Absolute Lake View Motel

New Zealand , Central Plateau - Taupo
TAUPO, 58 Lake Terrace
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100 reviews shown

10/10

Exceptional

26 Apr 2025

Jonathon

Had a great stay very clean and walking distance to all the bars and restaurants.

Leisure Self

6/10

Pleasant

26 Apr 2025

Julie

Fridge needs replacing, insides cracked and seals dirty, internal stairwell needs a good clean. Cleaners must have left their Burger King drinks behind, or the cleaners never took away previous visitors drinks. Beds not made very well. Wifi only worked in one area of the room.

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

24 Apr 2025

Kim

Great location. Clean and comfortable.

Leisure Partner

6/10

Pleasant

15 Apr 2025

Selwyn

Old and tied but expensive due to motor racing

6/10

Pleasant

27 Dec 2017

Yvonne

Good location but

Very old motel but was clean. Stayed over Christmas for 3 night room was not cleaned only towels replaced during that time this was not explained at check in.

8/10

Excellent

22 Nov 2017

julie

Nice basic motel

Nice basic motel close to shopping area and across the road from lake taupo.

2/10

Poor

03 May 2017

barb

Dirty and room in disrepair

Pleased tp leave noisy, very tiny room won't stay there again

8/10

Excellent

24 Mar 2017

vanessa

Very friendly and accommodating owner.

Booked the wrong unit online. Booked the 2bedrooms unit which can only comfortably sleep 5 but we have 6people. Ended up, we talked to the reception and they gladly changed our room to a unit that can sleep 6. 2queen beds and 2twin beds. Motel was very near town and amenities. So it's just walking distance and very convenient to food and shops.

8/10

Excellent

18 Feb 2017

Verified traveler

Good motel

Good location with easy access and parking , staff are very good and friendly. I would stay here again

8/10

Excellent

15 Feb 2017

Verified traveler

The owner was very welcoming and then helpful when I need directions to food.

8/10

Excellent

29 Jan 2017

Verified traveler

Had a great time and owner was a great guy.
Hope to be back next year.thanks

4/10

Poor

14 Jan 2017

Sonja

Hotel near Lake Taupo

The bathroom and WC facilities were poor with doors that didn't close and the general bathroom layout and standard of modern expectations were below an expected minimum standard for a Hotel that claims to have family facilities. Room wasn't properly serviced and no toilet paper are just some of the issues regarding this Hotel.
Despite being given wifi access, the wifi failed to work for the whole stay.
The swimming pool had defective perimeter drainage and the floor was flooded.
Overall the family room requires and urgent upgrade to at least meet modern family requirements.

6/10

Pleasant

06 Jan 2017

Simon

Great but no hot water!

Great hotel, great staff, comfy beds but no hot water in the shower in the morning, staff indifferent and said the hotel was full so sometimes the hot water runs cold. Shame as the rest of the stay was great.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

05 Jan 2017

Jennifer

Fantastic Motel

This is a fantastic motel, beds were so comfortable and the rooms spacious enough for a family. The host was very friendly and helpful, he took time to make sure that everything went smoothly with our stay.
Will definitely stay here again.

Family

4/10

Poor

30 Dec 2016

Verified traveler

Outdated, overpriced

The room was very old, the bed was sagging, it wasn't clean, the bathroom mirror was on the wall opposite the sink. For the price it was not a value, and what delay we only had to stay one night as we were traveling in the area.

Partner

4/10

Poor

05 Dec 2016

Blair

Disappointing.

Really disappointed in this place. Stayed for one night, room smelled of fish or something (could have been the air cond), went out to town and the smell was worse when we arrived back even though we left all the windows open.
The soap dispenser was empty, the heated pool was freezing. Overall experience was poor. This place really needs some work done because it's in a great location!!

4/10

Poor

01 Dec 2016

Lisa

2nd stay at Absolute

This was our 2nd stay - last time it was great. This time - there were no soaps or bathroom products. The soap wall container was empty! The only cleaning product was the 50 times watered down dishwashing liquid. It only just qualified as dishwashing liquid as it was so diluted. We felt this hotel might be having financial issues as we paid rack rate (no discount) and got a bed. We had to buy soap - we have never had to buy soap - especially at $200 per night. Please, please, please..... don't penalise the cyclists who stay during Round Taupo time because you have a captive audience. At least fill the soap dispenser.

8/10

Excellent

21 Nov 2016

Vinnie

Nice hotel close to everything!!!

