On The Point - Lake Rotorua

While the hotel is lovely, all the staff really make the place what it is - lovely people and some of the best service I’ve received. Very accommodating, polite and friendly. Food at the restaurant was also excellent!

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This gorgeous lodge has to be on one of the loveliest places on the planet. The service was excellent. The cottage was stunning. We only wished we could stay longer.

I want to try and be fair but ultimately this hotel did not suit us. On the plus side our suite was enormous and overlooked the water. As can be seen from the promotional video it is quite old fashioned in style but we expected that. There are a few things which the hotel can't do much about - I think it is fair to say that the lake has a smell of sulphur which you can smell from time to time and there are a lot of flies at certain times of the year. This meant that we could not open the doors to the balcony in our room. In addition the hotel needs more staff - the same person was checking in new guests and serving dinner and there was a long delay to the food. We did not enjoy the dinner. Later in the evening there was nobody around to ask for any drinks. We also experienced a few communication difficulties which marred our stay and led to some awkwardness. The room rate is very high - although we did stay at an expensive time of year and the room was large. It was just too high for the full nature of the experience that we had, taken as a whole. (Please note that you need to telephone a New Zealand telephone number to gain access on arrival so you need to be able to do that on an international phone.) If we were planning the road trip again we would have reconsidered staying in Rotorua.

On the Point is situated right at the tip of a peninsula on Lake Rotorua, well away from the busy town center. The location alone makes this hotel a truly special place. Furthermore, the service was consistently friendly and attentive. We stayed in a luxurious cottage near the main house, which included a spacious bedroom, a private living area with a gas fireplace, and a fully equipped kitchen. Having a washer and dryer available to us was very practical. On the veranda, we even had our own private hot tub with a wonderful view of the lake and the gardens, where horses, sheep, and donkeys grazed peacefully. Given the heavy duvet and the many cushions on the bed, a turn-down service would have been a nice touch. Unfortunately, this wasn't provided, but even so, we felt very much at home at this hotel.

On the Point enjoys a stunning position overlooking the lake. For me, it came into its own in the early evening. The sun slowly setting, the water flat calm and a front view seat on the terrace.Magical. We’ve noticed all over New Zealand many spots which just can’t help exuding peace and serenity. This was one of the best in that regard. Our room was a mini suite, well appointed and comfortable. The bathroom had its own jacuzzi and a well powered shower. Excellent breakfast offering and the dinner experience didn’t disappoint. Most of all, the customer service was friendly, welcoming and ultra efficient. I can’t list all the names but Nicki was excellent at breakfast time, full of insights and suggestions. Nadia in reception- and elsewhere- went several steps further in helping us organise a next night external stay ,a great help. The lodge is 10 minutes away from the centre but not really a problem. Our two trips through town to the Redwoods Walk and Hamurana Springs were no problem at all. The latter was particularly lovely.

We booked the Main suite and expected to be blown away - we weren’t. The decor is old fashioned which may be a nod to the history of the place, but we noticed areas where corners appeared to have been cut. The bathroom, for example, was massive but, rather than install a proper shower, a plastic cubicle had been installed in a corner. We also noticed cracked tiles in the room while the tiles on the lovely patio had been laid on felt and moved when the felt was wet. Of more concern were the steps in the room which were frankly dangerous - two steps up to the bathroom of which one was marble and the other carpet. This is an accident waiting to happen. We slept poorly and found the room very hot. On our last night we found a possible cause - a polyester sheet under the cotton sheet. Also there is only one small air conditioning unit for a very large room which would not be sufficient in warm weather. On a positive note, the service was outstanding, the staff friendly and the food delicious.

We were in room 1, which is a huge room with its own dining table and a large balcony with stunning views over the lake. We had dinner at the hotel both nights of our stay, and the food was excellent. The range of breakfast dishes was very good. A special shout out to Nicky, who gave us some great tips on what to do during our stay.

The hotel has a lot of character and old world charm. It is set in a beautiful location. The service was excellent.

Alles

Nichts

Truly extraordinary - Spectacular views, beautiful accommodations, lovely food and really helpful staff. Very worth the splurge.