A little more expensive than our other hotels but worth the extra money! And it still was a very…read morefair price for the location and room quality. The room that we has was definitely recently renovated and kept up very well. There was a little kitchen with a sitting area and the bed was nice and comfy. The bathroom wasn't huge but it was fine. There was counter space, which is always a problem when I go to other motels. The motel was pretty close to the small town but we ended up driving to another restaurant nearby that we really wanted to go to. After dinner we walked around town a bit. There were some choices for dinner but they were limited so heads up about that. No major problems with the hotel or room and I would definitely stay here again if we ever find ourselves in the city of Hamilton!

Stayed here last night. It's difficult to rate this one, as aesthetically speaking it's quite plain…read moreand unimpressive, which tends to skew one's perception from the outset. But I have to say that this motel is very 'functional' and has a lot of good points about it. The fully equipped kitchenette does what it says on the box -- large microwave, decent-size fridge, lots of cutlery, toaster, kettle. Even a coffee plunger with a sachet of coffee tucked inside, which was a very welcome touch. I got unbounded joy out of the aircon facility -- would've suffocated in Hamilton without it!! Bed was comfortable. Plenty of TV channels to choose from. Good water pressure in the shower. All those essential things get a big tick. And once I got over the apparent drabness of it, it was quite a pleasant space to spend the night. It's not fancy, but it's very decent. Staff were friendly, from what little I saw of them. The swimming-pool was slightly disappointing ~ quite small, certainly not fit for doing laps, and the area around it had no 'decor' or design to it at all. But as with my New Plymouth accommodation, I'd booked this hotel because it has a pool (which I knew I'd be in dire need of after my long drive), and it served its purpose, so I'm not complaining. One small issue regarding the shampoo in the shower stall. The bottles were wall-mounted in such a way that it was really awkward to squeeze the nozzle. The shampoo kept squirting in every which direction except into my hand. With those 'push-down' nozzles you have to be able to tilt the bottle as you squeeze, otherwise the liquid runs down the side of the bottle. Not sure why they choose to have this wall-mounted arrangement instead of miniature bottles like at other hotels.

Really comfortable good sized rooms, good rates, very clean and tidy. would recommend and stay…read morethere again

A complex of various thermally heated pools, both private and public. The kids enjoyed the speed…read moreslide while the adults relaxed in the adult spa! The water quality was great and we enjoyed trying out the various temperatures and types of pools. Nice country location with spacious picnic areas. The grounds were a little rustic but overall well kept and the price competitive. .

Cute hostel in Matamata that's perfectly located near Hobbiton and the Waitomo glow worm caves…read more The staff was super friendly and great to work with! I never got to meet them in person since I was out really early every morning and came back late every night, but they were very accommodating and made sure we were able to get in and check out with ease. The rooms were great. I stayed in a 4-person room. Each room is its own unit outdoors with a sliding glass door. They do get a little hot but there are windows. There are lockers for each person. Overall, we had a great time staying here.

Loved this hostel! Parking is in the front of the building an they close the gate at night for…read moresafety, so I loved that! The lady at the front desk is Crazy nice and very helpful! The washer and dryer also works great, so it is a great laundry spot. The rooms are very clean! The location is close to town for a quick bite to eat and close to Hobbiton! I would highly recommend staying when you are in the area!

Visiting Hobbiton was easily one of the highlights of our trip to the north island. The experience…read morebegan with a scenic bus ride across a working sheep farm, during which we learned about how the location was discovered and transformed into the iconic film set that it is today. Once we arrived, we were taken on a guided walking tour through the beautifully preserved set. Along the way, we saw some of the most memorable spots from the films, including the famous hillside where Frodo sets off on his adventure. One of my favorite parts came toward the end of the tour, when we were able to step inside a hobbit hole. The interiors were meticulously decorated, making it easy to imagine what life in the Shire might actually feel like! At the end of the tour, we stopped by Green Dragon Inn, where we enjoyed a complimentary drink (there's both alcoholic and non-alcoholic options available). Overall, this was such a magical experience! Be sure to book ahead, as the popular tour times tend to get booked out pretty far in advance during peak season.

