Hampshire Holiday Parks - Glendhu Bay — Local services in South Island

(REFER UPDATE AT END)

2022 - I have camped here for over 15 years and feel bad for not having provided a review until now.

While some ‘one off’ visitors will not appreciate the ‘rustic’ facilities provided in the older parts of the camp, those like me who make the annual pilgrimage to Glendhu Bay know that they work, are cleaned daily and get regular coats of paint to remain presentable.

Having observed different camp managers styles over the years, the current couple certainly do their best to maintain a safe and pleasant stay. The Christmas / New Year period is very busy and keeping everyone happy, all of the time, is probably impossible but they certainly try and frankly I think they do a great job.

Great to see investment continues to occur with camp facilities and that firm action is taken with those who choose not to follow camp rules like speed limits and excess noise after 11pm quiet time.

Keep up the great work P&P. 👍

UPDATE: Due to the park lease and management change in late 2023, I am now concerned what the future of the camp holds as I’m sure other campers are too.

Questions around Hampshire Holiday Parks future pricing have arisen due to conflicting information from the camp. At one point more than a 50% increase was advertised via on on-line bookings and pricing. This has since reverted back to a much smaller increase which is a relief and a “computer issue” blamed for the error. It’s fair to say campers are closely watching any trends now.

Better gate Access Control and moving the kids playground has been mentioned (both probably justified) but justification for other changes will be needed to justify price increases beyond inflation I feel.

In previous years a boat or caravan could be left for a few weeks for free, it now costs $10 per day in the central part of the camp or $65/month over the road (if space is actually available.)

As others have mentioned, the control of noise & parties after the camps own 11pm quiet time, was poor in January 2024. That needs to change urgently team! As stated previously, firm action needs to be taken with speeding vehicles (including E bikes) as well as unreasonable noise and word will get around.

I hope camp management/lease holders, actually consider any honest and constructive feedback should it arise and that the unique location and lifestyle camp, continues well...

1. The cabin was freezing and even with the heater on the place could not stay warm on our first night. The heater kept going off and we thought that we were not familiar with the settings. Next day when I enquired, I found out the heater was on a timer and it could not be changed. That’s crazy in the winter we had a child below 2 and it was freezing too. Why will a heater be on a timer by default for the guest? It was pure suffering as I had to keep waking up to re-heat (though it doesn’t warm up much), and my daughter left with purple lips and hands as it was too cold.

Plus, we book for 3 pax and they put up a note on the beds that we could not use the spare single bed or will incur housekeeping. A family of 3 on 1 King/queen bed?

We actually wanted to have a comfortable cabin to take a break on the road but ended up suffering so much.

2. Lastly the dryers don’t really work well on 75% load and we had to dry twice, wasting time and money.

3. Shower is stupid that we already paid for the site but we have to pay for the shower? We thought it was per entry into the shower and that’s still reasonable but instead, it was $1 NZD per 6 mins.

4. Common kitchen was oily and dirty IN THE MORNING and stank of cooking fumes.

5. They don’t put up notice on their housekeeping of common toilets etc so you can’t plan your routine or know when it will be closed.

6. The view is average. It’s just a large open area by the lake. You can easily see the same or better from the town. The location is about 15 mins drive away town which is far tbh.

Overall, we are in NZ for a holiday and tried a few different sites and I must say this is the worse experience. We booked for 2 nights but end up leaving after the first foregoing our money because it was really unbearable and not worth the suffering by our daughter.

I regret not booking the other closer to town which is slight more expensive but if you add the cost and comfort...

We stayed 1 night at Hampshire Holiday Park (Glendhu Bay) for NZD $79.30 on a Waterfront Powered Site and it was one of the most scenic stays during our New Zealand road trip. The park sits right beside Lake Wānaka, offering an incredible panoramic lake view with mountains in the backdrop, absolutely breathtaking, especially during sunset.

The park is massive, giving campers plenty of space and privacy. Formerly known as Glendhu Bay Motor Camp, it’s now beautifully maintained under Hampshire Holiday Parks. Facilities were great, there are three dump stations, clean toilets and showers ($2 coin for 6 minutes) and a huge communal kitchen equipped with everything you need. You also get 500MB of free Wi-Fi (or 250MB depending on the area), which is helpful for checking maps or planning the next stop.

Families will love the kangaroo jumper, a big hit for kids to play on and there’s even a vending machine for quick coffee or snacks. The atmosphere here is calm and family-friendly, perfect for those who enjoy camping surrounded by nature.

What made our stay truly unforgettable was seeing the Milky Way for the very first time. The night sky here is so clear and dark that you can see thousands of stars shimmering right above the lake, an absolutely magical moment we’ll never forget.

The location is fantastic, just a short drive to Wānaka town centre and the famous That Wānaka Tree. It’s also a great base for outdoor lovers heading towards Mount Aspiring National Park.

Overall, Hampshire Holiday Park (Glendhu Bay) is an amazing spot for motorhomes, tents or caravans. The lakefront view alone makes it worth every dollar! Highly recommended for anyone...