This hotel was in the perfect spot. Across the road from the lake, shops 1 block away and the owner was fantastic!

2/10

Poor

15 Sep 2016

Verified traveler

Room was so horrible I did not stay.

Room was so horrible I did not stay................................................................

4/10

Poor

25 Jul 2016

Malcolm

Laundry facilities weren't good. Bathroom needs renovation.

Family

6/10

Pleasant

05 Jul 2016

Verified traveler

Absolutely not Lakefront, but handy to town

Absolute Lakefront does not actually mean that. We were disappointed with our allocated room but the manager gave us another room which was better. Not all room have cooking facilities so it's hit and miss. The electric blankets didn't work and as it was the middle of winter it was very cold. The microwave didn't work well either. The manager was responsive and courteous.

Family

6/10

Pleasant

07 Jun 2016

Ian

Convenient, very close to Town

Very friendly and helpful owner/staff.
However studio unit had no wardrobe to hang up anything, picture was propped up not hung on wall, heated pool was quite cool.
This venue is work in progress which in time will improve even more.

2/10

Poor

06 Jun 2016

Verified traveler

Cleanliness is not their focus

Hugely disappointed and would not go back. No latches on the windows so the wind blew through, double electric blanket on the bed but no socket to plug into on one side, shower had mould, toilet roll holder rusted, dining chair broken and stained, but worst was the stains on the bedding!!

4/10

Poor

28 Apr 2016

Verified traveler

not so great

'Heated' indoor pool was freezing. Bedroom wall had had water damage and it had just been fixed but a damp smell lingered. $290 was too much for this accomodation.

8/10

Excellent

31 Mar 2016

Tyler

5th stay was very nice, friendly staff and located in a nice quiet area. room was very tidy and comfortable

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

25 Mar 2016

Rebekah

The motel was really good the hosts were lovely and very welcoming. Nice and close to the main town and to the lake.

Family

6/10

Pleasant

17 Mar 2016

Steve

stay at absolute lake view motel

taupo great desination motel outdated would not use again

Partner

2/10

Poor

14 Mar 2016

Verified traveler

Will not be returning

It all started at check in when the man behind the counter stated he did not like Expedia as it was an inconvenience for him to get the money off them. The first room he gave us had no wardrobe, broken bathroom door with busted handle and very crammed and dingy looking. We asked to move which was slightly bigger. But the carpet was badly stained, stained towels, and very basic. We had booked and paid for 2 nights otherwise would have gone elsewhere. The room was 'serviced' after lunch or should I say they changed the towels and emptied the bin. The bed was not made nor were the coffee cups cleaned. This was not good as the only sink was in the bathroom and we had to clean them in the bathroom basin.
Both mornings we were woken at around 330am by loud shouting and screaming by a very large group of people who had congregated outside the MCDonalds across the road. This went on for at least an hour on both days. Clearly this is the meeting place for drunks, gang members and ignorant imbisils to gather.

8/10

Excellent

24 Jan 2016

Verified traveler

Nice family room at the lake

Nice family hotel right on the water. Good friendly service.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

17 Jan 2016

Verified traveler

Nice motel in Taupo

Nice room, reasonably priced with helpful owner in walking distance of the town & across the road from the lake front.

8/10

Excellent

14 Jan 2016

Verified traveler

New Owners , still remains a great place to stay and a perfect location

10/10

Exceptional

12 Jan 2016

Sarah

Great short stay at Absolute Lakeview

Great location and helpful, friendly staff. The room was very clean and comfortable. The owners are helpful and welcoming. Would stay there again.

10/10

Exceptional

09 Jan 2016

Verified traveler

Good location!

A great location and close to all Taupo has to offer.

4/10

Poor

23 Dec 2015

Mosley

Nothing like he pictures

Room pokey with no natural light. Building work going on all around noisy and dusty

Partner

4/10

Poor

30 Nov 2015

Verified traveler

Tired

For the money we paid, I was expecting something better. All adequate for our needs (husband in cycle race) but pretty average we felt.

10/10

Exceptional

21 Nov 2015

Verified traveler

Rooms were clean and big enough for 6 people.good service.WiFi didn't work.

Family

8/10

Excellent

14 Nov 2015

Andy

Nice hotel located close to the lake front

We enjoyed the hotel's convenient location on the lake front and close to many good restaurants and coffee shops.

