Cabañas Cosy Cottage Thermal Holiday Park

The large hot pool was lovely in the evening, and the kitchen was clean, tidy and roomy. It’s in a great spot for getting to most Rotorua activities. On arrival, though, someone else on site was using our power outlet. The toilets and showers weren’t awful, but could use an upgrade. Still a positive stay, just a bit worn down.

The hangi oven was a fun feature, and we cooked a few things in it. The location’s pretty good, but there isn’t much for little kids to do around the campground and it’s all quite basic. One caution: the playground swings have metal seats that can get hot in the sun and burn little ones. The place is old and tired, but I wouldn’t call it a dump. For the price, it didn’t feel worth it to me. Fine for a night or two while passing through, but I wouldn’t return. I’ll try the top ten next time.

We spent three weeks touring both the North and South Islands in a campervan, staying at 14 sites, mostly Top 10 and Tasman. Those were all excellent, with clean facilities and great staff. Cosy Cottage was easily the worst. The showers and toilets were dirty, the kitchen facilities were poor, and the reception staff were terribly rude. We should have taken the lack of replies to our emails and calls after booking as a warning. Avoid it at any cost.

We arrived late, but the staff were still really friendly and helpful. The place is right by Rotorua Lake, and the showers and bathrooms looked up to date, with very hot water. We didn’t stay long enough to use the pool or thermal pools, though the facilities looked nice. Didn’t try the kitchen either, but there seemed to be plenty of room. Good value and a very good stay.