Great experience with Mt Cook Glacier Gliding. We were supposed to do the 2-hr Helihike, but it got…read morecancelled because of winds in the morning. We were able to reschedule the next morning for a helicopter tour and 10-min glacier landing. Thank you to the team for being able to accommodate! We were really looking forward to the hike, but this was a nice consolation. Advice is to book early during your stay for any helicopter adventures at Mt cook, so you can reschedule if needed. I've heard as much as 50% of tours can get cancelled because of weather.

We signed up for the help hike here, didn't really know what to expect…read more Only reason why I'm giving this 5 stars is bc of the glacier hike guide can't remember her name (small - like stick thin small- woman from England). She was fan-freaking-tastic. The rest of the staff were also great but it was so unorganized, with out the staff it would have been a horrible experience. Took over an hour past our scheduled time to simply get in the air. Took just as long to get back. Honestly that killed the experience for me. Staff great, need to get more organized. So if your fine with a walk on a glacier (which should take 3 hours) Taking you 4 & 1/2 hours then this is the place for you!

( + ) -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.

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.

Must do helicopter tours! Vary friendly and informative staff! There is no better way to see so…read moremuch of all the mountains and great views! I would love to go back! There was a stop on a glacier that was really cool to stop at, with unbelievable views!

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!

You would never know this place exists on your way to Mt Cook…read more There are few places to spend the night close to the park. Sure there is the hotel right there...but that is meh and expensive. Sure you could stay in Twizel but that is so so. Stay at Pukaki Lakeside getaway where you can rent either a large or small home on a beautiful piece of land overlooking the lake. Really clean and loaded with amenities. I would stay here again for sure.

We had a great hotel and restaurant experience. Sadly the weather wasn't cooperating; it was…read moreextremely rainy and windy. So we didn't get to do much outside. The in house theater was great with stories about Mt Cook and Sir Hilary. They played throughout the day and you could come and go as you pleased. The dinner buffet was so big!!! So much to choose from and it was all delicious. At least 30+ items to choose from. I especially liked the fried chicken nuggets. Haha, a little taste of McDonalds. But they were hot, crunchy and fresh out of the fryer. They were actually really really good! The breakfast buffet is also large and excellent. Every breakfast item you can think of. I don't usually like buffets but this hotel did them very very well. Being stuck inside all day isn't so bad when you have all this food to choose from.

Wonderful hotel nestled in the midst of the Mt Cook area. Lovely views from the hotel and nice…read morefresh and hot food available in the cafe.

We stayed at Lake Tekapo Scenic Resort for one night during our stay in Tekapo…read more As soon as we arrived, we checked in at the office and they escorted us to our room facing the beautiful blue lake! The room itself is very spacious and comfortable with a bed, couch and neat bathrooms. I loved waking up to the sight of the lake. So refreshing! There is car parking space in the property. Breakfast joints and restaurants are 2 min walk away. There's also a convenient store nearby and a gas station as well. Best location! Lake Tekapo is a very popular place to see the milky way galaxy. At night, you simply walk out of the room and walk for a few minutes towards the lake and look up. Boom, if the skies are clear that day, then you see the lovely galaxy. I LOVED my stay in this resort and couldn't recommend enough.

We had a perfectly serviceable stay here for two nights in a lake view studio…read more We booked well in advance because there are extremely limited options in this part of the South Island in terms of traditional hotel/motel rooms. It's about an hour from Mt. Cook, which was our primary reason for booking. The room is roughly on par with an American Best Western. The room was spacious and included a sitting area, small fridge, and balcony. The decor was dated but clean. The property included other rooming options for backpackers, so we were essentially next to a hostel dorm, but they were quiet. Keep in mind that Lake Tekapo is a small town. The motel office is not a 24 hour front desk (I think it closed at 8) so you may want to try calling ahead if you're arriving in the wee hours. There are some good dining options literally steps from the motel, but good luck getting a table or even finding an open shop after about 8 or 9. Plan accordingly. Finally, despite the very real beauty of Lake Tekapo, this spot is not especially serene one for two reasons: (1) the town is overrun by tourists (yes, I recognize the irony of that statement), and (2) the motel's lake view is increasingly obscured by a hostel and what looks to be a new astronomy center. Our view of the lake from the second floor therefore looked out over the parking lot and between those two buildings. I suspect this may be why we saw the motel listed for sale on a local real estate board.