Came here while road tripping across North Island. There's plenty of free outdoor parking and there…read moreare no reservation required. We had our own swimsuits but paid to rent a towel and a locker. You will get refunded half of the amount you pay once you return the key to the locker and the towel back at the front desk (hold onto your receipt!!). There are 4 hot spring pools, each slightly different in temperature but I highly recommend both bringing over a pair of flip-flops as the walk from the lockers is quite a bit more than expected and then bring a water bottle if you are sensitive to hot temperatures because you will start to sweat especially if you lounge near or under a waterfall they have. You have to pay extra to tour the location but we just paid for hot spring access to swim and it was lovely. Customer service was very polite and they have a coffee shop located inside as well as a small gift shop carrying locally carved jade jewelry!

We stopped here after visiting the Thermal park and huka falls. It was a refreshing way to end the…read moreday. We had our own swim suits but rented a towel and locker. Lockers are in separate rooms by gender so we rented two but I did see people handing bags out to their spouses in the hall. The pools were lovely. There were three pools that get progressively warmer as you get closer to the spring source. The hottest one was about the temp of a hot tub back home. Nice and toasty. There were quite a few people in the pools. The pools have seating areas near the edges which is a nice way to hang and enjoy the warm water. The locker room were clean but sparse. Only one shower and two bathrooms which were not to be used for changing. Not a place to be modest. We were glad we did this. It felt so good. (No pics as I left my phone in the car).

In all our worldwide travels, this is the most serene and beautiful setting with upscale…read moreaccommodations that we have ever visited. Do not let the cost scare you off. It's worth every penny. The only problem is you won't want to leave. The rooms are perfectly designed cottages with everything you need, unless a television is something you think you need. There are only 20 river front cottages on the property. Each has a deck with comfortable chairs and steps that lead to a manicured lawn with cushioned chaise lounges at the water's edge. The culinary experience will also impress you. Breakfast and dinner are included and the staff will quickly learn and address you by name. 'Pampered' throughly describes how the management and services teams will make you feel. If you have an opening on your bucket list, fill it with this New Zealand gem. Bravo Huka !!

This lodge is very special. Romantic. Classy. Don't miss…read moreit!! The setting is unbelievable, our room was darling, the food was very good and the staff is perfection! Before you commit to where you want to have dinner, please be sure you explore all possibilities. You can eat in the main dining room or outside on the porch. Those are obvious. After you're there a day you will find out that there are special little places where you can eat as well. Across the way in the winery? Upstairs and outside? Down the lawn across the bridge? So many special places! If you don't want to take the longer 8 hour hike, there is a short one hour hike nearby where you can check out the falls. There's also a Hot Spring nearby so take your bathing suit! We'll definitely go back!!

Free outdoor and natural hot springs to enjoy. Go to the Spa Thermal Park to get access to the…read moreOtumuheke thermal stream that feeds into the Waikato river. From here, you can also do an easy hike to Huka Falls (50 mins one-way) or Aratiatia Rapids (2 hrs one-way). There's a car park at the intersection of Spa Road and County Avenue, but to get closer to the thermal stream, you can continue down County Ave to the end and park at the car park inside the park. From there, you'll do a short 10 minute walk down to the thermal stream. You'll see a bridge with the main pools near the river. This is where most people will be, but if you up a little further uphill, you'll hit a second bridge where it's more private. This area is fenced off though, so it's probably not encouraged to bathe in this part of the stream, although a lot of people still do. The water is pretty hot, so make sure to bring a towel, water to stay hydrated, and a change of clothes for afterwards. Note that there are toilets at the car park, but no changing facilities near the thermal stream itself. Even if you aren't interested in visiting the thermal stream, Spa Thermal Park is well worth a visit to see the stunning scenery of being high up a hill looking down on a large, curved river.

Tons of people, but don't let that discourage you! It's a must-visit free natural hot stream with a…read morebeautiful view/swim of the river. The park's been beautifully designed for enjoying the stream, which is a nice hot 38-39C right under the bridge, and pools down to cooler temperatures further down. It's a great place to relax in a natural setting and meet some people!

This is the best free thing we did in New Zealand. Its a natural hot water river, creek, stream,…read moreor whatever you want to call it. Jump in and chill. Get a free massage from the waterfall or strong current. My only mistake was not bringing some beer and wine. Otherwise its wonderful! It sure beats paying $15-25NZ for one of the spas. It does require about a 20 minute drive south of Rotorua, a short drive on a gravel road(1km?), and a very short walk from the impromptu parking lot. Its so worth it!

An enchanting natural hot spring water fall. Short hike through beautiful wooded area next to the…read morestream and small water falls along the way. The waterfall is nestled in a cozy wooded open area. Sit and enjoy the water rushing around you at the top of the water fall area, or climb down into the warm/hot water below. It is hot at first, hotter than the reviews I read. You can walk up to the water fall at the bottom, but be careful it does dip down and the soft dirt below does not give you much grip to hold your balance. This is a magical beautiful place not to be missed. As you drive onto the dirt road you will see the green pool lake to your left and a small pull off to the right. Pull off and you will hear a rushing waterfall in the woods. You can hoist yourself up the trail not too bad of a climb and come to a small waterfall area with a plank. It is not hot, this is a cool one we did not swim in. Further down the road is Wai-O-Tapu hot spring, but decided not to wade in it because of the warning sign, see pic in review.

Steam holes, and one bubbling mud steam pool... Yes and a very nice nature stop…read more Visitor will encounter other similar locations, and we recommend a visit here

Get back in your car and go to Wai-O-Tapo Thermal Park near Rotorua instead. Seriously, this place…read morewas such a disappointment. There's a gravel path, sometimes a wooden path, and some steam vents. A "mud pool" that is as dry as a bone. There is absolutely no shade, and it takes about 45 minutes to walk around the short loop. I wish we'd turned back after 10 minutes cos it didn't get any better. Wai-O-Tapu has spectacular vents, mud pools, incredibly colored water. Just so much better than this. It's only $8 to get in this place, but in my opinion it's just not even worth that. Don't say I didn't warn you!

Wonderful, relaxing setting. A variety of pools ranging from 37-41C. Some are covered which…read moreprovided coverage from sun and rain. Clean and well maintained. Take the walk up to the spring to see where the hot water starts. Another tip: do buy a piece of the carrot cake to go. Make on site and delicious! Enjoy!

This is a wonderful facility with well-maintained hot pools, situated right next to the hot spring…read morewith the largest discharge of boiling water in New Zealand. Service there was excellent too. Staff are friendly. The iced chocolate is delightful. The private pool option is worth trying as well.

This lovely, natural botanical garden has a large variety of walks, including views of the city and…read moreTaupo Lake, floral walks, bush walks, open areas with picnic tables, Azaleas, and lots of bird life.

This place by the Taupo lake is a must visit. It's literally by the lake, you can choose to sit out…read moreby the sand which has a major beach vibe or you can sit inside, which feels like you are on a cruise/boat out on the lake. Parking deck is outside, it's a self service place. They give you buzzers as you order food and drinks and it lights up once your order is ready. It's casual in a classy way. The pizzas were really good. Thin crust, wood-fire and perfect. The drinks also were really good. Mine was a lychee cocktail not for you if you don't like it sweet. I will recommend this place and hopefully revisit.

Don't come here expecting service. No water, napkins etc…read morePizza was good, the buzzer malfunctioned and we waited forever for our food