Braemar Lodge & Spa — Hotel in South Island

Extremely disappointed in our most recent stay and will not be booking again in the future and no longer recommending to friends and family. Especially when spending north of $800 on a bellow average stay.

We have stayed at Braemar multiple times over the years and are shocked to say the least with the last stay. We had numerous problems with our room; hot tub not cleaned from previous guests, in room spa bath filled with a yellow liquid leaking from the moldy vent in the ceiling from the room above us which continued throughout our stay putting us off using it, a VERY strong smell of sewage coming from both vanity sinks, rotten leaking skirting next to the shower that created a pool of water behind the bathroom door leaving the entire suite smelling of dampness and mould. Reception sent a house keeper down who took photos after we showed him the ones we took, she was also surprised at how the room smelled and was definitely not clean. Reception could not offer another room as they were fully booked. Offered to comp breakfast the 2nd morning we were there. We had already booked breakfast and dinner for the first day included in our room charge. Breakfast was fine as a self serve, very basic buffet. Dinner was disappointing as well. Female staff member was swearing quite loud to other staff and talking about some of her personal issues. My partner asked for a glass of Blue Label Johnny Walker (on the menu) and she laughed and said they don’t have that even though it was on the menu. She went to check and never saw her again. My drink was brought to us in a broken glass that leaked all over the table. The cutlery and salt and pepper shakers had food on them from breakfast service that were never cleaned, when asking the male server that took over to fix those issues he was kind and prompt to fix embarrassed by the poor set up. The mains were really good, which was the only benefit of eating at the lodge. The dessert brought to us was the wrong desserts that we didn’t order. Upon checking out the man at reception tried to say the issues with are room were from heavy rain in the previous week to our stay instead of proper upkeep. He also told us we had over spent at our dinner ( room package) by $30 so they will cover that and we should come back in June/ July for a special promo for 3 nights for $500. Leaving us feeling like the fact we had such a horrible experience this time was completely brushed off and not taken seriously. I left a private review through the email portal send to me after the stay and explained all of this and more; also clicking the option to be contacted about our stay (hopping to actually hear from someone in charge) but it’s been a month with nothing. Extremely disappointing so posting a Google review to...

I recently booked a two-night stay at this hotel using the Grabone voucher and had a rather mixed experience. Here's a breakdown of my stay:

Check-In Experience: Upon arriving after 5 pm, we found the reception deserted, but there were clear instructions and a key card left for us. Unfortunately, the initial key card provided opened an already occupied room, a major oversight that left a negative first impression.

Accommodation: After receiving the correct key card, we entered our suite, which was spacious and featured a delightful hot tub. Despite the initial hiccup, the room showed promise, and the amenities were generally enjoyable.

Cleanliness and Maintenance: The potential of the place was, unfortunately, overshadowed by apparent neglect. Housekeeping trolleys cluttered the foyer and floors, and we even discovered insect spray in our room. Dust and dirt were noticeable in the floors, indicating a lack of attention to cleanliness.

Housekeeping Service: Disappointingly, our room was not serviced during our stay. Upon informing the reception, two housekeepers were sent into our room while we were present, leading to an awkward situation. Improved coordination and a more discreet approach would have been appreciated.

Dining Experience: The candlelight dinner, although a nice touch, fell short of expectations. The meals were not as impressive as anticipated, and the price did not justify the quality. The breakfast was similarly lackluster, offering basic warm options that failed to meet the standard one would expect for the price paid. An interesting observation was that the songs on the Christmas playlist remained the same for both breakfast and dinner...

Customer Service: During check-out, the lady on reception failed to inquire about our stay, displaying a lack of interest in guest feedback. This oversight left us feeling undervalued as customers.

Overall Impression: While the hotel holds promise, its current state suggests a lack of attention to management. The cleanliness issues, oversight during check-in, and underwhelming dining experiences collectively detracted from the overall enjoyment of our stay. With some improvements in management and service, this place could undoubtedly reach its full potential. In conclusion, while the hotel has its merits, there are notable areas that need attention to elevate the overall guest experience. For this price I would not recommend this hotel...

It's gone to the dogs. Avoid at all costs.

Lets start. The room was still dirty, the jacuzzi included. The robes had big stains on them. I called for fresh robes & someone to clean the jacuzzi after a long wait I got sent fewer but still dirty robes. During the stay, the bath leaked water everywhere and when I called the night manager she looked at me apathetically and asked "did I want to use a bath?". She had no solutions so I had to ask for towels as she shrugged her shoulders. After pilling towels down so we could safely use the bath did not stop its auto-clean feature after numerous 30 min waits and turn on/offs. I called the nightline and was instructed on how to turn the fuse box off. That night the curtain fell and I spent the entirety of the stay asking when it would be fixed. It never got fixed. The next day after the bath incident we were offered another room, a very far distance from the reception, too far for my 8-month pregnant wife to walk it also had no jacuzzi which I paid extra for. I was offered a room with a bath and jacuzzi, however, it had a hole in the roof. That day my heat ump leaked water everywhere I asked what they could do. I was told there is no repairman, I also followed up on someone fixing the curtains. I was promised it would be done that night, I said even if you give me the clips I'll sort it. Upon return from dinner, no curtains were fixed.

Additional notes. There was a bug I crushed on the public toilet on night one. It was still there when I left two days ago. The room we stayed in, I believe we stayed in over 3 years ago because it also leaked and had a big crack in the tile. The balcony is growing mold, paper wasp nests, and has tiles falling off. I think this place needs to shut some rooms down, repair what they’ve got/refurb then get more staff employed. All these issues were ranging from minor to mega and what was consistent through it all was the lack of apathy from the manager. Who didn’t seem to care we had a rubbish stay or ever offered solutions. Always looking to me for solutions. In the end, I was offered $50 off my stay and was told to be grateful as I received a free upgrade. I let the manager know that my upgrade was not free, but I did receive $10 off. So that isn't good enough. Not for a "luxury" stay nor the premium prices I paid for our stay. I was offered $100 off and the manager would call me asap. It's been two weeks. No call...