Kingsgate Hotel, Te Anau

Advantages: comfortable quiet rooms,hotel situated conveniently for access to the City CBD, and 20 minutes maximum from Auckland International Airport
Disadvantages: poor timing on our part, we arrived at reception early evening just after 2 parties,quite a wait as a result

...We arrived at Auckland International Airport from Fiji in late afternoon.It took a while to clear immigration and customs,and ,more prolonged, to clear the checks of the NZ Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries Quarantine service, as we had 2 wood based gift products purchased in Nadi. Hire car,courtesy of EZY,was picked up from the airport information desk and airport car park. The 3 star hotel was reached via an easy drive on good quality dual carriageway roads ( the South Western Motorway and Hugh Watt Drive) in 20 minutes, and through the Royal Oak district. Greenlane is a pleasant leafy residential suburb of Auckland, adjacent to Cornwall park. There is a good bus service into central Auckland, and importantly the hotel is well placed for access to the Southern Motorway which we used to head south to Rotorua... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Looks lovely and decor great
Disadvantages: poor food and service in restaurant

...and the restaurant was not that busy either. Having started badly they then messed up te drinks order and forgot three drinks. If these were young students working at a summer job in a bar I could forgive them but not in a big International hotel. The real disappointment came at breakfast a very limited buffet - not good enough for a hotel of this standard. Pastries and croissants, some cooked food like eggs, fried bits and pieces - no yogurt and very limited fruit and juices. Compared to other hotels in the 5*standard it was average to poor. We sat in a small no smoking area, someone decided to smoke - I realise that smoking is not as unpopular as it is in Europe but in a hotel of this standard care should be taken to give diners a smoke free environment. The piano bar was again very luxurious with comfortable seas and an open airy feeling... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful

Advantages: Beautifully conserved
Disadvantages: Hard to reach

...So there you are, having travelled nearly the full length of New Zealand north to south, arriving at Queenstown or Te Anau with just one day left of your holiday. What, apart from cursing your stupidity at not having allowed yourself more time, are you going to do with it? Most people would say "Visit Milford Sound," and, for all I know, they might be right. Milford is the most famous of the many Sounds - fjords - that carve deep furrows into the mountainous coastline of Fiordland National Park (see maps below). You can reach Milford by car or by coach, or by helicopter from Queenstown, saving yourself a four hour drive each way. You can even - if you apply early for one of the limited number of permits - spend a few days hiking to it along the reputedly spectacular Milford Track. Once arrived, there are many boats... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful