Payments made by partners impact the order of prices displayed. Room types may vary.
The listings of booking offers for each property take into account the compensation paid to us by our partners. Prices shown may be for varying room types. Prices displayed are the lowest available, corresponding to the least expensive room type available, as provided from our partners as of the time of the user’s search.
Spacious, comfortable units, set in 1.5 acres of garden grounds, Aotea Lodge is perfect if you are looking for a quiet retreat. Surround yourself with abundant bird life, and enjoy the beautiful safe swimming beaches. The Irish Bar, restaurants, shops, cafe and other amenities are also nearby.
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.
We had an excellent week on Great Barrier staying at the Aotea Lodge, really a nice spot. The location is good, just on the outskirts of Tryphena, about a 5 min walk to the grocery store, pub, restaurant, and beach. Located on the south end of the island, it is a bit of a drive to some of the points of interest, however nothing more than an hour. And the roads are scenic and lightly travelled, so not really an issue. We were greeted at the Claris airport by our friendly host and got checked into our rental car, also provided by Aotea Lodge. The lodge was about 20min drive away and we were quickly checked into our unit, a 1-bedroom affair with kitchen. Our hosts, Fiona and Mike, were very friendly and helpful in providing local information. The unit was older but roomy, well decorated and well maintained – very comfortable. The kitchen was functional and we were able to prepare some basic meals during our stay. We had a nice wraparound deck with outdoor furniture, a great outdoor spot for breakfast. There was no TV, however the Wifi connection seemed to work reasonably well. There is also a spotty mobile phone connection in the unit. Our only complaint was that it was a bit warm and muggy during our stay, making it difficult to sleep, as there was no fan and no screens on the windows/doors. We tried leaving the door open at night but just ended up with tons of mosquitos inside. Screened doors/windows or a fan would be a nice addition. Our rental car was great, just a little Mazda Demio, which was perfect for zipping around the island on the narrow winding roads. We had a great stay and would definitely recommend this place to other travelers looking for a functional base on Great Barrier.
Read more
Date of stay: January 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip 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.
This has to be one of my favourite trips to date. Staying at the Aotea Lodge in unit 2 was just right for us (2 adults and 2 children) then another adult joined a few days into the trip and still plenty of room with everything we needed. Fiona has been fantastic since we first booked the trip and booked us and our car on Sealink at a discounted rate. Her place is wonderful with plenty of bird life and her pets of course including Snugs (cutest and most polite wee dog) a few chickens wandering around and some interesting wee pigs. And the spot is perfect! A few minutes walk from the beach and the store down the road. Even managed to do a 5km run each morning with the best views you could ask for. Fiona is very knowledgeable about the island and more than helpful to answer any questions. Lovely place and will definitely be returning:)
Read more
Date of stay: December 2020Trip 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.
Aotea Lodge...Wow this place is a real gem in a beautiful natural bush rural surrounding. Very secluded private quiet. Excellent value - well equipped clean units. We hired their car as a package which was great to get about the island and explore. Fiona was great to deal with and very responsive to all my emails when booking. Recommend 💯
Read more
Date of stay: September 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip 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.
On first sight, we thought it was going to be a lovely and relaxing place to stay in. Once inside it was basic but what we expected from the photos. We were unaware of the heating situation - seeing a portable gas heater was not quite what we expected. Not a fan of these things (safety wise) but we lived to tell the tale. The bed was super comfortable and luckily got warmer after about 5 minutes of lying on the cold cotton sheets (I think flannellette would have been better due to lack of electricity to have an electric blanket supplied).
The kitchen was supplied with coffee/tea, cutlery, pots, pans etc. The gas oven was good also. The toaster had seen better days - wasn't impressed with the condition of it (rusty/burnt from years of use - hard to tell). It needed to be replaced for accommodation use. There were insect plugs in a few rooms, but they obviously didn't work because the cockroaches were rampant and even fell off the ceiling when we were sitting on the couch. Didn't make us feel happy going to bed - nothing worse than a cockroach surprise! We bought some fly spray (none supplied) and sprayed before going out each day, but there were new ones when we arrived back later.
The other thing that we didn't like were the hens/roosters (unsure of which is which) who came running to us when we sat outside in the sun to eat. And I mean right up to us! No amount of shooing got them to go permanently - it was constant and annoying. At one point my partner had to go inside to get something and left the door open - instantly they all left the porch to go inside! So another thing we couldn't do - leave the door open! And the poultry poop everywhere - had to clean our shoes a few times before going back inside! I think they should be separated from the accommodation - seriously, this is not acceptable for accommodation if not told beforehand!
All this might be acceptable by some, but this all should be mentioned in the listing so that people can make an informed decision of whether they want this or not. Very dissappointed in the lack of knowledge about these things before booking.
Read more
Date of stay: July 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Â Ask questions about things you know you would not like when staying away from home. Better...
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.
The owner and staff were awesome. I was able to book in early, which was much appreciated. But the room was not what I expected, not having the double bed , just four bunk beds. But as soon as I raised the issue I was transferred to a room with a double bed.
The accommodation is basic but comfortable. It is within walking distance of the shop and eating places, but beware, it is up a hill!
Would I go again? Definitely, but I would book direct to be sure of getting the right room😂
Read more
Date of stay: July 2020Trip type: Travelled solo
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.
Stayed here for 3 nights while visiting Gt Barrier Island. A lovely place, easy to find, and a great base for exploring the island. Fiona is a wonderful host, and we loved staying in one of her units. Thanks Fiona! She also offers a package including rental car.
Read more
Date of stay: October 2020Trip 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.
