Aoraki Mount Cook Alpine Lodge

I managed to switch from the Family Room with no view to a ground-floor studio overlooking Mount Cook after someone cancelled. The studio was very spacious and had a patio with a semi-private view. The location of Aoraki Alpine Lodge is excellent, just a few minutes’ walk from the Hermitage Hotel. I arrived before check-in and left my luggage and food in the fridge because I had an early afternoon activity booked. When I got back at 4pm, the concierge had already taken both to my room, which saved me the hassle of settling in and let me go for an evening hike.

What bothered me most was the noise. I could hear conversations next door clearly, and their bathroom door opening and closing was loud enough to wake me late at night and early in the morning. The shower was also unreliable: the hot water ran out after a few minutes, came back briefly, then went completely cold. I booked after seeing the positive reviews, so I was surprised by how disappointing the stay felt. I’d gone in with fairly low expectations because this is a lodge, not a full-service hotel, but I still expected a quiet room and steady hot water. Neither was there. Check-in and checkout were taken care of, but staff seemed to be temporary seasonal workers, and there wasn’t much service or interaction beyond that.

Room 15 at Aoraki Alpine Lodge was the “Bunker Bed Room,” which we ended up in because our travel agent made a booking error. It felt like a very basic hostel room, not much of a lodge. At 8 m², there was barely room to move: two bunk beds with thin, hard mattresses on steel slats, no floor space or shelving for luggage, no chairs or tables, and nowhere in the bathroom to put toiletries. The room was very clean, and the staff were incredibly friendly and tried to help, but the lodge was full. The shared kitchen stayed busy all evening, had poor ventilation so the cooking smells lingered, and the pots and pans were very worn. We decided to find other accommodation for the rest of our stay because of the conditions and for health reasons. If supporting your physiotherapist or chiropractor sounds appealing, this room might be for you.

We loved waking up to the views from our room, and Aoraki Alpine Lodge made a relaxing base for exploring the area. The room was comfortable, and the Wi-Fi and reception were excellent, which was handy when the weather turned rainy or windy, as it often does. We could relax inside, put on Netflix, and unwind. I’d recommend staying at least two nights to enjoy Mt Cook and fit in the Hooker Valley Track without rushing or losing out to bad weather. I’ve attached photos showing the view we had.