Such a nice stay in Franz Josef! The room was decorated beautifully with everything we needed for…read moreour short visit. The rooms can be challenging to find, as the place has lots of twisty roads leading to different cottages, but once you're there it feels like your own private treehouse. The Monsoon Restaurant was too busy for us to get dinner there, but we did go for breakfast. Food was very good but service was INCREDIBLY slow. Don't go if you're in a hurry. But good food and a nice place to relax if you've got plenty of time.

We absolutely loved our stay at Rainforest Retreat! We were only in Franz Josef Glacier for one…read morenight, but I wish we had longer in these amazing accommodations. We were in a Gecko Cottage, which was in it's own little area with a few other cottages. We had a hot tub that was only for the cottages, so it was basically like we had it all to ourselves. Our room had a king bed, a little living space, and a bathroom. It was perfect for the 2 of us. And the location is great! Everything we needed was in walking distance, including a grocery store. There is also a restaurant as part of the resort, so it's easy to go get a meal and some cocktails without having to drive anywhere. We would happily return if in New Zealand again.

This review is more about the location of the hotel in this small tourist town. Next to helicopter…read morepad created a ton of noise during the day with flights every 15 min. Ur breathtaking g views at night when all the lights were off. That and no air con but big fan are only reasons for reduced stars. Hotel has two restaurants but only one was open. Bar is full and stocked. There are also lots of restaurant options all very walkable. The la ding has good calimari (thicker) The kiwi and penguin center was fanatic and right behind hotel We also took a hike up the trail that is less than 1/8 mile from hotel rear. Great view at end of trail. Hotel also has electric bikes for use. Our tour meal was very good. I had the lamb shank. I wish it came with more than one small potato but the lamb was fantastic.

It's a small town, and this hotel is one of the nicest ones in the area. Given the context, it's…read morenice and comfortable. Check-in was easy, and it was a short walk to the room. The amenities are very minimal. The decor is outdated, and it's apparent that much of the room and bathroom will soon need a refresh. However, it IS a small town, and this isn't a huge chain. Housekeeping is good as the room itself was clean; they did their best with what they had to work with. We had a nice view from our room, and it's a short van ride to the glacier. Several diners were close by, so it's really convenient. We had breakfast included. The options were decent and included hot and cold options. It was packed as everyone had all their activities start early.

One of the worst hotel rooms I have stayed in. The pictures online make it look amazing and maybe…read morethere are amazing rooms. Ours was very old, dingy, outdated, old carpet, dirty walls, dark hallway very little light. The beds were uncomfortable, the bathroom was small and the room had no air conditioning just a fan. No ice machine, I had to get ice from the bar. The shower was small and dingy plastic. The reception person was very nice, and the restaurant staff and chef were fantastic! They do have laundry on site is $4 for a load of wash and $4 for drier. I did not take photos of the room, but the dinner meal was very good.

Appears to be the better hotel in town. Few choices as most visitors I would guess come to town…read morefor the glacier and don't stay overnight. A bit chilly in room until we got wall heater going. In summer sitting out on room patio looking at mountains would be very attractive.

Located just minutes from downtown Franz Josef, Holly Homestead is a cozy, charming B&B. Although…read morethe structure dates back to the 1920's, it's been restored with all the modern amenities - no need to trudge out back to the outhouse in the middle of the night. Bernie & Gerard were on a well deserved holiday when my wife and I visited but we were dutifully welcomed by Sharon and her friendly dog, Jack. Sharon didn't have as good of knowledge of the immediate area, as she's not a local resident, but she did provide a few restaurant recommendations that turned out to be excellent. Breakfasts both of the mornings we were at Holly Homestead were very good. We very much enjoyed the open, "country kitchen". We also really enjoyed our evenings sipping a glass of complimentary Port in the front reading room - a very nice touch.

