Braxmere Lodge

Gorgeous location and views, peaceful and private, immaculately kept and fitted , delighted from start to finish. Stayed for two nights but wish we’d had more. All we needed to self cater was there and a cheap laundry room . But you will need to self cater, only fast junk food for miles.

Its hard to find a place to stay that is as nice as Braxmere, in their part of the world. Amazing views from every bedroom delivered fabulous morning sunrises for the three days we were there. Checking in was easy with the key left in a lock box at the door. The rooms are tidy and adequately appointed with a king bed, comfortable sofa, outdoor table and a huge shower. Occasional water shortages were a small problem that was quickly rectified. The restaurant was adequate. The staff were always happy to hep.

We were not able to stay as only 1 of the 2 beds were made up- there were 3 of us. We booked in prior to the office closing and received a confirmation email from reception with key details and telling us to enjoy our stay. On arrival we went to the restaurant, picked up our key and on opening the door to the room were met by a very musty smell. As the room had not been prepared for us we had no choice but to return the key. We just managed to catch restaurant staff as they drove away. We then had to book other accomodation 20 mins away, not easy to organise at 9.30pm but at least other Turangi hosts are keen to look after their guests. The reception staff have since texted to say that their 'after hours service' needs working on but as the room had not been prepared for us it really didn't make any difference whether we arrived prior to the reception closing or after? Were they going to make the bed and put towels etc out and air the room while we stood waiting? We would recommend to other guests to check their rooms before paying as otherwise you may end up out of pocket and without a bed for the night, with no staff left to put things right...

Recently we had 2 stays at Braxmere, we unfortunately experienced the following on the first stay: 4.30 pm: Arrived at Braxmere Lodge, saw the sign that indicated reception at 100m; arrived where we thought looked like the entrance, could not open the gates, could not see how to enter property, Called and left message on a landline number on the Lakeland House Restaurant board outside the entrance. Walked back towards what looked like a service entry or the back of the property (it was back of the units), circled around to the Restaurant, knocked on the door. Both the Reception and the Restaurant were not open. This is in a blazing unsheltered +28 deg heat. Checked I had my booking information correct, it was, nothing in correspondence indicated I had to notify them of any prior arrival time (I was well within the Check in times of 2 pm – 6 pm) and as correspondence had indicated, I was to check in at the Restaurant. I asked a guest if he knew anything about check in staff, he was helpful in providing the mobile number for Jessie. I left a message for Jessie. It is on my 2nd call when Jessie picks up and says Check in is at the Restaurant, I explained that it was not open and no one around. She said she would enquire and call me back. We waited in our car some more, +10 mins pass. Jessie calls, she says someone will be at restaurant to check us in soon and explains that there was a ‘misunderstanding’ and that she will get someone to attend at the Restaurant to check us in. She apologises by saying that she is “sorry about that”. More waiting around in car, eventually Jessie calls to say that there is now someone at the Restaurant to check us in. This is 50 minutes AFTER OUR ARRIVAL. The person checking us in explained that she had been told there were no more check in’s until Saturday (we arrived and HAD BOOKED for Wednesday 05 Jan), hence why she was not there and she had just driven in to check us in. I have NEVER, EVER experienced anything like this. I felt completely undervalued as a guest. My disbelief is the way it was handled by Jessie, a “sorry about that” does not in any way address her (or someone else’s) stuff up or; ‘misunderstanding’ in OVERLOOKING OUR BOOKING. Earlier reviews attest to the quality of the accommodation, it is in a stunning setting however the above experience have left a very bitter feeling. I currently have a return visit booked (made prior to journey departure) which I am re-considering. The Wifi here s very patchy due to too high demand and not enough capacity for the number of guests. We kept our 2nd visit booking (due to Braxmere's cancellation policy). On the second visit, I made prior contact and they have changed their check in to just allow you to enter the unlocked unit on your arrival and make payment at the restaurant when it opens at 6 pm. On the second morning, we experienced little to no water for about an hour. My partner was showering when the water just went cold and then there was only a t

The cleanliness was amazing big shout out to Raechel

Room was clean and staffs are extremely friendly. Parking space was small but plenty of off road parking. Food in the restaurant was delicious. There was a drone flying around which was a bit annoying though.

Fantastic location situated right on the waterfront. Wonderful views and a beautiful environment for families and romantic couples.

It is hard to know how to adequately express how indebted we are to Braxmere and their restaurant, Lakeland House, for the fabulous hosts they were at our wedding this May 2021. Nothing was an issue. We placed a Marquee on their lawn and decorated as we pleased. They accommodated any food requests. While we had arranged grazing tables, we also asked Braxmere to provide an additional buffet. This was a request made only a matter of days before our wedding and it was excellent. They will also cater to your beverage needs, if given advance warning. The rooms were clean, modern and they all had the added bonus of beautiful views of the Taupo lake. The venue is relaxed and was more than willing to work with us to make sure our day ran smoothly. We had our wedding vows, meal and photos at the venue, as it is stunning. There is no need to change locations. Our guests enjoyed the relaxation of having everything in one location, as did we. Thank you Braxmere.

Great outlook over the lake