The Olive Grove Suite

We spent the weekend here for the NZ Sec Schools North Island Rowing champs at Lake Karapiro, and the quality was a very pleasant surprise. Kim was a lovely hostess. There’s a parking space out front, and you can come and go without disturbing the owners, who live in another part of the house. Cambridge shops and great restaurants are only a short walk away, so we could go out for dinner without worrying about getting back or thinking too much about how much we’d had to drink. It’s close to the first bridge over the Waikato river, which made getting to Lake Karapiro easy and meant we didn’t need to drive through town on our way back and forth each day. The owners clearly have high standards for luxury. The place is beautifully appointed, with great air conditioning and double glazing that keeps it very quiet at night. Breakfast provisions were excellent, with fresh, organic ingredients, and there’s a dishwasher. They also left a few treats. The free WiFi is fast and unlimited, and there’s SKY TV. Towels were changed and fruit topped up every day. I made my own bed, so I’m not sure if they make it daily. Rates are above average, but you get what you pay for. If you’re travelling without children, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. We’ll definitely stay again.