Distinction Luxmore Hotel

The hotel had a lovely atmosphere, and everyone was warm and attentive during our stay. What I’m especially grateful for is Fiona’s help after my child accidentally left a mobile phone behind. We only noticed once we’d left, but when I contacted the hotel, the manager was so kind and reassuring. She arranged to have the phone delivered to the airport hotel where I was staying, which saved me a lot of stress. That thoughtful, honest help made our trip more special. I’d happily recommend the hotel.

We found the rooms neat and welcoming whenever we came back, and the staff, including the people who cleaned them, were friendly. Tish J at reception was helpful, and when our first room smelled of tobacco, she arranged a room change smoothly, even in the height of the season. The rooms are practical and sturdy, with good closet space, comfortable beds, spacious showers, counter space, good lighting, and temperature control. Having a laundry room was handy for travelers. The location made it easy to walk to the lake, marina, Bird Sanctuary to see the flightless taka-he, restaurants, and around the community. We also ran into schoolchildren. There’s plenty of seating in reception for groups, though the temperature there can be uncomfortable. The attached restaurants weren’t the best in town.

The location was the best part, right near the lake and all of Te Anau. Our family of four stayed in one of the older rooms for three nights, and it was okay for that. The buffet breakfast had a good selection. At check-in, our key had also been given to other people, so we walked in on them already in our room and had to go downstairs to sort out whose room it was. They apologized and fixed it. We kept getting only two towels each day for four people, and the phone didn’t work, so we had to go get more ourselves.

We won’t stay here again. The price was far too high for such outdated rooms, and the thin soundproofing meant no sleeping in. Tour companies and buses use the place, and noisy gatherings in rooms at night were common. We recently stayed at Aden court for less than half the price, and every part of that stay was better. Our room smelled as if someone had recently smoked or burned incense, even though smoking isn’t allowed. The windows had all been left open to clear the smell before we arrived, but it was still there. A bedside table leg was broken and wouldn’t stand straight, the jug leaked, the bedside lamps were unplugged, and the fridge was left open. The pale curtains didn’t block the light either. Reception staff seemed disengaged and too busy chatting with each other to help. We couldn’t get a late checkout, even though it was our honeymoon and we offered to pay extra. When we raised the problems, staff said we should have interrupted our honeymoon further and called reception so they could fix them. Having more than three issues in one night shouldn’t have been our responsibility to report. They offered no refund and blamed us for booking at short notice. When we asked for a refund, they declined. I wouldn’t recommend this place. It felt like a money spinner with no care for the people staying there.