Lake Tekapo Lodge — Hotel in South Island

Oh dear! where do I start…|Whilst the rooms have a great view and are within a short distance of Lake Tekapo, that’s where the positives end. My wife and I stayed here recently on our 4 week tour of New Zealand and this is the worst experience so far. |We were met by our host Stephanie and were immediately informed “we don’t wear shoes inside” and were prompted to remove our shoes and leave them near the front door, whilst Stephanie was wearing shoes herself. A better approach may have been to invite guests to wear a complementary pair of slippers (none provided) if shoes are dirty. Stephanie advised us that breakfast was from 08:00, which was after we needed to leave for an activity we had scheduled nearby. Our host exclaimed that she couldn’t understand why our travel agent would have chosen such a time, however our travel agent is not able to influence the times that activities are available and we thought this was an odd thing to say. As a compromise we asked if some fruit could be provided in the morning (instead of a full breakfast) to which Stephanie replied “you can get some at the supermarket”. We had paid for bed & breakfast and thought this was an astonishing response. There is clearly no synergy between local activities and the needs of the clients. We were shown around the facilities and finally to our room which had a rather peculiar smell. We later discovered two containers of perishable drinks that were a month old, in a drawer. We promptly deposited these in the kitchen/lounge bin and opened the windows to air our room. On checking the room we found a build-up of dust in a number of areas and some stains under the toilet seat. We took photos but decided against sharing them here. A kitchen/lounge facility was provided, which contained a small fridge and coffee/tea making facilities, it was noted that a minimal amount of milk was supplied which ran out quickly - a fellow guest had to have coffee without milk.|We returned to our room after an eventful and enjoyable day of activities to find that our room had not been serviced. Other accommodation described as ‘first class’ has the room serviced daily, with air conditioning provided, along with a complimentary full range of bathroom toiletries (lack of hair conditioner), biscuits and freshly made cakes. I should also point out that although the local facilities are within a 5 minute walk, the route involves a shale covered stair/ramp without handrails or lighting which may be difficult to navigate for those who are less mobile. The alternative route is via the roadside pavement which is approximately 1km. On our final day we came to the dining room for breakfast at 08:00 prompt looking forward to a hearty breakfast before heading out. Stephanie asked if I would like some scrambled eggs and bacon. I asked if I could have an omelette instead, to which she replied “we’re only offering scrambled eggs this morning, with bacon”. Again this was an astonishing reply to a paying guest.|We were pleased to be leaving. Based on our experiences in a number of guest houses we stayed at during our tour, I could only offer 2/5...

If you are considering staying here, absolutely don't. Here's why I am so confident in saying this: despite being one of the cheapest places at Lake Tekapo at about $225 a night, it quickly becomes apparent why.

Firstly, I made a booking earlier today and called the host to confirm if my room had a view, as it was the most expensive option available on Booking. The call went to voicemail, which was fine initially. However, 30 minutes later, Stephanie called me back. When I began to speak, she abruptly cut me off, stating they were closed, and then hung up.

Curious about this highly-rated establishment, I investigated further. I discovered that recent reviews reveal significant issues. Here are a few examples:

Reviewed: 3 March 2024 - "No views, no stars - misleading and old photos."

Reviewed: 24 October 2023 - "I wouldn't advise staying here. No one on site to help if there are problems getting in. Location is disgusting!"

Reviewed: 2 April 2024 - "Too expensive for what is offered. Photos need updating."

If you wish to read these reviews, go to the property on Booking and filter by lowest rating.

A person in the hospitality industry cannot be so rude and disrespectful when dealing with customers. That's unacceptable, so if you do book and stay with them, what...

Myself and my husband have just reluctantly left Lake Tekapo Lodge after a wonderful two night stay. Our hosts, Stephanie and Alistair were absolutely lovely, welcoming us into their home and making us feel very comfortable from the minute we walked in the door. Lake Tekapo Lodge is beautiful. The room we had was beautifully and comfortably decorated and we had doors leading to a patio area with the most stunning views. We enjoyed sitting there on an evening enjoying the peace and scenery. There is a gorgeous communal lounge with refreshments available which is a really lovely touch. The breakfasts were delicious and we really enjoyed the chats we had with our hosts and other guests at breakfast. This is a beautiful place to stay with extremely friendly, accommodating hosts and we wouldn’t hesitate to recommend and would hope to get back someday. We loved it here. Thank you Stephanie and Alistair....