Ratanui Lodge

“Best place to stay in the area.”

Large room with just tea making facilities and a fridge. Therefore eat out. Suggest hotel restaurant as food around area is just selling pizzas and burgers. The food and service is good although bottle of wine fairly expensive. However, eat outside in the morning a they play music at breakfast. Wh… more

Large room with just tea making facilities and a fridge. Therefore eat out. Suggest hotel restaurant as food around area is just selling pizzas and burgers. The food and service is good although bottle of wine fairly expensive. However, eat outside in the morning a they play music at breakfast. Why do people think we have to have music at breakfast!! Asked to turn down/off which glad to say they did. Takaka down the road is a bit down market holiday spot and Pokhara is more upmarket. Therefore if, staying, recommend you stay here.

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“Wonderful stay in a beautiful hotel with exquisite food and exemplary service”

Fabulous stay at Ratanui Lodge with an exquisite high-end dining experience from Chefs Juan and Carolina. As a group of three adults, we ate two dinners and breakfasts. All meals were perfectly presented and delicious. For dinner we enjoyed the following from their new season menu: Seared tuna, Cro… more

Fabulous stay at Ratanui Lodge with an exquisite high-end dining experience from Chefs Juan and Carolina. As a group of three adults, we ate two dinners and breakfasts. All meals were perfectly presented and delicious. For dinner we enjoyed the following from their new season menu: Seared tuna, Croquettes and a duo of scallops and salmon as substantial starters / tapas Lamb, pork, local fish green curry and beef bavette for our mains. All dishes were beautifully prepared and presented. Delicious deserts followed with the whole meal complemented by interesting local and regional drinks (especially gins). Service was excellent with all staff knowledgable and helpful about the food, the lodge and local activities. The rooms were modern and well presented. A great experience and the best hotel we have stayed in so far in New Zealand

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“Wonderful stay”

Wonderful stay. Our room was extremely comfortable , quiet and spacious. We had dinner and breakfast in the hotel and the food and service were excellent. Nothing to complain about and plenty to praise. This is a little gem and we will back for a longer stay next time we visit

“Nice Stay That Does Not Reflect The Cost”

Firstly we really enjoyed our stay, I want to lead with that. The staff are lovely and the location good. Pohara is wonderful, as is the surrounding area. The lodge is immaculate, beautifully presented, particularly the gardens. The rooms are nicely done and if I had paid $450-500 a night, instead … more

Firstly we really enjoyed our stay, I want to lead with that. The staff are lovely and the location good. Pohara is wonderful, as is the surrounding area. The lodge is immaculate, beautifully presented, particularly the gardens. The rooms are nicely done and if I had paid $450-500 a night, instead of the $790 p/n, I would be saying how gorgeous the rooms were. We felt almost $800 is really getting up there and for this, Ratanui don't quite deliver. I am well used to NZ prices, long gone are the days when Europe was expensive and NZ was good value. Even when paying Euros. However when I hear 'lodge', I think of places like Huka Lodge and Lakestone Lodge (where I have stayed). I feel that $790 a night for a twin room with breakfast is too much. On booking 8 months in advance, I requested twin beds. On arrival the bed was a king. The staff were apologetic, we waited 45mins while this was rectified. Into two single beds. We ate dinner at the restaurant the first night, both choosing the beef. It was nice, but again expensive. Breakfast was not great - first morning granola with yogurt and fruit. In mid-summer I would hope for some berries, not oranges and apples which are autumn fruits. This feels like a cost cutting measure. The granola was predominantly oats, very few nuts. And the ratio between the granola and yogurt meant it as dry. The following morning we chose the full cooked breakfast - 2 rashes of bacon seemed again a cost cutting measure and the single hash brown appeared to be a frozen item, deep fried as it was soaked in oil. Would have expected a home-made, light crunchy hash brown at a lodge. As I say, we enjoyed our stay, however it's the little things that make a difference or highlight an issue around value.

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