Solitaire Lodge

Charming as can be! Beautiful secluded small hotel adjacent to Lake Tarawera so a bit outside of the city but fully worth it. There are 9 individual bungalows. My room overlooked the lake. I had a two bedroom bungalow for those with a family. A entry way opened up into a beautiful living room with a refrigerator with fresh cream, breville espresso machine, and a hot pot for water, with multiple options for coffee, tea, and biscuits as well as fresh fruit. The living room had a full view of the lake. My bedroom has a king bed, spacious and comfortable also with a continued lake view. The bathroom in the adjacent bedroom had two full sinks, and a bathtub, all in sparkling white granite. My bathroom, was modern in a gorgeous slate gray with a wonderful shower (perfect after a day of hiking). Heated towel racks are a plus. Cocktail/canapes at 7pm are a must! There are books, chess set and other games with a full bar. The wine selection is fantastic. Rolando and Graham were lovely! The food is incredible whether it is breakfast or dinner. PLS eat a croissant and have a carb day. The croissants are incredible and is a MUST!!!!!!! Wayne and Ingrid are the kindest and they have truly created a treasure. It is a wonderful place to go solo, couple or for a family.

There could hardly be a more beautiful place than Lake Tarawera and the location of Solitaire Lodge on the peninsula overlooking the lake. Wayne and Ingrid were fabulous hosts. The room was lovely. The food was incredible and the staff could not have been nicer or more helpful. If you are lucky enough to visit do get over to the geothermal hot bath for a soak. The hike to the waterfall was a very pleasant afternoon.

Stunning location, great food and amazing service. Yes it’s pricey, but worth every penny for that special occasion. 5 course evening meals and breakfast didn’t disappoint We stayed for 3 nights for our honeymoon, and you defined recommend you do the early morning boat trip to the hot water pools across the late on a speed boat!

In all my years of travel I have never patronized a hotel which was better in any aspect of hotel service. Ingrid and Wayne and the entire staff make the extra effort to make the stay better than enjoyable. The meals are excellently prepared and they make sure they accommodate any food issues.. They accommodate all your touring and transportation needs. The cost is high but the value is higher. I would have no problem recommending Solitaire to anyone.

We had an unforgettable one-night stay at this picture-perfect lodge. The food was incredible, and the lake even more so. We took a 3hr helicopter ride around the surrounding area, landing at the volcano and a geothermal park. All spectacular and facilitated by exceptional service.