獨行者旅社(Solitaire Lodge)

Driving up to the gates, we knew something special awaited. We were not disappointed. Wayne came out to welcome us, and the next few days were wonderful. The views from our room and from the dining room took our breath away. Lake Tarawera kept changing colors, with mist rising early in the morning. The chef created fabulous, elegant meals, and the staff was always available to answer questions (and offer really good single malt scotch at the cocktail hour)! We enjoyed a walk around the lake, a kayak paddle at sunset, and the boat ride to hidden hot springs. We would recommend Solitaire to anyone as a relaxing, elegant retreat. Nearby hiking and geothermal wonders meant we could be active in the day and come home to our private retreat.

完美的寧靜。熱情好客。旅館各處都可以欣賞到令人難以置信的如畫風景——在您的套房、餐廳或外面。令人難以置信的美食和最好的員工。他們在這裡確實很努力，強烈推薦。

品質和幸福感極佳的地方 所有工作人員都非常友善和稱職 一個非常好的地址，在田園詩般的環境中不容錯過 湖景非常適合週邊地區的多種活動細心且熱情的主人

熱烈的歡迎，無論是在房間還是在餐廳，都可以欣賞到美麗的湖景。菜餚非常出色。工作人員面帶微笑且友好。在這個壯麗地區的獨特自然風光中，一切都是奢華、平靜和愉悅的。

The most amazing Lodge serving top drawer food is set by the most magical lake this area is stunningly beautiful, my favourite destination anywhere this world has to offer, sensational. Nothing is too much trouble for your wonderful hosts, make this a must do on any bucket list

When my driver entered Rotorua, the first thing that hit me was the sulfur smell from the many hot springs in the area. I thought “Oh my, will I have to tolerate this smell for three nights?” It turned out that Rotorua was the closest town to my accommodation at Solitaire Lodge. The driver took us on a quick tour of Rotorua and then headed out of town for about 20 minutes until we reached a dead-end road that ended at a locked gate. After pressing the call button and announcing himself, our driver negotiated a narrow driveway to the paring lot of Solitaire Lodge, where Wayne, the manager, gave us a warm greeting. I knew nothing about this lodge because it was the first trip for which I engaged a custom planner. What I saw when we pulled in pleased me a lot. Solitaire Lodge has a main building that contains a living room where guests mingle each evening for pre-dinner drinks and appetizers, and a dining room. Lodge rooms are close by in separate building. My room was an extravagant two-room suite with views to Lake Tarawera from every room. The optional second, upstairs bedroom was locked as we didn’t need it. The bedroom was quite large with and adjoining bathroom with a tub and shower. It, too, had a lake view. The second room was a living room and kitchen combined, with both sections having ample room to relax or to fix a snack. The living room had two couches, a chair, a variety of board games, and a stereo system. After seeing the accommodation, admiring the view, and eating dinner there on the first night, I thought “Why would I want to leave this place?.” The food is amazing. Every meal is a delight, from breakfast to dinner. While most people are not around for lunch, the chef is happy to pack a to-go lunch. Dinner has three courses, and this is preceded by complimentary drinks and appetizers in the lounge. Note that wine or drinks with dinner are a separate charge as are after-dinner drinks. Solitaire is quite fair though. Upon check-out, I told them that they undercharged us for after-dinner drinks but the manager said that was okay because they aimed to be fair and not to over charge. Solitaire can arrange (for an extra charge) a fishing expedition or a helicopter pick-up for sightseeing. They also have hiking trails in the area and staff can take on a boat ride for an early-morning dip in the local hot springs.

We arrived with pretty high expectations of something luxurious, as the lodge costs $2600 NZD per night. It's beautifully located with great views. But on arrival we were shown into the main bar area overcrowded with old, mismatched chairs with dirty picture windows with the window tinting breaking down and streaking. We went outside to a deck with a glorious view of the lake, but the decking hadn't seen any oil for at least 10 years and the outdoor lights were covered with cobwebs. The wood and canvas chairs were very old and painted an odd shade of orange. There was no lounge chair option outdoors, just the table and chairs which were like tatty old beach house furniture. Our room was pleasant but no better than most $300 per night hotels, other than the view. The room was not quite big enough to comfortably house the bed and the sofa. Moving the sofa so it faced the view, meant that the walkway between the bed and the sofa was blocked. Luxury should have included big french doors opening onto the deck with loungers etc but instead there was a small door beside the big windows and the same tatty uncomfortable outdoor canvas/wood chairs and table. Inside, a tiny 29inch TV was mounted too high to be watched comfortably from the sofa and was too small to be watched from the bed. The glass shower door had a 20 cent rubber knob stuck on the middle so it didn't smash against the corner of the vanity and the shower itself was a cheap $100 plastic mixer and slide. A coffee plunger was supplied but nothing to heat or froth milk. Does anyone actually make plunger coffee these days? The mini bar items were included but these were merely a couple of cheap beers, some water bottles and wines with two packets of chips. The home made cookies were superb but these were not replaced after we'd finished them. The three meals included in the price were nice, and the service was excellent, but luxury means attention to detail and the lodge itself has not had that detailed attention for a long time. Some sort of staff uniform would have added a touch of professionalism. Outdoor furniture should be regularly replaced rather than repainted, and the outdoor fittings should be maintained. Decking oil is not a huge cost. A complete renovation of the interior of the public spaces is way overdue. Stuccoed walls and ceilings were cool in the 80s, but today are horribly tacky. Solitaire Lodge may have been a leader in luxury when it was built in 1980 but today it doesn't measure up to the luxury mark and there is simply no way to justify the $2600 price tag. I consider that $1000 per night would still be expensive but the food would make this price justifiable.

在各個層面都表現優異！食物很美味，服務無可挑剔且周到，房間很華麗，可以看到湖景，還有所有必要的舒適設施。我們在這家旅館度過了一個特別的夜晚。感謝整個團隊，幹得好！

This place is very special . I would recommend very much The view is amazing and peaceful The room very spacious and the atmosphere is very pleasant The service very much good The Restaurant serves excellent food Breakfast unique with home made bread and brioche The best you can find in NZ is the early morning bath in the hot spring in the forest This experience is unique Thank you to the owner who made all the effort to give us the best including the helicopter excursion to the Vulcan . Unforgettable ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️