Hobbiton is exactly what you think it will be. If you're a fan of the movies and most importantly a…read morefan of Hobbiton, you are stepping into a real life fantasy. I was there for a wedding and we received our own private tour, so I can't say whether it was like the standard tour. You start off from essentially their home base. You get on a bus and drive across to an active live sheep and cattle farm. The sets are built on the farm. The hobbit homes are all exterior and gorgeous. The details are immaculate. They even have real smoke coming from chimneys! There is a built out interior for tourists to traverse and the details are amazing. I found an accordion in one and it worked! There are alcoholic beverages at the Pony, but alcohol content is low. Probably to keep us from acting out scenes from the movies. The tour guides were also awesome, funny, and knowledgeable. Magical place. 10/10

This is such an awesome place! We came here with friends who have been several times and got to try…read moreout one of the rooms where you are trying to find as much money as you can before the time is up. It was fun to mix it up and not just try to get out of the room in an hour, but to try to get more money than previous teams. It was definitely challenging, but not so challenging that it wasn't fun for 4 of us to do decently well. They also have snacks and a great area to play board games if you're not into escape rooms. Lots of great game options available!

Yep, we had fun! Fun clues and great clean rooms. Helpful staff. The puzzles kept with the theme,…read moreplus the room definitely added to my overall enjoyment. Our group was separated in to two rooms. We had to solve puzzles in order for the other group to proceed. Also, there were sound effects that added to the atmosphere. They also have board games and soft drinks. Fun was had by all! Recommended.

This was an absolute stunning visit for us, fulfilling our lifelong dreams to go see where the…read morehobbits lived in the Shire. Of course, everything is to scale in real life, but it was an unbelievable experience walking on the paths shown in the Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies. We had purchased our tickets beforehand online on their website. Upon arriving, it was easy to find parking and the check-in lines. There was a cafe and gift shop available to peruse through while we waited. An attendant checked our ticket times and allowed us to board a bus that took us to the grounds. The tour guide was very knowledgeable about everything we saw, heard, and touched. Anything that was within arm's reach, we could touch. Everything we saw was a real flower, plant, vegetable, or fruit. Nothing was plastic. Everything was made with raw materials as shown in the movies. Different places we walked past and through, the tour guide explained which scenes in the movies were shown. The tour guide was kind enough to take pictures for each group. Pictures and videos were encouraged. The tour itself lasted nearly 2 hours, which we thought was well worth our money spent. Near the end, a free beer was offered at the tavern and light snacks were sold. Any additional beer was extra. It was relaxing sitting inside the tavern as it was enjoying the cool outdoor summer of New Zealand. Hobbiton is a must-visit and we would love to come back if we can!

This review is for the behind the scene Tour…read more I am a huge fan of Lord of the rings. I watch it every year. So this was one of the bucket list that I want to check off while I was in New Zealand. They pick you up from the meeting area, where there is a plenty of parking spot for you, you meet up with your tour guide and at least 15-20 other people in your group. You start out with the main part of the hobbit area where you'll see many many hobbit doors, and almost to the end you get to go inside of the hobbit house where it is all decorated with kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, so it's really fun to check that part out. This was my favorite part of the Tour. After that, they take you to the green dragon inn, where you're able to get one free drink that could be cider, nonalcoholic or beer. I really like their cider and you get to kind of chill till this massive dinner that they have planned for you. You go to this separated VIP area where they have a huge table full of food for you to enjoy. Food was amazing. I have zero complaint which is saying a lot. They were able to accommodate to people who had dietary restriction, which is amazing as well. And then the actual behind the scene part of it starts. You go on another bus ride to this more like a warehouse area. Where they show you the sketches of The Hobbit and the little model of the hobbiton as well. However, I felt that this portion could have been much better. I felt that it wasn't much of a behind a scene Tour. You got to walk around another part of Hobbiton area and they offer another snacks with cheese and wine. Honestly, without all this fantastic food, I felt that it probably would not have been worth the behind the scene portion of the tour. If I would go back or recommended to others, I would recommend just going to do the regular tour.