Powderhorn Chateau — Restaurant in North Island

To start with, the staff were very friendly and helpful, and the food in the restaurant was generous and tasty. The accommodations however were well below the standard that would generally be expected for the nightly rate in this area. The walls were paper thin and we could hear every word the people next door were saying and what they were watching on tv, and yes, that too! Which meant no sleep until they decided to sleep, and that was not as early as we would have liked. This is no reflection on the occupants who were not doing a thing wrong, and from a privacy perspective, it’s actually quite problematic. The floor creaked so loudly it must have been disturbing to the people below us as we moved around. There was a sign on the inside of our door asking that people tread softly so it must be a regular complaint. We were walking barefoot from the bedroom to the bathroom and could not have done anything more to limit noise other than to try and memorise where the creaky floorboards were and tip-toe around them each time we walked across the floor. The plumbing screamed every time a tap was turned on, and there was a notice in the room that stated our room would not be serviced during our stay because they were short staffed. This was fine for our two night stay, we just asked for more towels, but could be an issue for longer stays - not sure if they have a policy on this. Maybe reducing the rates in this circumstance should be considered. The room was clean on arrival and the bed comfortable, although only a queen size - the rooms are spacious so there is plenty of room for a king, which seems to be the norm in most places we’ve stayed. To top it off, the railway line is very close and the freight trains come through at very regular intervals all night. This is not a distant noise it’s right across the road from the hotel. If the windows are closed it’s not as bad but if you don’t like the sound of the air conditioning machine during summer nights, opening the windows is your only other option. The interior decor was outdated and tired and the building is in desperate need of refurbishment. The nearby walking, hiking, skiing etc, is excellent and the environment outdoors is stunning. We will definitely be back to the region but we won’t be staying here for our next visit unless some major refurbishment is done to bring it up...

I have been traveling for many years and this is truly the first time I have ever felt the need to write a complaint about a hotel.

We booked this property because we fell in love with the wooden charm of the hotel, along with its restaurant and pool. Otherwise, we would have simply chosen an Airbnb or a cheaper place without those amenities. We were willing to pay the highest price among the hotels in Ohakune for that special on-site experience, imagining a cozy, warm wooden room inside the hotel.

However, instead of staying in the hotel itself, we were placed in a chalet located three blocks away, down a dark street. When offered the chalet, I genuinely thought it was part of the hotel complex. The description mentioned a short walk, but in reality it was around 20 minutes.

The chalet was clean, but it felt soulless — just four white walls, plain and undecorated, with old leather couches and noisy heaters. The whole place felt cold and dated, nothing compared to the warmth and charm of the hotel. We barely stayed there; most of the time we were at an Airbnb with friends and only returned to shower. Even then, there was no hot water. Staff were kind enough to offer us another room to shower, which I appreciate, but it does not change the fact that the overall experience did not match the price paid (1,300 NZD for two nights).

They also offered me a $100 refund for the lack of hot water. However, that refund never appeared in my account, despite me even sending them my bank statement to prove it.

Jodie, the receptionist, was kind and did try to help. However, the hotel never offered us rooms inside the actual hotel, even though I could still see availability on Booking. She insisted that Booking clearly states it is a “chalet within walking distance,” but I always understood that to mean inside the hotel grounds, not on another street 20 minutes away. In reality, these are just small houses the hotel bought or remodeled and now offers as “chalets.” This does not reflect the true hotel experience and should be much more clearly advertised.

On top of all this, the hotel heaters make loud noises during the night, which made the stay even less...

We stayed here in late September for two nights. The town caters for skiing in winter and other mountain activities in summer, so coming between seasons we probably didn't see Okahune at it's best with some things closed. We had some nice walks though and I dont have any major complaints. We enjoyed a nice brunch at Frank's (a little cafe just down the road named after the owner's dog!) and had a couple of decent meals in the hotel resteraunt.

One quibble. As well as tea and coffee in the room (a cafetiere and some fresh ground coffee so ++ for that). The staff had left on the tea tray a packet of potatoes crisps and a couple of cookies. My wife assumed that like the tea and coffee these were complimentary.... But no. Even though they were not in the mini bar, they were counted as part of the mini bar inventory and we were charged $5 for one small packet of crisps (a hell of a mark up). The cookies had we eaten them would also have set us back $5 each. I thought that this was a bit of a cheek especially as the hotel is by no means cheap. If things like biscuits etc. are laid out on a tray with complimentary tea and coffee I think many guests would assume that they were also...