Conveniently located within a 5 minute drive of the main Franz Josef Glacier township. Had…read moreeverything we needed and was cozy and warm. Pretty spacious for 2 people. It wasn't super fancy or anything but was clean and comfortable. Free wifi was provided. Free parking. Small kitchen with a small stove, fridge and freezer and microwave and a basic set of dishes and silverware, cutting board and knife. The front desk attendants were very helpful and even helped us call different tour operators to figure out glacier hiking status and alternate activities when the glacier hikes and helicopters were all a no-go due to weather.

The villa was spacious, clean and comfortable. This villa is self contained with a kitchenette…read more Conveniently located for Franz Josef Glacier hike. The staffs are friendly and helpful.

( + ) -Great location. 2 minute walk to Lake Tekapo. 5-10…read moreminute walk to restaurants/bars. -Nice size cottage for 2-4 people. The one we had included a small living space, full kitchen, dining space, and two "bedrooms." They are in quotes because the rooms don't have doors. Just curtains or partitions to separate it from the other rooms in the house. -Kind of goes along with the great location - the surround views are just stunning. The lake is gorgeous, and the snow capped mountains are just breathtaking. The Church of the Good Shepherd is also super picturesque - especially on a clear night. It's a perfect spot to catch the milky way and a photographer's dream come true. ( -- ) -The cottage we had was pretty dated. The couch was slouched. The chairs and counters need an update. The bed was kind of springy. So we pretty much only stayed at the cottage to sleep. Didn't hang out here too much. -Again, the rooms don't have doors. You have to walk by one of the rooms to get to the bathroom, which made it a little inconvenient when one person was changing or something. -Heating wasn't the greatest. They only had a little space heater for the main bedroom, which was totally not enough. In sum, I'm not crazy about the cottage, but the proximity to the lake made it totally worthwhile.

It was okay. The…read moregood: Stephen the owner at the office was friendly and helpful, had several suggestions on good places to go and see. The property is off a side street with easy access to town by walking over the bridge. Lake is beautiful. The not so good: The place itself seemed makeshift. If you are willing to "make do" and take things "as is" it could work for you. We stayed in the East Wing cottage. The decor and items in rooms did not go together. It seemed to be a random assortment of things. The beds and pillows were somewhat comfortable but the sheets were stiff and had a cardboard feel. Soft mattresses, older comforters. It seemed to have been awhile since anyone did upkeep of the unit. Things were broken and impractical. The fridge temperature dial was broken so no way to adjust temperature and the yogurt we had froze. With windows open doors do not stay open or closed properly. The doors would slam shut by wind. The lights were so BRIGHT, and there was only one light per room and it lit up the place like a movie set. No other choices except two small nightstand lights. There is a note about moths and to turn off lights with windows open. Less bright lights may help to not attract the moths. Neighbors are right next door and walk by the path at your window, so less privacy. There are flood lights outside windows that are motion sensitive and light comes into the bedrooms even with curtains closed. The deck had a broken floor board which seems dangerous. The bedroom door hinge was broken so opening and closing the door leads to a loud clunk every time. The water pressure is super forceful in the shower and sink, leading to spraying all over the sink and floor area. Just 2 plastic hangers for clothes, and one was cracked and broken. No hooks in bathroom.. There was a pile of tools and items outside back door. Lack of outlets so there are extension cords you can move around for the lights. Would not mind if a place is basic, and yes this place is. However, it seemed run down and funky, as if no one had been through to keep things fresh, organized or working properly. If it is your own house and you do not upkeep the place then it is your own choice and you who are living there. When it is a place you are renting to guests, I would expect more. We made do but would not stay here again.

It was such an amazing stay! The view was breathtaking, the location was perfect and quiet. My…read morehusband and I did not want to leave as we felt at home in the cozy apartment that had a full kitchen (minus oven) and was equipped with cookware, coffee and tea, a washer and dryer, amazing fireplace and the largest, most amazing bathtub to soak in. Ivan and his wife were so friendly and welcoming. Had we known how relaxing and perfect it was going to be here, we would've arranged for more nights. It was a great location since you can walk into town or to the local hiking trails. The whole town has this peacefulness and solitude that I can't explain it- you must experience it. I was up with the sunrise on the deck, and out there again for sunset. My only complaint is you can tell guests have been feeding the ducks, so we couldn't leave the sliding door open for air, as these "guests" felt they could walk on in. But not the owners faults at all. We have ducks at home and know how they can be. Definitely the best place we stayed while in the beautiful country of New Zealand!