6/10

Pleasant

18 Oct 2015

Ian

Hotel is under new management.
Pool closed
Most guests appeared to be from a home repair contactor, noisy group until early hours of morning.
Room lighting was so poor that it was not possible to see computer keyboard at night even with all lights on and bathroom door open.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

04 Oct 2015

Kim

Motel was very central to shops and the lake.

Motel stay was great, clean and staff were wonderful. Very central to the shops & across the road from the lake.

6/10

Pleasant

02 Oct 2015

Daniel

Great location. Comfortable beds for family

Easty checkin, comfortable everything we needed for the weekend

Family

6/10

Pleasant

25 Sep 2015

Verified traveler

Okay facilities but the room smelt.

There was a strong chemical smell in the room that did not go away during our stay and we could still smell it in our clothes a couple of days later.

4/10

Poor

20 Sep 2015

Emily

Disappointing...

I stayed one night here and unfortunately I will not be staying again, in short it is budget accommodation for a premium price. I have stayed in nicer hotels in the Bay of Plenty for half the price.

Firstly the whole place definitely needs a refurbishment as it is very outdated including the staff, they are also in need of some customer service training. My double spa room which cost me NZ$165 was dirty and run down. The bed had stains, holes and rips in it which had been cover up with a blanket. Furniture was dusty, walls had cracks and cobwebs and the TV was outdated and distorted - A close family member of mine is a main actor on Shortland Street and he looked like a totally different person as the quality was so bad.

The hotel advertises \"A heated swimming pool\" (this was the reason I choose to stay at this motel) when I went downstairs to enjoy a warm swim......to find the water was cold. I normally don't mind a refreshing swim so I decided to have a sauna which would make the swim a little more enjoyable - 2 minutes after switching the sauna on there was a massive bang which scared the life out of me and the sauna switched off.

I called reception, explained what had happened and also asked why the \"heated \" pool was cold ....the lady at reception said she will get her husband to check out the sauna and that the reason why the pool is cold is because it is SOLAR POWERED!!!! Ha ha what a joke.

Tip: Maybe maintenance should allocate some of NZ$165 a night, for new m

4/10

Poor

10 Sep 2015

Verified traveler

Not as portrayed on website. Definitely run down.Lack of help from receptionist.

6/10

Pleasant

07 Sep 2015

Leon

Taupo overnight trip

This was a basic room we had for the night passing through Taupo, clean & tidy. For the price it did what we needed. Bed wasn't very comfy, but overall the room was good.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

06 Sep 2015

Verified traveler

Exactly what we were looking for, nice location, great service, good facilities, helpful staff

8/10

Excellent

28 Aug 2015

Verified traveler

Everything was great. Spa was dirty. That is my only complaint.

8/10

Excellent

11 Aug 2015

Verified traveler

Nice motel, very handy to town, spa pool

We were very happy with our accommodation, tidy clean and great value for money, plenty of space for family of 5

Family

4/10

Poor

09 Aug 2015

Verified traveler

So dark light outside is not working not worth for $130 per night

10/10

Exceptional

20 Jul 2015

Tony

Close to town

Great hotel, owner upgrade the room so that each child could have there own bed at no extra cost as they had a spare room. Rare now days, cost no extra but most motels don't care about the customer.

6/10

Pleasant

14 Jul 2015

Nick

Clean but a little worn out......

We had a comfotable stay and everything was clean and well presented. Sadly though, freezing cold outside and no heater in the bathroom.

The dinning table wobbled as did the tap in the kitchen, the shower temperature fluctuated but not due to other use in our unit.

Location was wonderful staff were friendly and helpful.

6/10

Pleasant

13 Jul 2015

Verified traveler

Great location and fantastic view.

Nice staff member on checkin/out. Rate was perhaps a bit high for the decor, but well worth it in regards to location, view and spa bath in room.

10/10

Exceptional

13 Jul 2015

Amber

Excellent Location

This hotel is one of the closest to Taupo town centre whilst also being on the Lakefront.
Therfore you can easily walk to enjoy town, the shops, the restaurants/cafes, and the nightlife. Or take a beautiful lakefront stroll.

10/10

Exceptional

30 Jun 2015

Nina

fantastic stay

We were very pleased with our accommodation and overnight stay. We don't normally stay in Taupo but this will definitely be the place that we will stay at. It is nice and handy for our ten year old son to wonder across the road to watch the tourists hit the golf balls out to the lake, very handy to McDs and burger King, not to mention the township. Love the rooms, love the owners, very helpful and pleasant, love Unit 4 ...LOVE ABSOLUTE LAKEVIEW MOTEL...thank you

8/10

Excellent

08 Jun 2015

Verified traveler

good view of lake and mountain

lovely view of mountain and lake. good size room.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

05 Jun 2015

Mireya

Simply Awesome!

