Last Resort

The rooms are warm and cosy, and the basics are there, so it could work well for hikers or people doing the heaphy track. But they’re cute and a little shabby, with linen and furnishings that looked unchanged since the early 2000s. It didn’t have the premium feel you might expect in beautiful Karamea, though it was low maintenance. The cheap price should perhaps have been a clue. I wouldn't stay again, even if it were my last resort. We were on an anniversary trip in the might Karamea after a dreadful experience earlier, when another hotel wasn't available. We joked about staying somewhere called the last resort and even told the hotel. When we called ahead to say we’d be a little late, they repeatedly hung up, saying the bar was too busy. The phone staff were blunt and rude. They even left a fridge outside our room door.

Wonderful owner, clean and generously sized rooms, and a restaurant that served us the best meal and gave us the best service we've had in NZ. Absolutely astounding. Highly recommend!

The room felt more like a backpackers setup than it should have, and there was a strong damp smell, worse in the bathroom. The bin hadn't been emptied, and a used towel was hanging behind the door. I wouldn't stay here again. I'd choose the Kararmea hotel down the road instead, where we had one of the best steaks I've eaten in a long time.

After a sweaty couple of days on the Heaphy Track, this was such a good place to recover. The shower was great, the bed super comfortable, and there was fresh milk for tea, coffee and hot chocolate. The lush gardens were gorgeous. We had a lovely dinner in the beer garden, then played pool in the bar. It's just a short stroll to the main street for breakfast in the morning. Thanks for the hospitality, we'll be back!