Franz Josef Top 10 Holiday Park — Hotel in South Island

The room was comfortable and suited our group of four, although it’s technically set up to sleep six. It includes one single bunk bed, three single beds, and a queen bed tucked away in a cozy nook for added privacy. All the beds were clean and comfy, with fresh linen and towels provided. That said, the space did feel a little cramped with so many beds- it left limited room for additional furnishings. We ended up using the extra beds to lay out our luggage. Aside from a small table with three chairs and a bin, there wasn’t much space for bedside tables, storage, shelving or clothing racks of any sort.

The room is fully carpeted and heated by a single wall heater, which kept things warm, though it hummed a bit at night.

The bathroom was a highlight- very clean and nicely designed, with a spacious white shower, a toilet, and a warm ceiling light/heater. Soap and shampoo were provided, and I appreciated thoughtful touches like good ventilation, bright lighting, towel racks, and a bin.

There are two access points to our room- one leading directly to the parking area, and the other to the communal lounge and kitchen just a few steps away, which I loved for its convenience. The shared lounge was spacious, comfortable, and well-equipped. It’s a great spot to relax on the couches with the TV (local channels only) or sit at a table to eat, study, or work- as I did study daily while another guest worked remotely on her laptop with the tv respectfully turned down to a hum.

The kitchen was very well-stocked with everything you might need: plenty of crockery (mugs, plates, bowls), pots, non-stick pans, cutlery, two fridges (one large, one small), stovetop, electric kettle, tea, coffee, cleaning products, and more. It’s refreshed every morning by staff. Guests also respectfully clean up after themselves. During breakfast and dinner, it never felt overcrowded. Although with limited heating points in such a large area, it can get cold at night.

WiFi was excellent- strong, fast, and accessible throughout the property with no dropouts. We also made use of the laundry facilities, which were perfect for catching up on washing after days of traveling and hiking.

This place is very family-friendly, with a separate games room (with billiard table) and an outdoor playground that the kids really enjoyed. Check-in and check-out were a breeze with the easy key drop box system.

We stayed here for two nights and although most days were wet and rainy, we really enjoyed our time. We met several lovely families and fellow travellers (from Singapore, the UK, Holland, Germany, and New Zealand), and even bumped into some of them later at nearby tourist spots like the glacier. A welcoming, well-run place- we’d happily return!

Here’s a lovely view from the...

Really badly run and gross! This is our 4th Top 10 resort that we have stayed in so we have a lot to compare it against. It is awful. The area itself is lovely so do find something else in the area to stay in but not here.

The resort has a lot of land, but all the rooms are piled on top of each other sharing paper thin walls. The rooms are gross, have no soundproofing and we had crying windows because the freezer in our room was never defrosted (it literally had hardly any space in when we arrived as it was that frosted) when the electricity went off it all leaked into our room.

While we were there there was a bad storm that caused a power failure, so we had no access to the stove as it was electric we had to use the communal gas one which is never an issue except there was one 4 plate stove for the entire resort to share! So we waited while cooking. They generated electricity for the office, but did not even care to generate for one of the communal showers, all it needed was a pilot light as it was gas so we could not shower for 2 days!

When arrived and were told we could not book the spa which is usually free to members (of course an added if you pay $10 we can book it for you) as our membership details had not come up on my booking. The next day I got our membership number and a different person said 'not to worry your membership number is on my screen'. We arrived at 8.02pm for our spa only to be told that they had given the key to someone else as they thought our name was on the list for yesterdays booking with an added they have just walked in. So when we asked that they please go get the key they had the cheek to ask if we could wait for their session to be over. We timed the spa with our childs bedtime. The spa is gross! Don't bother. We all had itchy legs from the chemicals.

This is a run-down gross resort that requires a total revamp and the staff act like-wise. We paid for cooking facilities and a shower, we may as well have stayed in a tent as non of that was provided. If they have generators to make complimentary coffee I don't even want to hear what their excuse was for not generating electricity for a minute to get the pilot light on for showers.

If you read their replies on tripadvisor and google they reply with the...

BUYER BEWARE. No 0 star option. This would be it. Do not book online. They have a nice little racket running here. If you book online and find your accomodations sub par to what you expected. Do not even bother asking for refund. You have to do it 72 hrs prior. Or better yet if you pull in and book then change your mind. To Late!! Changes only allowed until 2:00 which just happens to be check in time. Funny how that works. The Manager Leanne missed the class on congeniality. She's nasty, dirty and very confrontational. The amenities are ok but a bit 70s but that may work for some. This should Be a bottom 10. Advice? Go 2blocks down to Rainforest retreat or Orange Sheep park. Much better service, and many choices to accommodate. We lost our 2 nights investment in this place and moved to Rainforest. Much better option.

We made several attempts to work out a solution. Including taking a lesser spot and allowing others a free upgrade. We paid for 2 days at check-in and stayed 45 minutes. Manager (Leanne) was not willing to allow a refund for day 2 claiming because we booked online she couldn't do anything. Hogwash!!! I run an online business and affiliates do not control your customer service. Total Scam. Try...