Karaka Tree Motel

3 star motel with 5 star cleanliness. Perfectly adequate fir our needs and pet friendly too!😃

Everything was great thankyou. Nothing unexpected.

Staff were very friendly and helpful plus it was a bonus to save $50.00 booking cover for our room, the facilities were clean and tidy and we loved to wake up on the Super King bed which was very comfortable and warm during winter with no need to plug in the electric blanket which was provided, the spa pool was nice to soak in after our exploring of Taupo attractions, walks and outdoor fun, the location was good and we'd definitely stay again. It was lovely to see Salem the cat 😺 and the motel being pet friendly is an added bonus for any pet owners.

* The spa pool had no working jets and is only a mineral pool. * The mini fridge and pantry door was a nuisance at times as it kept jamming when trying to gain access to the fridge. * Having no options for Breakfast add-ons for our room, and having to order food from Taupo township restaurants was ok but getting it delivered was an added cost.

We had a family room, which although not what we needed was all that was available with our last minute booking. It had plenty of space for the 2 of us but may have been cramped for a family of 4, but I guess that applies to most motels. Everything was clean and tidy and the room facilities were more than enough for our 3 day stay. Although we were about 2.5km from the centre of Taupo we were only about 100m from the lake shore and the walk into Taupo could be easily made using the walkway along the lake shore. We did it a couple of times.

Unfortunately, although all rooms included a spa, ours was the only one not working. The owner was happy to change our room for another however it would have meant 2 nights in one room and 1 in another as they were fully booked and unable to rearrange the bookings to suit us. Not a gripe more a minor irritation that could have been rectified if we had better planned our trip and booked earlier.

The room had a thermal spa and this was lovely. The bed was comfortable. The room was a really good size.

The sky stopped working and never came back on - it's no everything and didn't affect our enjoyment of the stay, but with having an early night in it would have been nice to be able to watch TV. One thing they could improve on maybe is the privacy of the room, the walls are very thin you can hear your neighbors talking and the curtains are see through at night if your lights are on so people walking past can still see in.

Arrived a little later than check in due to road works and traffic but motel contacted me by text for key pick up plan which worked a treat for us removing any unwanted stress. Hubby and daughter enjoyed mineral spa in the comfort of our room as it became a little bit cold to attempt the weather and head to the local outdoor spas.

Fan in bathroom and mineral spa room too noisy when turned on which is every time the light is switched on in shower, toilet ect Also there was no A/C in room

I liked everything about this hotel. The staff were awesome, friendly and helpful. The room was clean and had everything we need. The Mineral Spa bath was pretty cool as well filled the lower pool for my baby of 16 months and then filled up for me when she finished and hopped out. The little kitchenette was cool as too , I could close it off so baby doesn't touch everything . You can walk from the hotel to town probably takes an thirty minutes to an hour but it's along the lake and is a nice walkway.

The only thing that was off was the fan in the toilet , it was a little loud but it's a fan .

Last minute booking with only one option. We were worried with all the comments traveller wrote. The price is so cheap comparing with other places, but we had a great stay. The staffs are friendly and efficient. Room is old and need new equipment but they have everything we need. We couldn't complain with the price we paid. The pool is not heated but the spa pool is hot and we enjoyed the hot and cold treatment.

The owner need to invest new equipment and renovation.

The spa was good. Could have had a handrail and/or another step for elderly people or those with hip/knee problems with getting in and out. Extractor fan in ensuite not working

A handrail for the spa would be a good safety thing. Some steps were wobbly to walk up and some of the small step lights not working. Advice on how to drive out of the resort using the circular drive at the end would have been good. So you can drive forwards onto the main road. Get rid of the car park closest to the entranceway as it restricts vison and could cause a car crash

This is an 'old school' style motel and this is reflected in the price. Doreen on reception was absolutely lovely and an asset plus full of interesting information. Lake view from the balcony. No road noise. Huge room. Very clean and a cloud comfort bed with quality linen too! The thermal heating was on for my arrival which was very thoughtful, the room lovely and warm. If you are interested in the geothermal area of Taupo, each of the upstairs studios have a huge mineral pool that you fill yourself (like Taupo and Rotorua motels in the 1980's). Hot Water Beach is over the road. Newer developments (if the place is knocked down for a yuppie palace in future) most likely won't be permitted to tap into the Waipahihi stream, So go experience this now before bland takes over and everything is the same, but with no thermal asset to enjoy. Progress isn't always progress... and there are plenty of us who want something in the mid $100's - not $300 plus per night so enjoy it while you can! If you stay during summer I'd suggest you take a fan, but in winter, it's warm as toast. I'll be back, new favourite Taupo motel. Thanks Karaka Tree (and to Doreen's partner, who is fixing things that need a bit of repair as referenced in earlier reviews I read). This place is a treasure to be kept! The WIFI was good and I didn't even bother to turn on the TV so can't comment on that. Fantastic value!

management were very kind and approachable.

the sign said spa in every room but there was no spa in our room. the fans in the bathrooms didn’t work properly so when someone went toilet you could smell it throughout the entire room. I even had to go buy my own dettol spray n wipe and air freshener to make it feel clean. the queen bed was very firm. the heater was very loud and took ages to heat up. The carpark was very difficult to park in. you had to literally have your car touching the fence so cars could get past you. very tiny.