Lime Tree Lodge

This is a very comfortable lodge. Cindy and her partner are wonderful hosts. The freshly prepared breakfast was excellent.

The lodge has clearly changed ownership since many of the reviews were written. I guess this was at least a year ago as one reviewer mentioned their safe not working last February. Eleven months on, ours wasn't working either but had a note on it suggesting it would be fixed soon.... The welcome was very friendly. Unfortunately that in itself isn't enough. Our room, although quite small was comfortable, with a large bed but there was no television or coffee making facilities (these were both communal.) Maybe that's in keeping with a normal high end lodge? Coffee was always available in the lodge, though, as were biscuits and mini chocolate snacks. If you wanted a tooth mug, you had to get that from the kitchen - there were no glasses in the room. There was just one, small chair but a pleasant patio area with seating outside. The kitchen is confusing. It appears to be communal but it isn't. We were kindly invited to help ourselves to milk, water or fruit juice from the fridge but as this clearly wasn't a guest fridge we didn't feel comfortable about putting our own items inside. There was no fridge in our room. The set breakfast alternates over two days. Although certain elements were freshly cooked, others were precooked. There's nothing wrong with that, of course, but the food appearing to be kept warm in the oven was actually almost cold when served. This was the same on both days we were there. Cereals and yogurts were both sugary and very processed. Dinner is not offered and there are no alcoholic drinks available. The swimming pool is robotically cleaned to keep the leaves from the surrounding bushes at bay but there is not a single sun lounger or chair to sit on! (The pictures on the website are clearly from the previous ownership.) There is an abandoned barbecue area, with seating, by the pool. As the lodge is some distance from Wanaka, what a pity this isn't maintained. It would be a small task to put some lights up and maybe enterprising to sell simple pre orderable barbecue packs. The pétanque court is abandoned - rusty balls left out randomly with no jack (although the shingle is too deep for a decent game, anyway.) My understanding of a lodge is a a place that is self contained, providing food, drink and a sense of conviviality. Unfortunately this is not the case here. I don't feel happy leaving such a negative view but this lodge really isn't the luxury establishment described on the web site. The building itself and surroundings are lovely. Attention is definitely needed to the facilities, though.

Great! Very friendly hostess who immediately upgraded us to a fantastic room. Beautiful garden with swimming pool and jacuzzi. Good location about 10 minutes drive to beautiful Wanaka.