Mel, the primary manager, along with her husband Mark, are very friendly hosts who live in a separate home on the property.

It feels like staying with family because the hosts are super friendly!

Beautifully presented rooms, picturesque views, delicious home cooked breakfast coupled with very welcoming and friendly hosts in Mel and Mark made for a great experience and most enjoyable stop over for our drive from Queenstown to Christchurch.

The hosts were friendly, helpful, and very accommodating. They made sure we had a welcome drink and snacks upon arrival (who knew fruitcake could be so delicious?!)

Meeted and greeted by Geoff who was so friendly and fun and really keen to share his home country and its charms with you.

Most importantly, the manager Libby is a helpful, warm and genuinely friendly host who made us delicious hot breakfasts each morning, reservations for dinner, and sightseeing suggestions.

Hosts Libby & Geoff provided great attention to their guests and were really friendly.

Best of all is the hospitality of hosts Jo and Peter who are so welcoming and friendly and will help

Me and my husband stayed here 2 nights, Jo was very welcoming and friendly.

Jo, the owner, was so friendly in settling us it.

Extremely comfortable, lovely room and bathroom, every desirable amenity, and helpful friendly hosts.

From the moment we arrived to such a friendly warm greeting we felt welcome.

They make you feel completely at home, nothing is too much to ask, super friendly, ready to give you advice when needed.

We arrived to a friendly welcome from Jo who showed us the house and our room and provided suggestions and maps for exploring  the area.

The hosts friendly nature made this stay extra memorable!

Jo & Peter were so friendly and welcoming.

Peter and Jo were so welcoming and friendly.

Your hosts are so friendly, helpful and we truly enjoyed them.

Warm and friendly hosts met us upon arrival.

So we let her know we could change rooms the following night as well if needed.

We couldn't change our room because of this as it was fully occupied.

The only caution I have is to be careful with your key - we came very close to locking ourselves out because once the door shuts it locks - a bit dangerous!

Mel is a wonderful host and was very welcoming,  our room was beautiful.

The most amazing place with the best hosts you’ll experience.

Mel and Mark are do warm, welcoming and enthusiastic!

On top of the kind hospitality, the property itself is stunning with gorgeous views overlooking the mountains.

Mel greeted us with an infectious enthusiasm - what a lovely lady.

But what really makes this place are the hosts - Mel and Mark.

At the end of an 80km day we were greeted with an ice cold beer, freshly made cookies, hot shower, comfy bed and beautiful views.

Mel and Mark couldn’t have been more helpful, assisting us with our bookings and providing recommendations for meals and things to do.

Good southern hospitality with a smile ….

She was incredible; attentive, polite, caring, amazing cook.

Its hosts Mel and Mark make you feel as if they’re family and are most accommodating in your needs both in the room and at breakfast.

Libby and Geoff are so welcoming and do everything to ensure that your stay in relaxing and comfortable.

Geoff and Libby went above and beyond to ensure I enjoyed my stay at this beautiful property - helping with restaurant recommendations, showing me around the property and even making a special breakfast for me to ensure I was able to eat something before I left for my hike at 6am the next morning.

They also advised and booked restaurants for us which was helpful.

Matuka Lodge

room change

room key

Free parking

Free High Speed Internet (WiFi)

Free breakfast

The lack of air conditioning is a bit of an issue on warmer evenings as the windows don't have screens on them to keep the mozzies out - this is the main reason for 3 stars.

With our summer stay, an air conditioner would have been nice

but no fan, wifi poor,  banquet even meal failed to deliver.

The heater is quite small for the room size so it never got that toasty in the room,

With threadbare carpets, aging furniture and outdated heating, the Mackenzie Country Inn is more like a rundown Holiday Inn than the image of a quaint, rural B&B that the name conjures.

but no air conditioning (and is probably not usually needed).

There was no air conditioning or ceiling fan so it was very uncomfortable.

Hotel was quite basic- no air conditioning and breakfast was a let down.

This place could use some updating as they still use metal keys and there is no air conditioning or elevator,

There is no fans and limited fresh air and we would not stay in summer as it would be so hot without air con.

By the dryness of my chicken it had been under a heating element for some time.

Our room was cold - despite having the heater going on full the whole time.

My only gripe is that the heater in the room was super loud kept making noises so we couldn't have it on over night which resulted in a cold room.

but there was still an irritating humming noise all night long, presumably from the air conditioning unit downstairs.

When we had a shower the bathroom drain overflowed onto the bathroom floor.

but there are electric blankets on the bed and fan heater in bathroom.

After entering the deluxe room and putting our bags away when found there was no shower curtain in the bathroom, which we requested.

but the furniture and bathroom were tired and in need of updating.

The water pressure in the shower is almost non-existent and the ‘warning’ about limited water is alarming as the first 5 minutes are used waiting for the water to warm up!

Like glass in the toilet or liquid soap, feeds like 1980 in Russia.

Very very very outdated place where the rooms are almost clean and the bathrooms are like 1950s US hospitals complete with little or no hot water.