One of the best places I've stayed in my three trips to New Zealand…read more Decent room with en-suite shower and toilet. Enormous lounge with a beautiful view of Mt. Cook Deck with two barbecues Large kitchen with lots of pots, pans, and utensils and three different fridges Quiet at night Good value for money, if you book ahead.

The Lodge offers no-frills, rustic (i.e. outdated) accommodations. Our room on the 2nd floor was…read morefairly small and most of the extra space was taken up by bunk beds. We did have a great view of Mt Cook. Staff was friendly. Tip: There are not a lot of options for food in the area. If you bring your own, you can take advantage of the large common kitchen with multiple fridges, cooktops and plenty of plates/utensils.

We were planning our trip to the area about three weeks in advance, and all we could find was one…read moreof the basic cabins with five bunkbeds! Even though there were two of us. It was a very basic room with a toilet and sink. The showers and bathrooms were kept clean and Checked frequently. There is a nice big kitchen. You can use to cook food and lots of camping spaces. It can get pretty windy in this location so I was glad we were not in a tent. They have a very nice café with delicious baked goods and drinks and friendly stuff. This was the last room in the whole area for rent for the Saturday night. We were there in February. I would have liked to have stayed closer to Mount Cook and would if there had been a room available.

I didn't think much of it upon arrival, but it quickly became clear that this was the best choice…read more I came here with a large school group which were spread across four cabins all suited with 5 bunk beds and it was perfect. The rooms were spacious enough to house all our items and for us to move around easily. Although the beds were all quite squeaky, it didn't bother us too much. The sinks are not in the same room as the toilet which was odd but they both worked well and were fully equipped. The beds also had fitted sheets and excellent pillows. The shower block was a bit small but worked well even between a school group, there was also hot water which is nice. The lake is less than a five minute walk and has absolutely stunning views - especially at sunset. The communal kitchens were not that busy and could fit many people, it was also fully equipped with cutlery, rice cookers etc. There was also lots of room for tents and campers. The dining hall was quite spacious and had plenty of seats for campers.

OK but had issues!…read more Beautiful spot by the lake, we had booked for two camper vans by the lake, they were unable to accommodate us next to each other, despite there being empty places together! Nice facilities although had to try two BBQ's as first did not work. Good position for the Hot Springs.

The drive to/from Mt Cook NP runs along the stunning blue Lake Pukaki with opportunities to stop…read moreand take photos. Roads were sealed and in good condition. It was a 1 hour plus drive to reach the NP from the SH8 turnoff. The parking lots were pre-paid ($5NZD per hour) but you could park along the road for free. Parking lots were gravel and potholed in places so watch out. We visited in mid fall and had rain showers and low cloud cover the entire time we walked three different trails. While we couldn't see Mount Cook we did enjoy the beautiful scenery. There were multiple hiking trails from the main parking lot. The Kea Point Track was shortest one at one hour return. It was a relatively easy trail that took us to a lookout overlooking the rubble left behind by the Mueller Glacier which had receded out of view. Views of Mt Sefton and Mt Cook would've been nice. The Hooker Valley Track was the most popular but not open fully. However the new bridges and reconstruction of the trail should wrap up later in the year. We reached the first swing bridge (guideline no more than 20 people at a time) and continued until the fenced off portion to see the other side of Lake Mueller. The Tasman Glacier track was our final hike and was separate drive to a much smaller lot (free parking). It was short, around 30 minutes one way to the lookout, but the hardest part were the many stairs up. This trail brought us the closest to the glaciers (relatively speaking) and a few chunks of ice were floating nearby (separate track to go down to the beach). The final stop was the visitor center in the village, another drive away. It contained some very informative exhibits on Mount Cook, native plants and animals, as well as becoming a park and destination. Definitely a must see when you're in NZ. We would come back again for a repeat in sunnier weather.

If you so happen perchance to be on the South Island in New Zealand …read more... Visit the Mount Cook National Park it is a spectacular place to visit, hike, and just marvel in the majestic mountains. The Hooker trail is the most prevalent trail and it is an easy 7 mile back and forth journey. The end is an unbelievably beautiful glacial lake and you can even see the glacier at the end. Gets insanely crowded. Pack a lunch, water, and sunscreen