Fiordland Lodge Te Anau — Hotel in Fiordland Community

I felt like I needed to write this review because we would have stayed elsewhere had we known about the room/balcony setup. It’s just not worth it for the price in our opinion. I’ll start by saying we chose to stay here because of the location and the view, which are both great. The grounds are very well kept and the views are hard to beat. On top of this, the staff are all very friendly and helpful. That said, for the price the rooms are 1) fairly dated, and 2) provide very little privacy; which impeded our ability to comfortably enjoy what we had chosen Fiordland Lodge for: the view. This is the overarching issue here and why the review is down at 2 stars.

Whether you’re on the ground floor or the 2nd floor there is no separation at all outside of your room. If you open the door and go out on the balcony, you’ll possibly be standing there right next to the people in the room next door. Naturally, if you are in your room you are also looking right out your window at whoever might be out there from the next door room, and they can see right in as well. It left us feeing like it was impossible to be in the room with the blinds open without feeling like somebody would be right outside the door at any moment. It took away what drew us to the place and really put a damper on the experience. We wanted to be able to just relax and enjoy the view and we felt like we could not do that. There also is only one chair per room on the balcony (the room shown in several pictures on Google with two chairs is the one room on the end of the 2nd floor, all the others appear to have the same 1 chair) along with a bench with no back and no armrests. It doesn’t suit two people to sit out there comfortably.

A few other things that fell short (and also why service was given 4 instead of 5 stars) and I believe are worth mentioning since the cost was about $1450 NZD / 900 USD per night:

Half the snacks in the room were expired.

When we first arrived, we walked in to find some… “chocolate streaks” still in the toilet from the prior guest.

We left the “Zzzzz” sign on our door when we left for the day because we didn’t want anybody in our room. At any other lodging establishment anywhere that we have ever been, that would have meant “don’t come in” to housekeeping. Why have that sign if you aren’t going to pay attention to it? We returned to find the sign still on the door but our room had been entered and the bed made, etc. This again comes down to a lack of privacy. We didn’t want anybody in our room, and we expected nobody to enter our room unasked, especially with that sign on the door.

It’s a nice spot with friendly staff, but at that price point we did not get what...

We stayed at Fiordland Lodge in November 2025, and it was easily the highlight of our trip.||The property is absolutely beautiful, but what really stood out was how personal and genuine the entire experience felt. With only a handful of guests, it truly felt like a boutique stay where every detail was thoughtful and every interaction felt sincere.||Managers James and Gethin, along with the rest of the staff, were warm, welcoming, and incredibly attentive. They made us feel right at home from the moment we arrived and were always ready with helpful tips on what to see and do around Te Anau and along the drive up to Milford Sound.||Our room was spacious, spotless, and cozy, with a cabin-like feel and a breathtaking view of Fiordland. The bathroom had heated floors, which was such a nice touch after a cool day out.||At night, being in Dark Sky country, we could see the stars and even the Milky Way right from our balcony—it was absolutely unforgettable.||The lodge has two hot tubs and sauna which guests can privately use. We enjoyed both after we arrived, and it was the perfect way to unwind while taking in the incredible scenery.||Breakfast was included and featured plenty of hearty, delicious options. The lodge also offers packed lunches for guests heading out on day trips, which was such a thoughtful detail. We ordered some for our Milford Sound adventure, and they were ready for us at breakfast, neatly packed in insulated lunch boxes.||Canapés and dinner were also included and were absolutely fantastic. The menu changes daily, and every dish we tried was flavorful and beautifully prepared.||Everything about Fiordland Lodge felt calm, personal, and perfectly designed.||We didn’t have a care in the world while we were there. It’s a beautiful, welcoming place that we’d return to in a heartbeat—truly the best place we’ve...

We stayed at Fiordland Lodge for 2 nights in December as part of a wedding. ||The lodge is situated just 5 minutes out of Te Anau, and is tucked away into the countryside off the beaten track. You could drive by a thousand times and not realise it was there... as you take a right and drive to the path towards to lodge, it reveals itself in all it's glory. You enter through big wooden doors and are greeted immediately and warmly. The main hall is absolutely stunning, looking out over rolling green and towards an amazing mountain range. The lodge is full of wood and every detail is considered. The rooms are incredible, heated bathroom floors, real animal rugs (we think seal...?) And just everything though about. Even a cafieterre for your coffee in bed in the AM...our room held the same view as the main hall, with a balcony running across 4 rooms in the stretch. Almost surreal...||Food was outstanding. A surf and turf style crayfish and venison medley in the first evening for all. Breakfast was to order and hosted a selection of kiwi classics (mince on toast) and staples such as a cracking eggs benedict and full english choices. Just quality ingredients carefully considered and cooked really really well. Warm, homely but fine too. ||Drinks was mainly coffee - a cracking flat white in the morning. Espresso was bang on, not over or underextracted, and milk was ideally steamed, with a bit of latte art too. Exactly what you'd expect to find in a speciality roasters. I didn't ask for any cocktails as I don't believe the bar was set up for volume cocktail work, but great selection of beers, whisky and a brilliant wine list. ||All in, an amazing stay and somewhere we will never forget! Andy, James and all the staff really go above and beyond to make life special when...