Solitaire Lodge

“Lovely boutique lodging on stunning Lake Tarawera near Rotorua”

Walk into your gorgeous suite and look through the floor to ceiling plate glass window at the breathtaking view of Lake Tarawera and you realize why you came to New Zealand. It simply took our collective breaths away. So serene, so peaceful, so beautiful. The Solitaire is located in a relatively is… more

Walk into your gorgeous suite and look through the floor to ceiling plate glass window at the breathtaking view of Lake Tarawera and you realize why you came to New Zealand. It simply took our collective breaths away. So serene, so peaceful, so beautiful. The Solitaire is located in a relatively isolated location about a 20 minute drive along a winding road from Rotorua. On arrival, the Lodge staff is very welcoming provides a tour of the very homey main lodge (with overstuffed couches and chairs), the dining patio and dining room. The lodge has fewer than a dozen rooms, so it is extremely intimate. The rooms are spacious and very comfortable, with a large walk-in closet, living room-style seating, outdoor balcony (with outdoor bathtub), complimentary mini-bar, and as noted above, fabulous views of the lake and its black swans. After arriving, I checked out one of the Lodge’s kayaks and paddled for a bit in the lake. The room package includes three meals, all excellent and prepared to order (and sensitive to dietary requirements), as well as pre-dinner cocktails during which you may mingle with other guests. Two optional and very worthwhile excursions provided by the lodge (at extra cost) include a motorboat ride across the lake for a six-mile roundtrip hike to stunning Tarawera Falls and an early morning ride across the lake for a solitary soak in a thermal spring, both with colorful commentary from our local boat drivers. The Lodge will arrange on request other off-site activities as well. Though we did leave the lodge on one of our days there to go into Rotorua to do some off-site activities, it wasn’t easy to leave the tranquil, restful environment of the Lodge. If it is not already apparent, we loved our stay at the Solitaire — it is a very special place in a very magical location and the staff excels at making you feel very special. This comes at a price, to be sure. I would note for those like me addicted to exercising on vacation, there is no fitness center, no pool and running on the narrow winding access road would be hazardous. So, you would need to be content with kayaking and swimming in the chilly lake and yoga in your room. It worked for me. We couldn’t recommend the Solitaire more highly.

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