Karaka Tree Motel

7.6

Very Good

388 Guest reviews

7.6

Very Good

388 Verified Reviews

Read all reviews

Cleanliness7.4/10

Service8.0/10

Comfort7.0/10

Condition6.6/10

location7.8/10

Neighborhood8.2/10

Quality4.0/10

Value7.2/10

Amenities6.4/10

Smoke detector was removed, Mineral bath was dirty, leaking tap in bathroom, low water pressure in shower, cigarette butts in container outside window, no milk given, general condition of unit was out-dated and needed a lot of maintenance

Close to town

The manager was lovely and the bed was clean and comfortable but the shower was dirty and the bench in the kitchen was chipped plus there were spiders above two light switches and on the wall

This place is not like the picture show in very need of repaint, curtains with rips and not even hung up holes and walls!

Property needed a major tidy up with weeds and dead plants in pots etc. No SKY as advertised. Rooms very outdated and in need of repair. Cleaning left a lot to be desired. Also office still closed for checkout at 8.45am.

Clean, comfortable, quiet reasonably close to town.

Very old and run down. Dusty and bathroom not clean. No milk provided even when advised they would drop it off. Tv wouldnt work. Jug had to have the switch held to boil. Extra pillows where gross(glad we had our own) Glad we were only one night. Will not be returning

Shocking stay

Upon arrival to our room, the first thing we noticed was the used towels on the floor in the spa room covered in hair. Next we noticed stalks of cherries and strawberries ends left next to the spa, the spa was not clean. All doors were damaged or had been smashed, the door lock was fiddly to secure. The mirrors were dirty and had not been cleaned. There were ‘white mark’ stains on the couch, the tv did not have Sky as it was advertised. The kitchenette doors did not close (and half were missing) and kitchen was dirty. Bathroom was gross, floor had grime and there was mould on the ceiling and bits of toilet paper left on the floor. The light fixing/vent was completely exposed with cobwebs and dirty hanging. There was no toilet paper in the holder. After bringing the ‘dirty towels’ to the staffs attention it seemed there was no care, although they were removed. The room was out dated, and there was no effort taken to improve or actually clean anything. We didn’t spend anytime in the room, and left earlier than expected.

Totally worth it.

the room smelt very musty, it was run down, the kitchen sink tap was almost coming off at the base, the teatowel and cloth was dirty, all the cutley, dishes and cooking gear was filty, repairs in the showeroom were unfinished, curtains in the second room were coming off ...fire alarm was beeping all night, TV would not go.....no milk etc etc the manager was a lovely man who had only been there 2 months. he was the only good thing.

Nothing positive about this hotel - except it’s cheap. Such a shame as it was good once. Just been let go….

Overall a decent property to stay for its price. Just a bit run down with broken door handle and leaky room stain otherwise good. Staff are friendly and courteous.

Cheap and Tired

A cheap place to stay, but tired and quite run down.

Excellent service by the staff. Called me before i arrived and had my room and parking sorted ready for my arrival.

Lake across the road, easy access to town, mineral pool to soak in.

Spa was great, soap dispenser should be checked and does need a bit of TLC

The mineral pool is great but you can't get into the shower if you are on crutches and the whole place is a bit threadbear

Our ferry was delayed so wasnt going to make it back to Taupo in time to check in by 8pm. Rang reception to let them know and they had our room ready with the heater on for us when we got there at 9.30pm. We were really impressed.

Clean motel with helpful, friendly staff. Room was quite dated though and the heating/ventilation could do with upgrading.

Very basic facilities. But we love the deep mineral spa pool..so always stay here.

tM dtay

Contactless check-in and out felt impersonal and distant...but I guess that was the purpose. KTM is getting dated and tired, but nice to have a soak.

No stove., toilets old ,shower doors not working properly.

An old favourite

A budget motel that has become a bit aged, but still good value for money. We really enjoy the private mineral pool. It is located handily to the lake and to the township.

