Lake Ohau Lodge
2295 Lake Ohau Road P O Box 51, 7944 New Zealand
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Pool & Beach (17)
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About
#1 of 1 lodge in Lake Ohau
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Travellers' Choice
A 72 unit Lodge with warm, centrally heated, comfortable accommodation on the shore of Lake Ohau with views of Glen Mary Glacier, Aoraki Mt Cook and the Ben Ohau Range. Facilities include restaurant, bar, games room, spa pools and drying room. Staying at the Lake Ohau Lodge will complete a unique and truly memorable South Island skiing experience.
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Property amenities
Free parking
Free internet
Hot bath
Bar / lounge
Game room
Ski rentals
Books, DVDs, music for children
Highchairs available
Internet
Restaurant
Breakfast available
Kids' meals
Ski school
Skiing
Billiards
Darts
Fishing
Table tennis
Board games / puzzles
Non-smoking hotel
Outdoor furniture
Picnic area
Shared lounge / TV area
Sun deck
Sun terrace
First aid kit
Laundry service
Self-serve laundry
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Room features
Housekeeping
Wardrobe / wardrobe
Private bathrooms
Electric kettle
Electric blanket
Bath / shower
Room types
Mountain view
Landmark view
Non-smoking rooms
Family rooms
Good to know
HOTEL CLASS
Location
2295 Lake Ohau Road P O Box 51, 7944 New Zealand
Getting there
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442Reviews3Q+A100Room tips
ReviewsWe perform checks on reviews.Tripadvisor’s approach to reviewsBefore posting, each Tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. If the system detects something that potentially contradicts our community guidelines, the review is not published.
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We perform checks on reviews.
Tripadvisor’s approach to reviews
Before posting, each Tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. If the system detects something that potentially contradicts our community guidelines, the review is not published.
When the system detects a problem, a review may be automatically rejected, sent to the reviewer for validation, or manually reviewed by our team of content specialists, who work 24/7 to maintain the quality of the reviews on our site.
Our team checks each review posted on the site disputed by our community as not meeting our community guidelines.
Learn more about our review moderation.
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We loved the slightly dated ski lodge feel to this place. We were on Day 2 of our Alps 2 Ocean bike ride. It has a lovely lounge and bar area with a beautiful large fire. The accommodation was simple but clean and convenient. The hot tub with stunning view up the lake was a welcome treat after cycling against the wings all day! The social tables for dinner was a real highlight for us - great to meet others doing something similar to us 👍
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Date of stay: November 2023Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Value
Location
Service
Room Tip: Make time to enjoy the outdoors hot tub
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
Response from Louise Neilson, Owner at Lake Ohau Lodge
Responded 1 week ago
Thank you so much for writing, it is lovely to know that you enjoyed your stay and that the highlight was sitting with others. It's pretty unique, to be suggested that you share a table, but you typically meet lovely people who are enjoying and sharing the same experience. We have heard of all sorts of things come of it. House swaps, meeting up later or invited to stay. I think for you coming from the UK it would have been especially interesting and hopefully you did meet up with some of these people later on. Thank you so much for staying and again for taking the time to write your review. Kind regards, Louise
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
+1
We really enjoyed our stay here, the lodge is so cosy and charming! We especially loved the communal dinners which were delicious and a great way to get to know other people staying there. It was also very nice to be able to have a relaxing morning before heading up the mountain which is only a 20 minute drive and had no lift queues! The cafe at the top of the mountain is also very nice. We stayed in the Upper South Temple which was conveniently just down the hall from the restaurant and spa pools which meant we could have dinner or a spa while baby was asleep in our room.
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Date of stay: August 2023Trip type: Travelled with family
Value
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
Response from Louise Neilson, Owner at Lake Ohau Lodge
Responded 23 Aug 2023
Hi there and thank you so much for taking the time to write your review. I'm so glad you found the Lodge cosy and that you enjoyed your time here. We love it that the Lodge enables you to feel comfortable in leaving your baby asleep in your room so that you can have dinner with other adults - those times are precious! Hopefully you will return with your child and soon they'll be old enough to join the kids 6pm dinner times and have fun meeting and playing with other kids. It's pretty good only being 20 minutes away from the mountain and yes, it's rare to have a lift queue here so you get maximum time on the mountain and can get back to your kids in the comfy cafe if you need to. We hope to see you again. Kind regards Louise
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Amazing experience! Loved the old school vibe. Genuine, cosy & comfortable. Staff are friendly & helpful, food is exceptional, rooms are warm & homely. It was a bonus to have WiFi availability limited. All in all, an unforgettable experience!
