A beautiful setting overlooking a golf course and the ocean and beyond. The food was reasonably…read moregood, though perhaps overpriced due to the fancy setting. The staff was friendly, with the day's cook particularly friendly, while our waiter seemed inexperienced (I'm sure he'll improve with time). Among the three of us we had a burger (OK), calamari (fairly good), and chicken sliders (OK). We also had a rosé (perfectly adequate) and a martini (good). I think this is a place you go for the setting, to enjoy a meal with a good view. If you want fine food, I imagine there are better options within an hour's drive?

Karikari Estate. Amazing views, and wine. Would recommend the flight of wines. Delete the Rose and…read moreget the Chardonnay instead. The platter is ok, reasonably sized but the seafood was over cooked. Which is why I have to give this 3 stars unfortunately. I'd just get bread and cheese platter on reflection and the wine of course. Service was amazing and the estate itself is beyond incredible.

Unbelievable views and service. They only rent out one room at a time, so this will be remembered…read moreas the single best stay of my New Zealand vacation - hands down. Fridge is restocked daily with fresh orange juice, milk, and tasty snacks - a complete wonder to come back to after a full day of exploring the Northern coast. Nice DVD selection and free wifi. Room is impeccably clean. Weather wasn't in favor for me to explore the pool and Jacuzzi, but the entire deck was all to myself if I wanted to brave the weather. Also nearby was an amazing hiking trail and Cape Reinga was only about 1.3 hours away (one direction). I will be tempted to come back to New Zealand if for nothing else than to stay once again here!

This place is over the top amazing!! Can I just move in here permanently? Please?…read more I recently stayed at the Lodge at Kauri Cliffs and was blown away by the luxury that surrounded me during my stay. First of all, this location, while it seems way out there, is only a 4 hour drive from Auckland. Its location is a bit hidden so look for the discrete signs along the way. Once you announce yourself at the front gate, the gates swing open and you find yourself driving through beautiful farmland with the Bay of Islands coming up on the horizon. By the time you get to the main house, someone will be out on the sweeping porch to greet you and bring you inside. A glass of bubbly is handed to you as you are escorted out to the back porch to see the beautiful vistas and to be told about all the Lodge has to offer. Finally, you are escorted to one of only 22 rooms (more like little cottages) that are placed along a wooded path that is oh so private and a portent of wonderful things to come! As I pulled open the door of my cottage, I felt instantly relaxed. On the left was a spacious bathroom with a huge windowed tub, large shower and two sinks stocked with plush towels on warming bars and plenty of scented bath and body products. To my right, a large walk in closet with tons of hangars, a safe and drawer space rivaling that which I have at home. There is also a complimentary bar area that is stocked with food for your enjoyment. Beer and soda are free, you only pay for wine and alcohol. And then the main room. A beautiful King bed piled high with plush linens. A gas fireplace with chairs surrounding it and warm throws for those chilly nights. And a beautiful porch with chaises for just relaxing and taking in the beautiful vista beyond. I think I was in heaven! And while cell service is spotty at best, the Internet worked great and kept me in touch with the outside world. Meals are included in your room rate with 3 meals prepared by an excellent chef as well as daily cocktails and canapés served at 6pm each day allowing you to meet the other guests at the Lodge. While this is primarily a golf resort ( rated in the top 100 golf courses in the world) there is also a spa, an outdoor pool and lounge area as well as 3 gorgeous beaches to picnic on , ride horses, or just to swim and enjoy the great weather. A couple of shout outs have to go to some of the incredible staff members that I met during my stay. To Tanya at the front desk, your smile and enthusiasm and warm welcome made every day I saw you a little more special. Thanks for always having the "buggy" ready to go! And to Jack and Michael in the restaurant, I thank you for always keeping my wine glass full of the best wine and my plate filled with amazing food. You three staffers alone are worth a return visit! Of course all of this comes at a steep price but with meals included and the beauty of the place it is well worth every penny! Wonderful resort, with great staff and top end service all the way. I'll ask again. . . . .can I just move in permanently?

I stayed for 4 nights in a sea view room. The renovations since my last visit were nice in the…read moreroom, however they did skimp on a few areas. The tiny work area by the tv was the only place I could use my computer however no Power plugs nearby made this difficult. The table and chairs inside were uncomfortable with hard backs. We also had no outdoor furniture like the pictures had shown, I did notice some rooms had nice outdoor comfortable furniture. The door to outside was not aligned with the frame and there was a clear visible gap which wind whistled in. The bed and bedding were lovely as was the bathroom. We had buffet dinner one night, this was a rip off, still 2 hours till close and plenty of dishes empty and not being replenished. Large Australian tour group in front of us raided the entire dessert table and only left ice cream. Coffee was also empty and after repeated requests remained so.

We came here with Gate 1 Travel. Please keep in mind that this is nothing to do with the hotel's…read moreShuttle service as Josh was more than helpful with driving us to and from the hotel into the Town Square in a timely manner! He even pointed out several interesting spots to hang out and made sure to borrow us umbrellas in case of unexpected rain. Our main issue is with their housekeeping service. First of all, they are very slow in getting our rooms cleaned up. Second of all, upon entering the bathroom (when we return from our excursion at 4:30 pm), there are many significant dirty areas left unclean (with brown spots showing in the sink)! Third of all, the housekeeping left one rubbish bin (or trash can) lying on the floor in the bathroom and another one both not lined, even though they left two plastic bags on the bathroom sink table. We ended up lining the rubbish bins (or trash cans) ourselves!!! Finally, the complimentary toiletries were not replenished, as with our coffee cups and drinking glasses (only our previous used cups remained)!!!

The suite was really nice and surprising! Instead of your traditional door, it was a large window…read moresliding pane that opened up to a cute little front yard set up. The bed was comfortable and clean. Soap and shampoo was provided and the kitchen was useful to clean our grocery store bought fruits. There was also a mini fridge and a selection of teas and coffee for us to drink. A hot water boiler was also provided. The motel was also a short walk from the town center.

Came for 1 night and stayed 3. Fantastic location by the ocean. Rooms were spotlessly clean and the…read moreroom was fresh. Scotties recommended we stay here and a big thanks to them. While you are here try the pizza at mangonui on Thursday night, great value.

We were booked by a travel agent and were concerned having read the reviews. Our room was very…read morenice, clean, and on the first floor. The higher floors have the view, we had the pool. As it turned out, it was great for us. We dormant most of our days out exploring and came back exhausted. We were able to order from the restaurant and it was delivered to our patio. The steak and salmon entries were fabulous. The staff was very nice and helpful

We needed a last minute hotel and this place exceeded our expectations. We had a Spa Suite on the…read moretop floor. It was the right size for a couple, they had a very comfortable bed and A/C!! There was Sky TV which was great. The pool and hot tub area was nice and although the weather wasn't perfect during our stay, we made the best of it and used the hot tub. Breakfast service was a bit slow but the food was good. I would recommend this place to anyone needing a hotel in the area.