The motel is located towards the south east end of the promenade on the lakeside about 25-30 minutes walk to the central area. There is parking in an inner courtyard and we got a space close to the stairway leading to our studio. Our room had a contemporary style and was very clean and well maintained.

On arrival in early afternoon we were quickly checked-in and the receptionist enquired about our plans during our short stay in Taupo. She was helpful in suggesting a cruise of the lake which sounded appealing and even booked it for us by phone for scheduled departure within 90 minutes - no time lost! (It apparently also included a motel discounted rate).

Our only criticism was the estimated walking time to get to the harbour which left us slightly overheated after a forced march which only got us there with minutes to spare until the boat's departure. (It took us about 30 minutes).

We booked a "Spa Studio" four months in advance at a rate of $225 for one night. The studio, on the first level, faced the road and Lake Taupo as we expected and from the small balcony we could see the mountains in Tongariro National Park in the distance.

We had a small kitchenette, spacious bathroom (spa bath and separate walk-in shower) and a generous sized bedroom/lounge area. There was good storage space.

The kitchenette had a hob, microwave oven, a fridge, sink, kettle (tea & coffee supplies) and a selection of crockery, glasses & cutlery. There was a small table and chairs in the lounge where we were able to have breakfast and although we ate out at night I expect it would have been feasible for the two of us to self cater.

Despite the proximity of the road, with the benefit of good double glazing and a comfortable king sized bed, we slept well and didn't notice any outside disturbance. There was also a bed settee and we found this comfortable to sit and watch television with a glass of wine later in the evening. (There was a good selection of channels). The room had air conditioning which worked satisfactorily.

We weren't there long enough to make use of the balcony which had a table and chairs but it was nice to have the option of opening the patio door for fresh air. Likewise the spa bath went unused during our stay - it looked tempting but we were conscious of the potential noise disturbance for other guests if we used this later in the evening.

The staff were helpful about use of the communal laundry facility and my wife managed to do a couple of loads to freshen up lightweight garments in between times. A clothes rack was provided as these items couldn't be tumble dried.

Overall we were pleased with the standard of accommodation, level of service and could easily recommend the motel to others.

We stayed in March 2020, prior to the Covid-19 lockdown.

Stayed for one night as a family of four with a toddler and 5 year old. I must say, they really enjoyed their stay. We were located on the ground floor which was perfect, rooms were immaculate and kitchenette with hobs were a convinient addition. Beds were comfortable and plenty of linen and extra blankets. Our room was preheated by the owners which was very thoughtful and they gave us a discount for De Bretts hot springs. There was also a folder full of takeaway menus and we ordered from Dixies who deliver straight to your room! Their food was delicipus too ☺️thank you Sails for adding to whats been a fun family holiday experience so far.