Guest reviews Wharekauhau Country Estate, Wairarapa

by Gary J Wellington, New Zealand

A lovely stay at a great hotel

Wharekauhau Country Estate is such a lovely place to stay in a great location. From the time you arrive to when you leave you are made to feel very welcome and special. The staff are very friendly and nothing is a problem. The food is stunning and the chefs will go out of their way to accommodate any dietary needs. The accommodation is very comfortable, ad are the facilities. The location has lots to offer you.

by Zamgal New Zealand

He tangata,he tangata,he tangata

There is question in Maori - ‘what is the most important thing in the world’ and they answer ‘he tangata, he tangata, he tangata’ - it is people, it is people, it is people. I feel that this is one of the founding principles here at Wharekauhau. Visitors and more importantly staff are encouraged to be themselves without strict guidelines that need to be adhered to. The accommodation, food and genuine care from the staff is exceptional and we will return when we need a special little corner of the world to celebrate special occasions

by Steve265 Wellington, New Zealand

Great but not amazing!

We arrived at the lodge for our 3 night stay with great expectations and excitement as we have stayed at many luxurious venues in NZ and around the world and love the whole experience. On arrival we were greeted at our car and the luggage whisked away and given a tour of the lodge. We would have expected a glass of champagne on arrival or even a small afternoon tea but nothing. We were shown to our rooms and after about an hour or so my partner went to the bathroom to discover urine all over the toilet and a dead insect plus dead flies on the floor. After a further look around we noted more dead flies scattered around on the floor plus some very brown stains on the carpet and big chips out of the doors and a lack of maintenance throughout out the cottage. The cottage is very comfortable and stylish and the bedding is fabulous but let down by the level of detail expected in this caliber of lodging. The food and service from the staff was faultless and really made us feel welcome and very well looked after. The main lodge area is beautiful and the decor gives an immediate feeling of grandeur and style. Our group made an effort to dress for cocktails and dinner and know that everyone doesn’t necessarily want to do the same which is fine but to see some guests wearing frayed jean shorts or shorts and sneakers in the elegant dining room and lounges was very disappointing and once again for a Relais and Chateau hotel was not expected compared to their other properties we have stayed at. Overall we loved the experience but slightly soured by the lack of finer detail and condition of our accommodation for the hefty price tag.

by jonsean Aotearoa New Zealand

A quiet and relaxing time with included privacy

This lodge is near the southern tip of the North Island of NZ and made a great base to see Cape Palliser, the Pinnacles and Lake Ferry. The villas are large, comfortable and private. Ours was let down slightly by a hole in the wall but other than that was as you would expect from a lodge stay. The included breakfasts and dinners (including canapé and cocktails) were all very nice. Dinner is at a set time and takes around two hours (730-930pm). We went on a two hour ATV tour around the estate and onto the beach. This is highly recommended. The electric car charger only works for Tesla’s and our advice is that this needs to be changed for future guests. We were able to plug in our car but only into a regular wall socket (this meant it would take around two days to charge). All the staff were extremely helpful and pleasant. We would stay here again.

by astropig Auckland, New Zealand

Disappointing Food

Amazing Lodge, stunning location, service and accommodation, although the cottages are showing their age. Shame about the dining. Breakfast was excellent. A fixed menu is offered with predinner drinks and canapés. Sorry, but the canapés were just not right. Did not enjoy the flavour combinations and found most to be a little rancid. Dinner portions were tiny and on the cold side. Definitely no wow factor at all compared to elsewhere. We were not impressed that a $50 bottle of wine on offer in the cottage was $150 in the restaurant. Not a high enough standard for the price. It was an amazing stay but we felt the whole experience was a little dated.