Fiona has a lovely wee place here - just four units, although she told me she has plans to add another couple in the future. We stayed in Unit 2, which was lovely and sunny with a nice rural outlook.
This unit has two bedrooms - a queen bed in one and a bunk bed in the other - perfect for families. A comfortable lounge and fully equipped kitchen. Everything was spotlessly clean, although the carpet may need replacing soon. You do have to keep the front door closed though as the cheeky chickens like to wander in and poop on the floor! Their new puppy Snugs was a cute visitor as well.
Mosquito's were a nuisance at night so we kept our windows closed. This would be too hot in summer though, so I recommend taking repellent and citronella candles/coils with you. Fiona does provide insect spray and the plug in mossie machines.
The location is great - on the Medland Road, just up the hill from Tryphena.
We took our own car over on the ferry which meant we could easily bring enough food with us for our breakfasts and most of our lunches, then treated ourselves out for dinner each night. Flying over would limit what you can bring, and staples like bread and milk aren't cheap on the island.
The Barrier Social Club is only 2 minutes walk - we had a couple of good meals there.
Fiona sends out heaps of helpful information when you make the booking. And she booked the ferry for us as well, which was cheaper than me doing it. The all up package price she gave us for our weeks accommodation and the ferry was very reasonable.
We had a fabulous week, exploring just about every road and doing some great walks. The Barrier is a special place - just don't tell too many people!
Read more
Date of stay: October 2019
Value
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip:Â Unit 1 and 2 have the best views and are the most spacious. Unit 2 is the only one with a lounge.
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.
We were on a budget and about to enjoy our first ever trip to Gt Barrier. We chose Aotea Lodge and it was perfect. The rooms and buildings were well laid out to be private for guests, shady and sunny grounds (for whichever you were after) with picnic benches, tables and chairs placed around in nice settings for you to enjoy and beautifully looked after. Really nice gardens, rhododendrons, solar lit gravel path to wander down the few metres to your car... We went for the lowest cost room and it was perfect for what we needed and what we could afford, we by no means felt we got the 'cheap room' it was comfy, had everything we needed, a great shower and some in-season feijoas and guavas for us from Fiona. All the other accommodation looked just as good quality and well thought out. Fiona was very helpful and informative and whilst we knew that if we needed anything we could simply ask we also liked that we were left to our own devices and could have a private or a more talkative and social stay depending on what we were after . We were here just off season in late March and only saw a handful of people. The location is perfect - Aotea is in the best place to access to beautiful beaches on the east, a stones throw from Tryphena and the bays on the south and well placed for 'day trips' to the more far away parts such as Port Fitzroy. Also easy to walk to have some lunch or dinner at the local eateries. It suited us on a short three day trip to be in a location that didn't require a long trip down a windy gravel road every time to wanted to go anywhere... we could save those bits for the sight seeing. The Barrier is more beautiful than i thought it would be and Aotea Lodge is a recommended place to stay indeed.
Read more
Date of stay: March 2014
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip 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.
This was our first ever visit to Great Barrier and we thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Aotea Lodge. We stayed in the compact Unit 3 which was clean, well equipped and quiet. The point of difference was the owner - Fiona. She constantly went beyond the call of duty, organizing shuttles, rentals, flights, ferries and providing accurate information about where to eat, what to do and see and how to get there! We arrived just ahead of a storm and needed to make many changes - coming a day early, flying instead of waiting for the postponed ferry - all arranged by Fiona and all without hassle or drama. As experienced international travelers, her standard of hosting is at the highest level.
Read more
Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: January 2018Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Â Power on Great Barrier is solar so no hair dryers or microwaves can be used. This apartment has...
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.
Response from Aotealodge628, Owner at Aotea Lodge
Responded 23 Jan 2018
Hi Murray Thank you for your amazing review. It was lovely to meet you both and it is great that you enjoyed the island and your stay at the lodge. Arranging the travel for my guests is something I really enjoy doing. It is important that visitors have an enjoyable and memorable trip to the island as well as a pleasant stay at the lodge. Visitors planning their trip may not be aware of all the options available to them and can find information inaccurate or out of date. I have all the up to date details on flights and ferries and we have our own rental cars at the lodge for guests to use. It is therefore easy for me to arrange the best travel options for my guests. Thanks again for choosing to stay at Aotea Lodge. Regards Fiona
Read more
Report response as inappropriate
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
My friends and I booked one of their family cottages for 4 days and 3 nights. It was a perfect and relaxing place. I was able to meditate in the morning and most of the afternoon, just listening to the buzzing of the bees, the rustling of the leaves and gentle wind. The bathroom is really clean (I think it's newly refurbished?) and the whole place is surprisingly warm. The small kitchenette is complete (no microwave oven but that's alright!) with the gas burner and pans and plates etc. Fiona is very friendly and accommodating, she really looks after the place and her guests especially! If given the chance, I'll book this place again and again and again! Did I say it's near Pah beach? :) PERFECT!
Read more
Date of stay: November 2017Trip 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.
Auckland Central, New Zealand3 contributions1 helpful vote
"Power on Great Barrier is solar so no hair dryers or microwaves can be used. This apartment has no tv and wifi and 4g a little intermittent. But this is the nature of the experience. The room is tight but cosy. We loved our time at Aotea Lodge and will be back!"
There are more places to choose from in the Tryphena area.
PRICE RANGE
$180 - $311 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
LOCATION
New ZealandNorth IslandAucklandGreat Barrier IslandTryphena
NUMBER OF ROOMS
4
Prices are provided by our partners for one room, with variable occupancy rules as provided by the property, and reflect total costs of the stay, including all taxes and fees known to our partners. Please see our partners for more details.
Is This Your Tripadvisor Listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.