Waiheke Waterfront Lodge

Beautiful location with ocean view. Our hosts Pip and Andy were lovely. Our breakfasts were amazing.

What is not to like??

Magnifique accueil de Pip dans un lieu joliment décoré et hyper confortable. Grande qualité de prestations.

Rien

Ontbijt

Prijs staat niet in verhouding tot de accommodatie. 600 Euro per nacht is bizar hoog.

We did a lot of research because we wanted to visit during the best weather so we came during summer. We arrived on 3/3 and departed on 3/6, on the first night there was a cold spell. We looked at the weather app and it said it was 12° outside, but it said that it was more like 2° because it was very windy. We were in the living room area and it was very cold. I even had a wool sweater on. We turned on the floor heating and wall fireplace. Nowhere were instructions not to turn anything on. In fact, the switches to both had the names of them. I was reading a book when the owner, Pip passed by and told me she was turning off the fireplace. She looked mad and told me in a mean tone that I was being disrespectful to those that lived there and to the other guests. It caught me off guard and I apologized several times. She got closer and then proceeded to tell me about the gas shortage on the island and that if I was cold, I should’ve told her. We didn’t even know she lived on site. Second, we’re adults. Who asks permission to turn on the heat, especially when you’re paying top dollar for a room? I apologized again and again. I hung my head and put my hands up to my face. I went to the room upset. I couldn’t sleep and neither did my sister. The rest of the stay was very uncomfortable for all 4 that stayed in 2 rooms. She could have used kind words and tone and achieved a better outcome and not ruined our stay or had this negative review. Do Not Recommend.

This property is listed as a lodge, and the views are lovely, but my experience was overshadowed by the owner’s awful behavior. We booked two rooms for 3 nights for a family of 4. This was supposed to be the tail end of our wonderful trip to New Zealand. On our first night, we returned from dinner about 8:45 pm and decided to all sit down in the living room/lounge area to continue to enjoy each other's company and the place. It was very cold, (see picture of actual weather that evening) so we looked around and turned on the floor heating and fireplace. There were no signs not to do so any where. Three of us went to bed about 9:30 pm and my sister stayed up to finish a chapter in her book before going to bed. At 9:55 pm, the owner (Pip) came by and then told her she was turning off the fireplace and floor heating. She then berated her for being disrespectful and turning these on. My sister was caught off guard and apologized (6 times the owner later told me when I spoke to her about how my sister was treated) The owner told her that there was a gas shortage. My sister told her that she was unaware since we live out of the country. Either way, she stood looking at my sister with her hand on her hip while my sister teared up as she continue to profusely apologize. Only after this did it become clear to that this was also the owner’s personal home (who live upstairs) and that guests were expected to treat it that way. There is also a small window at the corner of the 2nd floor that looks down at the lounge living room area from the upstairs living area. Because the property was listed as a lodge, I felt this was not made clear before booking. If I had understood that we were renting rooms inside the owner’s home, I would not have chosen to stay here. Because of this unkind confrontation, we asked to leave early and requested a refund for the remaining two nights. We were told a refund would only be given if the rooms were rebooked. I did not find that to be a fair or practical solution given that we had booked two rooms. We were also afraid of being berated for committing a faux paux and using anything else like the hot tub or other amenities because of what occurred so we would stay in our rooms after we got back from day trips on the island. The owner also said she would apologize to my sister, but didn't. The website promises tranquil comfort and warm hospitality. But if you are cold and want to be in the common area, dress very warm or stay in your room. According to the owner, the fireplace is just for display and she said she should tear it out to prevent future incidents. I suggest she tear out the unkindness from her cold heart. For the price, I did not feel this stay was worth it. In my opinion, the property is beautiful, but that did not make up for what I experienced as poor communication, a misleading setup, and dismissive, abusive treatment of guests. I would not recommend staying here.

We spent 4 lovely days at Waiheke Waterfront Lodge and it exceeded all our expectations. Pip and Andy were superb hosts. The accommodations are luxurious and the breakfasts are so delicious! It made a first visit to Waiheke Island a memory that will last a lifetime.. We recommend Waiheke Waterfront Lodge very highly if you are looking to visit Waiheke. Pip also arranged a fantastic wine tour & lunch package for us which is also highly recommended