Chateau Tongariro Hotel

A glorious step back in time to the splendor of the 1920s. (The accommodation was built in 1929. ) Straight away one gets an impression of luxury, style & class. A high tea is available around 4pm with a selection of teas and yummy cucumber sandwiches The dining experience was superb. The staff were friendly accommodating and quick with service. A credit to the facility. The dining experience was of a michellin 5 star quality. Breakfast in the dining room was excellent. There was a vast & ample selection of food available. The rooms were tastefully furnished with a bath. A highlight of our stay was a special happy birthday treat delivered to our room for my wife!! A attendant with a baggage trolley assisted us with checkout. Treat yourself! You wont regret it.

We stayed here in November 2020, and enjoyed it so much we went back again this November too, for a two-night stay. We stayed in a Tongariro Spa Room both times, which gave us the space we wanted. But really, there is plenty of space in the lounge with comfortable seating - the perfect space for a pre-dinner or after-dinner drink, to read or relax throughout the day with spectacular views out the window, to listen to music (though we were disappointed our visit this year didn't feature the pianist), or play billiards. The food at the Ruapehu Room is excellent. Both visits, we ate there on our first night, and on our second we ate more casually in the Lounge. The walks in the area vary in length and difficulty. On this short visit, we did the Taranaki Falls walk. It was billed as two hours, but with lots of stops photo-taking and looking at the vegetation and views, it took us closer to three hours, even though it is an easy walk, with only a few stair-climbs. It was well worth it, and we felt justified indulging in the High Tea afterwards. Nature cooperated, with beautiful views of the mountains. It's a grand old hotel. A bit tired in places, but well-maintained. The only thing I find odd is the choice of art-work on the walls, both in the rooms and halls of the wing we were in. Stylized women with dogs does not represent either the history or the amazing natural environment to me. We will be back. I can see this becoming an annual thing. …

You feel special in this splendid very classy hotel. The only negative is the the lounge furniture is too soft and too low to get out of easily. The high point is the talented grand pianist playing gentle tunes as you sip your pre-prandial aperitifs! And dressing in jacket and tie for dinner in the Ruapehu Dining Room to eat their superb food. A vegan companion also raves about it!

Hotel and Ruapehu room dining are excellent! They have recently refurbished and the rooms are great - only slight downfall is that there does not seem to be much sound proofing between rooms. Live music is beautiful and definitely recommend visiting during summer