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Date of stay: July 2023Trip type: Travelled with friends
Value
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
Response from Louise Neilson, Owner at Lake Ohau Lodge
Responded 14 Aug 2023
Thanks so much for writing. That is all that we hope to achieve so it is lovely to have it all recognised. We have such a gorgeous team front of house, in the kitchen, in the housekeeping and in maintenance. They are all friendly and wanting to give of their best. Limited WiFi! It's amazing how many people love that. For us, we see kids talking and playing together rather than all on their phones which is heart warming. Thank you for staying with us. Kind regards Louise
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Another fabulous stay. A perfect place to spend a long weekend with friends from around NZ, views, walks and skiing at the doorstep. What the lodge excels at is looking after people, thank you to all that hosted us, creating and serving fabulous meals, the bar staff and Mike and Louise. Looking forward to our next visit, the team have already booked!
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Date of stay: August 2023Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
Response from Louise Neilson, Owner at Lake Ohau Lodge
Responded 14 Aug 2023
We have a lot of groups that stay here and love just being on the sideline watching the joy of people gathering with their friends and appreciate the part that we play in creating wonderful memories. It's fun being the facilitator for these times so thank you so much for returning! We really look forward to seeing you again next year! Kind regards Louise
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
What an incomparable place for a reunion of friends from the 1980s! Perfect atmosphere and a range of accommodation possibilities for every budget. Top floor of Temple wing is the getaway-from-it-all with awesome views. Sensarional food and fantastic staff! Louise and Mike have been beautifully running the best alpine experience in the middle of nowhere. It has a not-to-be-missed vibe your grand parents could have experienced and one of the last of the real "lodges" providing amazing breakfasts and dinners. No doubt in part due to the Michalen starred chef plying his trade. Of course you'll get the late night revelers dancing in the bar or just chatting around the fire place... and of course you'll be welcome to join them... Or head off to bed in the distant wings... and see what can be found above the snow line!…
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Date of stay: August 2023Trip type: Travelled with friends
Value
Location
Service
Room Tip: Stay at least 2 night not 1!!!
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
Response from Louise Neilson, Owner at Lake Ohau Lodge
Responded 14 Aug 2023
Thanks so much for this lovely review. Yes!! I agree that the views from the Upper Temple rooms are really magnificent. People always ask if I tire of the view but I never do and those views from those rooms are definitely the best. We came here in 1990 and inherited a style of good old fashioned hospitality that we loved and enjoyed and from then on the basic requirement when employing our team was that they were kind and friendly and this year's team is no exception. The "amazing breakfasts and dinners" - we are so so lucky with our Chefs! They are all amazing talents and I'm humbled that they work here with us when they could choose so many other places to work. Looking forward to the rest of the season, snow has arrived this morning so the skiing and snowboarding will be great and looking forward to seeing you next year hopefully. Thank you again. Kind regards Louise
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Absolute overpriced sh*t hole, can hear the people in the room next door snoring, poor facilities most things were broken, rude staff and crappy watered down food, couldn’t wait to leave absolutely the most overpriced disgusting place we’ve stayed in worldwide! Either upgrade the dump or lower the pathetically overpriced crappy rooms!!
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Date of stay: August 2023Trip type: Travelled with friends
Value
Location
Service
Room Tip: Stay in Tekapo or somewhere that provides better value, this place is disgustingly poor value
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
Response from Louise Neilson, Owner at Lake Ohau Lodge
Responded 10 Aug 2023
Well obviously we have done something to offend you but I am not sure what! With 25,000 guests staying annually with us this is a most out of the ordinary comment to receive. We are sorry that you have not enjoyed the place but I am of the belief that the Lodge does not suit everyone. Kind regards Louise
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Lake Ōhau lodge is stunningly located and provides wonderful hospitality. Louise and Mike strive to create a convivial atmosphere for their guests with cheerful staff and top class catering. It works for passing cyclists and skiers, those who want a peaceful retreat, and on this occasion, for us, a great venue where wedding guests can stay all weekend and get to know each other. Louise is so experienced she takes the stress out of organising and tailors the event to suit the bride and groom. It was a truly memorable occasion and we will be back!