There was a nasty stain on the ceiling and the bathroom was shabby.

Basic kitchenette with tea and coffee facilities only and it's quite a challenge to fill the jug in the bathroom sink.

There are two food markets less than one click away, the hot stays hot if showering less than than an hour, and there are several places to eat in the small town.

although bathroom need some work,  and warmer need some work too.

I couldn't fit the jug under the tap in the bathroom.

Even ignoring that the room had clearly had no upgrades since 1985 and that no free wifi was included, the final straw was that the shower was barely more than an intermittent trickle down the wall.

The hotel room was on the first floor and was large with two double beds and two stylish lounge chairs, a small balcony also with two chairs. The hotel was a little dated (1990s?)

Reception was not open and all exterior and interior doors were locked.

The lobby and the bar area needs refurbishment, including all the worn out carpets.

I would also like to suggest they refurnish each room as the furniture are super old and my husband said “it looks like a scene from a horror movie”.

but the carpets were worn, the rooms ceiling had paint flaking and generally, it was just showing it’s age.

Minus 1 star because there was a (for lack of better words) creepy vibe to the hotel and town in general.

Very tired, tatty furnishings badly in need of updating.

When meal it arrived was very nice and the surroundings were as they were some 20 years ago, we did not worry that it took a while to get our meal as the entertainment was very funny.

not Queens) and the hotel is quite dated and a bit dingy.

Professional friendly staff especially in the restaurant.

The staff were very friendly and happy to help.

And while the staff is friendly and happy to help out, for the three nights we were here our room was only serviced once and only after we asked them to do so.

Friendly manager, Jackie very helpful and cheery.

On the other hand the over worked receptionist was wonderful to deal with, very friendly and welcoming.

The staff are friendly and check in/out was easy.

Young man on reception as we arrived was welcoming and friendly.

The staff at the front desk were helpful and friendly, and our room had plenty of room and a lovely view.

The staff were also really friendly and the breakfast we had in the morning was very good and highly recommended.

The staff were friendly and efficient in getting a big group settled, and the buffet was excellent.

This time I really have to commend the friendly and accommodating staff.

Very friendly customer service from a very capable staff in all areas of the hotel.

The McKenzie Country Hotel was a great stay with very friendly and helpful staff.

Check in was easy and I found all staff to be very friendly and helpful.

- Friendly staff
- New carpets throughout the entire hotel (it still had that lovely new carpet smell when we stayed)
- Very good restaurant, the roast dinner that’s offered in the buffet was brilliant.

good old fashioned charm and very friendly service .

The staff were friendly, the hotel was warm (there was snow outside) with free wifi.

The bathroom was very outdated and smelled of drains.

Although the common areas of this hotel looked as if they'd been updated recently and were quite pleasant our room was very dated.

The Mackenzie country inn charges $275 per night for a poorly decorated family room which I think has not been updated since the seventies.

The mattress and pillows and sheets need to be updated

but the tap ware, etc could probably do with updating.

They are currently doing some remodeling work.

Other folks have commented on the need for refurbishment,

A small sign said refurbishment is in progress

However, the hotel is definitely in need of refurbishment, it is dated.

The inn was doing some refurbishing ( changing carpets) at that time

Under renovation at present, the rooms were very ordinary, the bar food poor and the general experience not worth the agents booking fee.

Btw the woman at the reception desk was nice.

Twizel is very much a summer destination so the hotel offers accommodation only 
We were warmly welcomed and immediately told that neither the restaurant nor the bar would be open.

Lady at desk was lovely and very helpful.

but we heated it up satisfactorily and there were warm rooms around reception to relax in.

Good facilities and great staff thank you.

Pleased with our overall experienced at the hotel, and having polite staff on reception makes all the difference, thank you.

The staff did a wonderful carved salmon for an appetizer.

but it was explained to us that we were in the high season, which is something we will look at next time we want to stay.

This I think, beats the polish where the GRO would thank me for my patience while she arranges for housekeeping to come and fold up the bed.

Staff warm and welcoming and room spacious and comfortable.

The staff were really top rate during our stay.

Distinction Mackenzie Country Hotel Twizel

decor

bathroom

renovation

Free internet

Bar / lounge

Love this quaint motel, stayed here in 2015 and was very fond of it ( except that time it was winter and extremely cold).

Rather depressing and I can imagine cold in the winter months.

One slightly odd thing was that a notice in the chalet said there was only one tank of hot water available each day as they were not on the mains I think, this meant quick showers were necessary so that the last person in didn’t have a cold one. .

The pros is you can park just in front of your room door while the cons is the wooden made roof creak at night as it adjust to the cold weather was creepy.

The rooms do get cold so get the heat pumps working as soon as you get in for a cosy night in.

However due to it being winter and therefore exceedingly cold we opted to turn on the electric blankets,

( also heating when cold)  - there is a communal BBQ area with seating.

No double glazing so could get really cold in winter.