Staff at check-in was fab. Down to Earth and excellent customer service. Nice mineral pools. Rooms better then reviews. Downfall is housekeeping only provide a clean towels. Don’t take the rubbish etc, don’t service the rooms just pop a towel on the bed. Motel kitty is a absolute cutie and a bonus though :)

Great place:)

Excellent location. Good value Very good. Very quiet

Room was in poor condition needing a ceiling paint and wall touch up. The bench had the top falling off and lights needed replacing. The TV would only work on 1 channel.

Close to Taupo and like I have nothing more to say

Almost impossible to get the shower at right temperture [room 14] NEEDS repacement mixer

We have stayed at this hotel in the past and have always found it clean, tidying and inviting. Sadly, this wasn’t the case this time. The bed had strands of hair through it, the linen was quite worn and the general look of the room was quite tired. I hope it gets a splash of refresh before Summer kicks in. It’s in a prime spot.

Awesome motel clean tidy and comfortable staff pleasant at check in and when we checked out

Nil of note to report. Good location by the lake though

This property is very run down with broken fittings and dirty windows. We actually chose not to stay once we arrived and saw it.

Mineral spa pool was good but showing its age Internet not working, unable to log on

The pumbing needs to be upgraded.Relace shower mixer, sink taps and kitchennette top. Wi fi and room panel heater not working. Cannot provide milk for coffee daily.

unclean power point's falling of wall Wi-Fi not working t.v. not working spa brokem down place absolutely disgusting

Nice comfortable beds and nice and spacious and clean. Lighting at entranceway to motel at night could be improved.

Nice location. Excellent room for the rating / price point. Friendly and helpful staff. I would happily stay there again.

A relaxing and peaceful stay. Lovely service and the hot mineral pool is fantastic.. I stay here ofetrn for work and it sets me up for a big day the next day!

Easy to find. Good service. Property very tired. Price reflects condition.

Property is a 1970-80s style motel in it's heyday was very good but it is now showing it's age . Facilities were clean and serviceable . Lacked a couple of lounge type chairs bed was comfortable and room was quiet. Manager was helpful and obliging .

Okay at low cost

Motel is in need of a renovation. Tired room that Disney seem clean. Sagging hard bed. Noise between units with TV etc.

Wifi did not work.. tv broken. Carpet disgusting..

It was tired, I used to stay their in the late 80's, early 90's and the decor has not been updated. Needs a refurbishment.

The spa was great. The depth of the steps to get in was too high for an older person We would have liked wi e glasses

Easy hotel to get to from Napier highway. Room was presented well and warm

Definitely not value for money!! The couch was ripped, net curtain torn, carpet lifting, fridge was so noisy we unplugged it a 2am to get some sleep along with numerous other things. The cleaning left something to be desired. Having a spa does not make up for the disrepair of the rooms. On leaving I spoke with the manager who said they were just settling into the job and realise it has been neglected and after the busy period is over will start to tidy the units up! I was surprised that it was fairly quiet considering how close the motorway is. Would not stay again unless updated.

Service here is always great. Just a little out of the main shops so nice and quiet. Travelling for work and has everything you need. The spa is a great plus after long days of driving.

Nice location, and great soaking tubs

Wifi only worked sporadically and couldn't be fixed. Useless if you need to work.

Clean and comfortable

Nice motel that is clean and comfortable. Some of it is looking a bit old and worn, but I understand the new owners are in the process of sprucing it up.

Rooms are a bit tired, but the new owners plan to remedy that, the spa pool was awesome!

all good

good price for good location motel. excellent stay.

Very spacious and wRm and cosy motel. The mineral pool was an added bonus. Very helpful staff.

Worst Bed ever - Dirty room to boot

Checked in and felt good talking to the chap but after the first night we wanted to leave. The bed was so hard I actually slept on the floor the second night as it was nicer. The dishes were dirty and the Milk I was given was not dated and had a weird taste to it (they filled small glass bottles with milk so was not factory packaged). You have been warned!!