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Date of stay: May 2023Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
Response from Louise Neilson, Owner at Lake Ohau Lodge
Responded 23 May 2023
We loved it!!! thank you so much for choosing us to be the hosts for a really gorgeous weekend. All our team love a wedding and this felt especially personal because we have gotten to know you over the organising of it all and with so many family and friends getting involved and helping to make the day perfect. The weather held out - just, the restaurant looked beautiful with all those gorgeous flowers from Estelle and the bride and groom are just the most lovely couple - family ain't bad too!!! We look forward to seeing you all again. Thank you so much for your review. Kind regards Louise
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Great location, friendly staff and the best food we had. Good time there. A magical superb and calm setting surrounded by bush and lovely wildlife and great views Worth the visit and Alps 2 Ocean experience
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Date of stay: April 2023Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Value
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
Response from Louise Neilson, Owner at Lake Ohau Lodge
Responded 28 May 2023
Thank you so much for writing. We are indeed very fortunate to have such talented chefs and feel very proud of what is served in the restaurant. We're also very proud of our team, we are lucky to have such a gorgeous group here with us. We all love living in this magical setting and when we're busy it is very energising just to look out the window!!! I'm so glad that you enjoyed it here and your Alps2Ocean cycle experience. We hope to see you again. Kind regards Louise
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Stayed here for one night as part of group cycle tour doing the A2O. Simple stunning location and we arrive/departed in some fabulous weather giving us clear views of Mt Cook. Arguably the rooms are a little dated but hey, you are literally in the middle of nowhere. rooms functional and clean, and stunning views over Lake Ohau and Mt Cook. We ate dinner there where they provide a fixed menu with only a couple of choices but suited me. Great soup, chicken or lamb main dishes which were excellent and a banana cake with ice cream dessert which was really nice too. Great breakfast too. Two hot tubs available to sit back and enjoy the stars in once they turn the restaurant lights off. Really enjoyed our stay here in a unique location. Service good all round.
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Date of stay: March 2023Trip type: Travelled with friends
Value
Location
Service
Room Tip: All main hotel rooms have great views.
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
Response from Louise Neilson, Owner at Lake Ohau Lodge
Responded 28 May 2023
Thank you so much for taking the time to write your review, it is very much appreciated. Simple and stunning is a wonderful description of the view we look towards every day. It is a large view with no other building in sight so no visual distraction and you can really take in the enormous hills opposite with their limited palette of browns, greys and greens. We are happy maintaining our 60's look and hope that you still experienced a good level of comfort. As far as the meal goes, we offer a choice of two main courses on the same vegetables - again simple but it works! We try to choose good people to work here, who love living in nature but are also empathetic and provide the high country hospitality that we are known for. Thank you for recognising their service and I am so glad that you enjoyed your stay. Kind regards Louise
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Top notch in every way. The staff were all so friendly and helpful. The food was delicious and beautifully presented. Very relaxed and great set up for guests. A great place to get disconnected from the hustle and bustle of life. Awesome spot on the Apls2Ocean trail to stop over night.
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Date of stay: February 2023Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
Response from Louise Neilson, Owner at Lake Ohau Lodge
Responded 12 Feb 2023
Thank you so much for writing, we truly appreciate you taking the time to do this. We know we have the best team and the best chefs - and the best guests haha! The Alps2Ocean trail is a great way to get disconnected from the hustle and bustle so I'm so glad that we could play our part in your experience. We hope to see you again. Kind regards Louise
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
ALSO KNOWN AS
lake ohau hotel twizel
LOCATION
New ZealandSouth IslandCanterbury RegionLake Ohau
NUMBER OF ROOMS
62
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Frequently Asked Questions about Lake Ohau Lodge
What are some of the property amenities at Lake Ohau Lodge?
Some of the more popular amenities offered include an on-site restaurant, a lounge, and free parking.
What food & drink options are available at Lake Ohau Lodge?
Guests can enjoy an on-site restaurant, a lounge, and breakfast during their stay.
Are any cleaning services offered at Lake Ohau Lodge?
Yes, laundry service and self serve laundry are offered to guests.
Does Lake Ohau Lodge have any great views?
Yes, guests often enjoy the mountain view available here.