Matamata Visitor Information Centre — Attraction in North Island

Lovely little town With a great central business district, with great restaurants pub and cafes, visiting the Hobbiton movie set was a delight and the food there was great too. But be warned weary travellers! Be warned of the cave troll that operates the Information site. The trolls name is Gail and she’s a witch that weaves a web of deceit. She will claim there is only one taxi in town to take you to the hobbit city. She will call a number and identify herself by name- soon after a scam taxi will arrive and demand 30$ a person - or 120$ for a ten km ride- there only. Gandalf only knows what the goblin taxi driver will charge for a ride back. We had the taxi drive us to our rental and just drove ourselves. 13$- One of us had to stay sober at the Green Dragon pub but it was worth it. Lovely experience overall but don’t let yourself get scammed by Gail the troll or her goblin henchman taxi driving friend. Those two are working together and we didn’t trust them. There are lots of other taxis available. A stain on an...

Perhaps the most beautifull and well decorated i-site of NZ (I am a lotr fan, that's perhaps why x) went there to visit hobbiton movie set but was incredibly disapointed because of the "ESSENTIAL booking requiered" for a tour that is complete for weeks, but fortunatly we went at this i-site at 10h30 in the morning and had a chance of taking canceled seats for the 11h tour and had a great experience there. But for sake, write that we need a reservation somewhere (that is not hidden on a Q/A on the web site), because as the receptionnist of our holyday park told us (opal hot springs, which is a good place to stay wy the way), there are a lot of people, like us, who turn they way back after many hours driving because they have less luck than us after being told, once they arrived, that they needed a booking for a tour in a...

If you liked (or like me, still do!) TLOTR films and subsequent love affair of ALL things remotely connected, then you'll simply love this absolutely beautiful and iconic i-SITE. It is a replica (human sized thank goodness), Hobbiton themed building...I mean piece of art! You can book ANY Hobbit or TLOTR related activity, including the world famous trip out to where it all began back in the Shire and all from here. The naturally friendly staff are very accommodating, and pretty TLOTR/Hobbit savvy & clued up too! If you pass through Matamata and don't pop in check your rear view mirror for the hoard of Orcs that will be right...