This review is a bit delayed following our trip to NZ earlier this year, however before anymore…read moretime went by, I needed to make sure I wrote something up regarding this phenomenal B&B. My wife and I were in Franz Josef in March, and we are still talking about the Holly Homestead experience to this day. Bernie was so welcoming, and even though we arrived a bit later in the day (well after the daily happy hour), she still rolled out the red carpet for us. If ever you are in the glaciers region, be sure to check in with Holly Homestead for availability. Arrival - Bernie welcomed us warmly and invited us in to the dining room for a glass of wine and and friendly conversation. She provided us with suggested destinations in the area and along the coastal highway (also included as part of her reservation confirmation email, which enhanced our enjoyment of the drive from Queenstown), and also offered a few suggestions for dinner in town. The lovely conversation was followed by a tour of the house, including a thorough overview of our room. It was such a wonderful surprise to have been offered an upgrade to the suite, and we thoroughly enjoyed the decor and comfort of that room. Our room and the house were so comfortable, it was almost a shame to have to leave for a short time for dinner in town. The Room - Again, it was such a nice surprise to have been offered the upgrade. The suite featured ample space, and was quite the haven for a little R&R after a day of driving. The custom decor was very nice, and we even took a few ideas away for our own home. We were particularly fond of the classic-yet-modern design of the bathroom. The living room was surrounded by windows, all of which offer beautiful views to the surrounding area and mountains. There was also french door access to the upper patio directly from the room. Two sofas, several tables, a wet bar area, and countless fine touches complete the amenities of the main area. The bedroom featured a plush bed, more beautiful windows, and a dresser. Amenities - Aside from Bernie's over and above efforts to ensure all are welcome and comfortable, she also offers: a lounge room with evening beverages, happy hour, customized hot breakfast based on timing of your choosing, the upper patio for sunshine and relaxation, free wifi, a nice book within the room featuring a history of the home and the family, and fragrant toiletries within the room (we loved them so much, we asked Bernie for a sample and we have since ordered our own direct from her supplier). Departure - The only sour point is that we had to leave. We hope that we'll get a chance to return sometime in the future.

Keep in mind, if you're in Franz Joseph, you're out in the middle of nowhere. There are no major…read morechains, just nothing but 'mom & pop' options which can always be hit or miss... This is a modern hotel with nice amenities, a really good choice! Rooms were nicer and roomier than what was expected, the Manager was efficient on all queries, and the location was great. Clean onsite laundry facilities as well is a huge bonus if you're on the road for several days. Kitchenette had basic utensils, French-press coffee maker, kettle for boiling water, and a small amount of cookware that allowed for a more comfortable stay. Another bonus; large bathroom with huge shower and excellent water pressure. So don't hesitate to stay here, it's all good!!

Well where to start ... it is a very big hostel and during my stay it was crowded. The facilities…read morewere not really clean but this is just a result of ignorant guests that don't care about others. Kitchen is big and offers multiple ovens and places to cook with gas or electric. Free WI-FI Towels just 1$ donation Really beautiful location Inter City Bus drop & pick up at hostel Nice staff and good value for money

My review comes with some fine print... I arrived at 12:15am after a 13 hour drive from Picton (the…read moremain highway to Franz Josef was closed due to a rock / land slide). We were exhausted and just wanted to sleep. The address in google maps will point you too far down the road FYI! So we wandered around in the dark a bit... Once we found it? It was a huge relief. They had provided us a door code earlier in the day to enter for after-hours check-in and it was super easy to get our key and find our room. Granted, everyone was in their rooms so that probably helped it seem more quiet and clean but I was still surprised with just HOW quiet and clean it was... the room was small (2 twin beds and a small set of drawers w/ towels and extra blanket), but it served its purpose. The bathroom was just down the hall and was very clean and bright and spacious. We only walked by the kitchen a couple of times but it seemed very big and welcoming and clean. If I visited Franz Josef again, I would definitely stay here. Everything (heli / hikes, cafe, short hikes) are within walking distance too.