Although the unit was cold when we walked in, once the heat pumps kicked in - yep there were 2 - one in the living room and a 2nd in the bedroom, it sooner warmed up.

Basically no insulation anywhere, so it can get very cold.

Being in such a cold area it would have been nice to have a heater that didn't take 2 hours to warm up, and the stupidly freezing cold tiles in the bathroom are a shocker, tip - turn the bathroom heater on a few times before going in for a shower.

The room was cold and the sink in the bathroom was almost unusable as the taps were too close to the edge!

Would have to have been 2 of the best nights sleep I've had for a long time, the bed was so comfy and warm, as well as the unit in general - that's saying something given how cold Twizel can get during the night!

We arrived at Twizel around 6pm, in a cold June evening.

The chalet was very basic and cold even in summer.

Friendly staff and loved our second stay here.

We found the staff to be friendly and very helpful including the ladies who serviced the unit.

Staff were great - very accommodating and friendly, plus looked after us well, giving us the same chalet each time.

Great rooms, friendly accommodating owners.

The family that own it are really friendly and helpful.

Excellent location and friendly staff
Plenty of outside space around the cabins made for a nice setting, as well as being walking distance to town.

Good friendly Manager , good parking , well appointed clean and tidy rooms , I was here for 5 days and found it ideal for my use.

Wi-fi was good, facilities great, very friendly reception.

The staff at the reception was friendly and very helpful (e.g.

Owner and staff were very friendly and helpful, would stay again.

but the people are friendly and there are plenty of places to stay.

I received a friendly welcome and was told that I could park directly in front of my chalet. The room was large with a large (king?)

though as there was a very strong smell of old fried beef and fat that seemed to have got into the heat pump filter and made the place smell stale.

The bathroom also doesn't have an extractor fan, so it can get pretty damp in there.

however, an excess of rules plastered everywhere which was not welcoming - including dire warnings about cooking smelly food and the associated cost that you will be charged for doing so.

I did notice there was no smoke alarm in the room thorough.

At 9:30pm, our smoke detector started beeping and wouldn't stop (which we assume was due to low battery).

The only thing that I did not like was the shower curtain smelled like mildew.

Unlike previous reviews we had no issues with our room smelling, or with the customer service!

The beds were lumpy and a bit musty smelling and the bathroom was small and in need of refreshing.

The smell was similar to when a toilet has not been cleaned for a while.

The ceiling was made from timber and thus gave it a very country look.

The kettle was filthy so we had no hot drinks during our overnight stay.

but try to sleep with a heating pad without waking up in a sweat at some point.

We had been warned that castles were drafty, damp and cold,

Carol and I are so grateful for what you did for us when we had to abort our stay on 7th March due to us re-scheduling our travel arrangements..  You were so helpful, generous and your communication was excellent.

Pleasant staff and was checked in with a smile.

We were travelling with a dog these guys are dog friendly and they were great.

Also good laundry facilities  and helpful staff.

Friendly staff 
Strangely increased the price from that advertised by Booking.com for NZers supporting local businesses 
I’ll use Booking.com next time 
Directed us to supermarket and to Poppies Restaurant which was expensive compared to others.

Lady at reception was very pleasant and helpful and gave us details of eateries etc locally.

The owners were out (understandably, it was Friday evening)

but very comfortable  shower great and staff great

Mountain Chalet Motels

cold

smell

Hiking

The electrical heater is provided in each room.

We had a small electric heater which could hardly heat up the room.

Each room has its own electric heater too.

There were plenty of powerpoints to plug in laptops, camera charges, mobile phones, etc.

The not-so-good:
- we almost had to find an alternative place for the night as strong winds damaged the electrical supply.

The owners of the property were very friendly and helpful.

This accommodation was hosted by a friendly and helpful family, happy to share local knowledge.

Look out for the friendly family labrador!

The owner is very friendly and he has big fat dog who’s extremely friendly to tourists.

The surroundings are quiet, the views on the mountains spectacular, the landlady very friendly and the sheep very funny.

The owners are very friendly and welcoming and easy contactable for any queries you may have.

The hosts were very friendly and welcoming and the cottage was spotlessly clean.

Friendly welcoming owners, and the close proximity to Twizel is beneficial.

but settled us into our cottage in a friendly way.

Good wifi connections, friendly hosts, very nice location.

The host was welcoming and friendly and very helpful in rearranging rooms so that we could stay a second night.

The host was very friendly with us and I highly recommend this place, I already miss this farm!! !

The owners were so friendly and their kids very cute.

The host is very friendly and helpful, the heaters were turned on when we arrived.

The owners of Omahau are very nice and friendly as well.

A great pub with nice meals and friendly people all happy to have a chat.

Friendly hosts, comfortable accommodations and great views. Perfect.

Our hostess was laid back and very accommodating.

though the owner brought one upon our request.

Also very helpful for photos of us against the incredible mountain backdrop.

The owners blocked out the 4th room so we had the lodge to ourselves.

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