HMARMAC
September 11, 2024
We recently took a trip around the North Island of New Zealand, during which we stayed at Taupo for two nights at Whakaipo Lodge. In all our years of travel, our lodge experience was one of the most genuine we've had. Staying with Angie and Garth made us feel as if we were visiting lifelong friends, rather than people we'd just met. Their friendly greeting and wealth of knowledge on Taupo and its surrounds was without par. The afternoon tea they served us on our arrival was just enough, and very tasty! Our room was a well-equipped wonderful peaceful retreat, with a lovely verandah from which you could see the native bird life which also called the Lodge their home. In all the time I was in NZ, I had the most restful sleep at Whakaipo Lodge. The food and beverages at the lodge were marvellous. Angie is an extremely accomplished cook, with her canapes resulting in me making some notes to take home. Garth's selection of wines to accompany our meals and our canapes was on the mark, and the wines themselves stunning. We ate both nights at the lodge, with Angie and Garth providing a sumptuous four course meal with accompanying wines for our first night. Trust me you will not go hungry; in fact we had to take our home-made truffles back to our room. The second night was a pizza of choice and a glass of wine, and this was more than enough, given the canapes that preceded the pizza. Breakfast each morning is a mix of continental and cooked breakfast, and this is not to be missed. If you go away from breakfast still feeling hungry then you haven't tried hard enough! We have stayed in some amazing places in New Zealand, including other lodges which commanded a much higher price point. I would highly recommend Whakaipo Lodge for anyone who was looking for a lovely break in Taupo.