Solitaire Lodge

This place is very special . I would recommend very much The view is amazing and peaceful The room very spacious and the atmosphere is very pleasant The service very much good The Restaurant serves excellent food Breakfast unique with home made bread and brioche The best you can find in NZ is the early morning bath in the hot spring in the forest This experience is unique Thank you to the owner who made all the effort to give us the best including the helicopter excursion to the Vulcan . Unforgettable ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Location, property, staff, accommodation, food, management and attention to detail 5/5 across the board. What a gem. Old world charm with a modern sophisticated feel. Would highly recommend. This Kiwi lodge has it all. Massive thank you to Wayne and the team.

We thoroughly enjoyed this lodge. The staff is wonderful and the food is absolutely amazing. We both agree it was the best cuisine we encountered during our 3 week NZ trip. The view is spectacular and the waterfall hike and morning boat to hot springs exceeded expectations. A little off the beaten path but completely worth it!

Everyone there PERSONALLY cares about you and your enjoyment….more than most families. They ensure your entire experience in the local area is the best. Wayne and Ian were amazing…great wine, cocktails and food! Don’t miss fishing on the lake and the waterfall trail (this mostly flat trail does have a few steep areas that you have to navigate), the beauty of the falls made it worthwhile. The rooms were nice and spacious with great views.

As the name says, it is very peaceful, and you feel way from everything. But don’t mistake that for there’s nothing to do. We found there were a lot of activities to do on the grounds, including: kayaking, hot pools, hikes, and just lounging about. Rotorua is a quick 30 minute drive from the lodge so you won’t miss out on all the cultural experiences it has to offer. We were treated to a five star meal every night nice pre-dinner cocktails. The staff was extremely friendly and they made sure our stay was a five star experience. Last, but certainly not least the scenic views of the lake or breathtaking, we found ourselves, just sitting on the balcony looking over the water And enjoying our time together. It is on the price your side but I think the experience is worth the price. Thank you to the Solitaire Lodge for a wonderful stay. I can’t wait to go back.

Perfect tranquility. Hospitality excellence. Incredible picturesque landscape to be admired from all over the lodge - in your suite, at the restaurant or outside. Incredible fine dining and the best staff. They really do try hard here and it’s thoroughly recommended.

Driving up to the gates, we knew something special awaited. We were not disappointed. Wayne came out to welcome us, and the next few days were wonderful. The views from our room and from the dining room took our breath away. Lake Tarawera kept changing colors, with mist rising early in the morning. The chef created fabulous, elegant meals, and the staff was always available to answer questions (and offer really good single malt scotch at the cocktail hour)! We enjoyed a walk around the lake, a kayak paddle at sunset, and the boat ride to hidden hot springs. We would recommend Solitaire to anyone as a relaxing, elegant retreat. Nearby hiking and geothermal wonders meant we could be active in the day and come home to our private retreat.

Thank you Wayne and your amazing staff for such a wonderful, albeit short stay. Nothing was too much trouble. We will stay longer next time. From the minute we arrived service was warm and personal. The views were amazing and the thermal hot springs a definite highlight. Captain Dave very informative on the area. The accommodation was fantastic, with attention to little details. The food and wine were particularly good. Such a highlight on our short New Zealand trip.

Visiting for our first time we knew this would be good but never this good. Wayne greeted us at the end of the driveway and kindly emptied our car of its gift-heavy suitcases. Our lodge and its view had the four of us gaping in awe. The view was only outdone by the food and the service provided by Ingrid, Joy and Ian. The memory which will last the longest will be our chilly morning excursion with Captain Wayne to the heavenly warm springs. Sometimes I truly think it must have been a dream.