Alpine Lodge

We only stayed one night, but it was a gem. The owner made us feel welcome, and the garden was lovely. After a long drive, that fresh air and an excellent beer were just what we needed. The accommodation is simple, clean and spacious. Dinner had plenty of choice, generous portions and sensible prices. We’ve stayed in lots of places while travelling around NZ, and this one stood out. Thank you.

The shared toilets were reasonably clean, but the rest of the backpacker unit felt neglected. Upstairs, the communal kitchen fridge was packed with open food left by previous guests, and hygiene generally was poor. The cleaners came in after noon, but seemed to only empty rubbish and refill soap. Floors weren’t mopped and countertops weren’t disinfected. We paid $370 for two nights because the lodge was fully booked. Towels cost another $5 each, and the ones we got were old and chlorine-stained. We had to make our own beds with the fitted sheet and pillowcases provided. The old mattress protectors and yellow pillows were subpar, and the duvet covers smelled unpleasant and clearly hadn’t been changed between guests. The carpet badly needed vacuuming and a deep clean. There was a small kitchenette for heating food, but no little table to eat at. I’ve stayed in plenty of well-kept, regularly disinfected backpackers, and this remote place didn’t meet that standard. For the price, I’d book a nearby bach or a serviced room ahead of time instead.

We dropped in for food and drinks and were really pleased. The lamb was full of flavour, and the mousse was amazing. Service was friendly and quick. It was fun to play pool, and handy that we could charge some devices too.

The onsite restaurant was very good, both for hospitality and dining. Management also deducted $45 after we passed on our feedback, which we appreciated. Still, this was our only disappointing stay across 12 hotels on the South Island. At $295, the standard room cost more than any other hotel on our trip and didn’t meet expectations. The decor being dated was acceptable, but the room needed maintenance. The TV wasn’t tuned properly, the fridge motor was noisy and froze our food, the door rattled in the wind, Wi-Fi kept dropping out, and the spare blanket was stained. The toilet trickled all night, and the electric panel heater banged whenever its thermostat cut out. We couldn’t even fill the kettle under the tap. There aren’t many accommodation choices in St Arnaud, but next time we’ll stay somewhere else. We won’t come back until the place has had a refresh.