Great spot and size for travelling with 3 teenage boys!..very spacious..well set up..mineral pool awesome!!

An older motel complex with new owners who are working hard to upgrade. Been recently painted etc. Still some minor things to be refurbished. Love the mineral pool with our unit. Situated a way from CBD .

Good location

It was great..not a single fault my kids enjoyed it and we really loved the thermal spa :) will be back next time were in taupo

Good for just staying one night. Love the spa pool. A bit out-dated but clean.

A thermal bath to die for

Had to win the award for the largest thermal spa bath, we had an upstairs room so the rear bedroom had been converted to a spa bath only room. With a large hot private spa it was not hard to relax.

Second time I’ve stayed here and over all can’t fault it. Staff are lovely & very friendly. Planning another trip in November and will hopefully stay here again. Only thing was the soap dispenser in shower was empty, which isn’t a major. Very great value for price, thank you :)

Warm spa pool in your room

The host was very helpful. This was a very spacious room for our family to stay in. The big spa pool in the back yard was great for the colder afternoon/evenings. The wifi was not working at all while we were there, but the having Sky movies was a bonus for the family.

Nice big room. Loved the plunge pool

Great start being greeted by a friendly face. Nice quiet spacious room. Plunge pool was a brilliant bonus

Just what we needed ...

Really nice welcome and local advice given. A great place to stay between Hamilton and Napier.

Very good accommodation at reasonable rate.

Room was very light at night due to a bright outside light. Black-out curtains would help.

Spa bath luxury

We had a good one night at Karaka Tree Motel, and particularly enjoyed the private spa bath in the unit. Motel staff were very friendly and helpful, and check-in and check-out were very easy. Thank you.

Great Stay. Great staff. Very accodating for needs

The location was good. The in room mineral spa was great. I would have liked having air conditioning but it was still a nice place. The bed was comfortable. The staff was very courteous and friendly. The room itself was quite large and it was nice to be able to do our laundry while we were there.

close to lake (across road); obliging hosts

stayed two nights. Prepared to organise a taxi for me; friendly; clean unit

Ex location for our situation which was my 75 th

So handy to our dear family and all the activities that they were wishing to do.

Great hospitality

Loved the mineral spa, what a delight !! The staff were so friendly and accommodating. whilst on the older side, the rooms are lovey and large and everything was provided for.

Motel great close to the lake.

Requires transport to any shopping or eating facilities

Very nice and comfortable. Ideal location

Very nice and convenient. The bed was a little uncomfortable and the hot water in the bathroom was very boiling a child could be burnt otherwise the overall condition and helpful staff was excellent.

Convenient location .no internet connection and TV reception no good Bed comfortable Staff friendly and helpful

The units needs an urgent refurbishment.

There would be risk issues for elderly staying in our unit in regard to the configuration of the bathroom, shower and plunge pool. Such a shame that the unit we stayed in was so shabby, but the linen and bed was clean and I guess at the end of the day that's what we cared about most. There are some hazards evidenced in the grounds with loose and missing tiles etc. Needs a jolly good refurbish as the site and location are excellent and having thermal plunge pools are a bonus I would have thought

Close to lake

Nice big rooms, good with the kids. They also enjoyed the mineral spa, but was a bit dated, and not super clean. Beds, linen etc very clean but things like the fridge, kitchen utensils and general cleaning of cupboards etc not the best.

Although clean inside the grounds & exterior were lacking attention.

We stayed for a Good 3 nights. Everything we needed In the room. Spa was great too. No problems at all with a Reasonable price.

Room 6 very noisy

Great location staff and hot pools.does need a revamp overall but ok.room 6 is where we stayed was very noisy.all night long hotel machinery was going on/off and could not sleep.think wotif customers often get these type of rooms.

Relaxing hot tub

The location and hot tub were the highlights

Karaka

Tired, in need of an overhaul, painting, linen,everything needs to be upgraded.

