Treetops Lodge & Estate

Fantastic place. So many things to do there. Trout fishing, lodge property safari and the hiking to the Bridal Veil Falls was amazing. The food was fantastic. On the first night, we ended up having dinner with the owners, John and Alma, and they were very nice, welcoming and gracious. Loved it!

We were frankly a bit disappointed in our stay at Treetops. The facilities are getting to be run-down and not very well maintained. The trails are not being maintained and some are almost impassable. The food was average. For what we paid, we expected a much higher quality resort. I’m sure at one point it was a five star resort, but it has gone downhill.

I had the most horrid experience at Treetops Lodge & Estate, which I expected to be a luxurious retreat given the $2,500 USD per night price tag. Unfortunately, the reality was far from it. First, the property is extremely remote—30 minutes away from everything—and requires navigating a poorly lit, dingy 4 km road from the highway. Upon check-in, the staff seemed sparse. A single lady assisted us but failed to provide the gate code, even though she knew we would return after dinner. When we arrived back at 11 PM, we were locked out of the property with no staff present to buzz us in. We waited outside in the dark for over an hour, making 30 missed calls and leaving 14 voice notes—none of which were answered. Ultimately, we were forced to stay the night at the Pullman hotel instead. What’s worse, there was no apology or acknowledgment of their negligence. The property itself is old, run-down, and does not justify the exorbitant price. I would never recommend this place to anyone. There are far better options in Rotorua at a fraction of the cost. Save your money and avoid Treetops at all costs!

Stunning place. Terrible hospitality. All the activities were fully booked before we even got a chance to make a request. We haven’t even been offered to visit the property. The place lacks warmth whereas the setup and the small number of rooms should make all guests feel welcomed and comfortable. We experienced the opposite.

We went for our 35th Wedding anniversary and stayed at several locations I can tell you the staff at Treetops Lodge & Estates went above and beyond our expectations. Jo, the Manager, Elley., Piere~ ( One of the chefs, I hope I have his name correct), Lewis, and the rest of the staff made the stay amazing. They even set up a special time for us at the spa, with handmade chocolates and champagne in one of the amazing Hot buts outside. It was perfect. We are not hunters and would not have selected the lodge ourselves ( Our travel company did) but the staff made the time excellent. They gave us a private tour of the animals on the property and let us feed some of the horses; we took a hike to Merry Vail Waterfall, which is a must to do while you are there. The property is extensive, filled with herds of deer, wild turkeys, and tons of wildlife.

Treetops Lodge is a truly magical place - the drive up to the lodge through the incredibly beautiful native NZ rainforest, the warm welcoming of the manager at the door, the 5*+ accommodation surrounded by native bush, magnificently created dinner menu and aperitif canapés, eclectic but superb wine selection and simply the whole atmosphere. The perfect place to unwind, reconnect to your own senses, taking a break from rushed city or business life. This place has soul and a soothing, nourishing energy like not many other. Highly highly recommend a stay of at least two nights! Thank you Team Treetops for looking after me and my brother visiting from Germany