Tongariro River Motel

The owner was kind and helpful, even giving us a free bottle of milk when we checked in. The place feels more like a set of cabins than a motel, and the rooms are especially nice. It was dark and quiet at night, so we slept really well.

We had such a lovely stay in the studio, and it was more than my husband and I expected. The room was already warm when we arrived and stayed that way all night. It was clean, roomy and cozy, with a little kitchen and a divider between the bedroom and the rest of the studio. We cooked breakfast and ate outside with a view of the garden. Parking right beside the unit was handy too. We’ll definitely come back, maybe we’ll get to meet the famous Ross and Pip next time.

The river walk is just down the road and well worth doing, and town is very close too. I keep coming back whenever I’m in the area. The retro rooms are so cool, warm and cozy, with really comfy beds and extra bedding if you need it. Everything is super clean, with lots of little extras. The owners are friendly and helpful.

We stayed here for the Tongario alpine crossing and got a whole small flat for the three of us for a very low price. It was just the right size, including for a quiet day after the hike. The kitchen was really well equipped. The rest was basic, but it worked perfectly for us.