Location good

Value for money. Just looking tired. Pretty quiet. Staff are lovely.

Close to beach ,handy for town

Unfortunately the heigine was dreadful.toilet seats dirty,shower had mould all around sides .doot handles in toilet dirty. Light switches grubby.

Basic Motel In Taupo

Really nice manager at check in, very helpful and friendly. Room is tired and has certainly seen better days. Decor, fixtures, lighting all need to be renovated, and this is certainly no complaint. There are better motels in Taupo, but you get what you pay for. Pleasant stay, only one night, decent value for the money.

Lovely location, comfortable stay

Beautiful views to the lake. Loved to private spa tub. Rooms were spacious and comfortable. Just a little dated but more than adequate for our overnight stay.

What you see is what you get

Nice motel. A little dated but great value for money. Mineral pool was excellent. Friendly management.

Great spacious, Hotel by the beach

I had a great time and this hotel, when I first walked in I was greeted nicely. And when I entered the hotel room with my partner I found it was very clean and spacious, usually I feel cramped when I stay at Motels but here I did not feel that way, also the room is stocked well.

Love hot pool

Very pleasant, handy , helpful. Stayed befor. Good value . Basic but all need

private mineral pool

Just one night in Taupo on business. We enjoyed Taupo although it was very cold. Nice walks along the lake from the hotel.

Good.friendly reception

Had a terrible neighbor talking loudly early hours but not motel doing.

Nice and clean The room was very hot and stuffy.There was no air conditioning and the window was on a safety latch and could only be opened a wee bit Would not stay there again in summer But would do in winter

Easy to find on main drag

Stayed 2 nights and found the staff were great - awesome service and helped us out with transport to the local concert. Very helpful. Unfortunately the same can't be said for the Unit we stayed in. We paid a premium price per night, so expected more. The unit was in need of a good clean from top to bottom. The kitchen and Pool area were particularly bad. I wiped the worn kitchen bench top (which should be replaced) with a white cloth and it came back black - not just a bit, but after many wipes. Pretty yucky. Did not want to prepare any food on this service. The fridge did not work very well and froze all our food. There was an ironing board and iron provided. The board cover was ripped and stained and the iron did not hold the steam. Both needed replacing and would be cheap to do. The mineral pool was lovely but the area outside needed some good cleaning and maybe some colour. The bed was comfortable but there was no air-con or a good fan to relieve the very hot nights, so sleeping was very difficult. If we paid less, we may have expected what we got but there is no excuse - even for well used units to be dirty. the Motel is quite far from the township so if you want walking distance - stay closer.

Good value for money. Enjoyed the mineral spa

Enjoyed our stay. It was extremely hot and the bedside fan did not cool us down. Airconditioning would have been very helpful. Large group of young people returned home in the early hours of the morning making a lot of noise but cant blame motel for that.

Only one problem

When I returned to my unit after dining out I found that there were a large number of insects on the walls and ceiling and flying around in the room. No one was on duty in the office. It took a long time to get rid of them. The net curtains did not cover the windows and there were no screens.

Great location, had everything we needed plus a relaxing mineral spa to too it off.

Not cheap but nasty

Rooms nade of flimsy old cheap materials that are decaying. Disappointing as the photos make it look reasonable.

Nice short stay.

Hotel was clean and near the CBD. Room was clean and easy to access.

Dated sadly as the location is superb

Room very dark and dated. Drip from roof onto canopy outside kept us awake. Staff great. Location great.

great weekend

we arrived late afternoon great greeting from the manager. room was very comforted as was the spa pool enjoyed two evening spas. Over all was a great weekend

Very Tired motel in need of a up-date

The hotel really needs a make over, room had threadbare carpet in places, rotten bits of timber hanging off the wall, dishes not very clean, The hot tub was nice but water dripping all night from the tap made it hard to sleep. The worse bit was one of the bed sheets had a fair bit of blood on it. Although it had been cleaned you could still see it where it could not be washed out. Sorry but would not stay here again.