploring New Zealand's north island! The pictures don't do justice to just how beautiful the lodge, views and grounds are. We stayed in a Lakeview room and relaxed on our room's patio with coffee each morning. Rotorua, the Waitomo glow worm caves, and Lake Taupo are all within 1.5 hours driving and all are beautiful! Hiking in the area is also terrific. The town of Cambridge nearby is great for dining & shopping. Hobbiton is right around the corner, although we didn't visit it on this trip. Colin and Jan are wonderful hosts and we loved chatting with them each day. We highly recommend Lake Karapiro Lodge for anyone looking to both explore and relax in the North Island.

This is quite a difficult review to write as the new owners have been there since May last year. However, they bill themselves as a 5-star property, so I'll list what I think are pros and cons and you can make up your own mind. Pros: - hearty breakfast - spacious rooms - cute dog (Goldie) - swimming pool (not heated) and spa - close to Hobbiton - comfortable bed - nice views - a LOT of interaction with the host Cons: - hearty breakfast that does not change, so if you're there for more than a couple of days, you may choose to skip breakfast - walls are thin; you can hear the room next door and the room above - swimming pool (not heated) - nice views but you can hear the traffic from the highway below - a LOT of interaction with the host (more than you would expect/imagine at a "5-star" Lodge with prices to match) I don't generally have a problem with interaction with the host but when they are standing at the breakfast table next to you while you are seated and having breakfast and they are talking with you throughout the whole breakfast, that can be a bit much. Some guests come to difficult-to-find lodges to get some peace and quiet.