Mahitahi Lodge

We felt very comfortable at Wilderness Lodge Moeraki. The setting is special, the grounds are well kept, and the staff and service were good. The included services, which we didn’t use, also help explain the relatively high price. We never saw any room service, though that was a minor concern. The food was the real disappointment. We tried dinner on two nights and didn’t enjoy it; on the last evening we ate out instead. Breakfast was okay, but below what we expected. We can’t say whether you’ve tried the dinners yourselves, but I’d suggest checking what’s coming out of the kitchen. We waited to write until we were sure we could express ourselves properly, as our English is limited.

Everyone on staff was wonderful, and our room was very nice with a river view. The included dinners were good, with special meals made for us as vegetarians, and there was a good selection of wine. The Lodge sits by the river between Lake Moeraki and the ocean, and you can take kayaks out to the lake. There are rainforest trails from the property, including one to a beach, and we didn’t feel the need to book the longer paid guided trips. We did join the free 5 PM nature walks, where our friendly, knowledgeable guide explained that logging had never happened in this part of the west coast of the South Island. We were surrounded by pristine New Zealand rainforest, with trees said to be up to 2,000 years old, though the oldest one we saw was only 900.

Tranquil, with bush walks and kayaking right nearby. The staff were bubbly, polite, and helpful, and both dinner and breakfast were included and very good. It’s pricey, but I felt the stay was worth it and couldn’t fault the place.

We had some truly awful weather, but management adjusted the schedule flexibly so we could still get the best experience possible. The staff were helpful throughout, and the facilities and dining choices were excellent. One person in our party had specific dietary needs, and these were catered for better than she’d experienced anywhere else. As a couple in our early 70s, we couldn’t have asked for a better stay.