We would have liked to have spent more than one night at this beautiful motel! The new owners were friendly, helpful, and courteous. You could see, feel their pride in ownership everywhere. From the crisp fresh bed linen to the well stocked kitchen and the manicured landscape! Well worth the money! This is the place we have chosen to stay in on our next trip to New Zealand!

Family

6/10

Pleasant

04 Jun 2015

aimee

Close to town and lake view

Love that there was a indoor pool,spa and sauna. Close to lake front and right in town. Only downside was we had a young baby with us and our accommodation was up two flights of stairs. And bed was a bit soft and I would reccomend taking your own pillow :-)

6/10

Pleasant

01 Jun 2015

M L

Average

Close to town. Served its putpose

Family

8/10

Excellent

25 May 2015

Kaye

Within walking distance to good cafes & restaurant

An enjoyable stay. We had a Studion which was very comfortable but the only place to hang
clothes was on the Curtain Track.

4/10

Poor

17 May 2015

Verified traveler

pictures on advertising look better than reality

heated swimming pool was cold. spa pool was luke warm and grotty.

8/10

Excellent

02 May 2015

Verified traveler

Room was pleasant and suited our requirement. Outside decor was a bit dated and parking was messy. Very pleasant front desk staff.

6/10

Pleasant

01 May 2015

Kiwi Abroad

Loved the Reception friendliness

View was lovely and close to all restaurants etc
The spa bath was great

6/10

Pleasant

30 Apr 2015

Harry

Nice to shops and restaurants

The room was in good condition. But the beds are terrible with the mattresses in a run down state. Was difficult to sleep.

6/10

Pleasant

27 Apr 2015

Verified traveler

Great location, excellent staff & very clean. Unfortunately bed too small & too soft :-(

8/10

Excellent

26 Apr 2015

Sandy

Walking Distance to Town

We stopped at this motel as a half way point on our trip home. The room was clean tidy and warm. We were very pleased with the location and the price.

6/10

Pleasant

14 Apr 2015

Verified traveler

Close to shopping and takeaways

Was great to have a room directly across from the pool.
The room had cobwebs hanging from the ceiling above both beds, and the bathroom needs a deep steam clean and sanitise. Grouting is grubby and toilet cistern needed replacing.

4/10

Poor

13 Apr 2015

Verified traveler

Nice views

Initially booked this Hotel as Expedia had an icon for a fitness center, but turns out they have never had one. Room cleanliness was disappointing, windows were dirty, no toilet roll holder, no hand soap, shower didn't work, and bathroom needed a good clean.

4/10

Poor

07 Apr 2015

Someone

Staff played musical chairs with rooms, screwed us

Two of my friends booked a room. Later, I was able to join, and while we could see online that family rooms were available, my friends were not allowed to upgrade to a family room to include me. So I booked a family room for myself (it was the cheapest option online).

When we checked in, the staff asked if we wanted to be put together, and we said sure. We discovered that our rooms actually weren't together. Furthermore, even though I paid for a family room, I was given a regular room. Since the price difference wasn't worth arguing about, I kept quiet, but the next morning we discovered that in addition to not having an extra full bed as I should have, I also did not have a kitchen. My friends who paid for the cheaper, normal room got a kitchen, and I who paid for the pricier, family room, did not.

We all used Wotif to book, but staff claimed that my friend used Expedia. She never used Expedia. This turned into an issue discussing what was actually paid, how, and how much.

10/10

Exceptional

25 Mar 2015

Malcolm

Nice hotel on Lake Taupo Shore

Overnight stay on road trip. We had arrived early after a short drive and took the opportunity to ride on a Jet-boat on the river. Unfortunately my wife suffered a headache after the ride, so we retired to the hotel room for her to lie down.
The hotel is also close to the town centre where there are plenty of restaurants to choose from.
We left early as we had along drive to Gisborne that day, and we decided to breakfast on the way.

6/10

Pleasant

17 Mar 2015

ANGE

Family time away

Great to get away...thought our room was going to have a bath..only a shower bit disappointed..but on the whole good.

Family

6/10

Pleasant

17 Mar 2015

Verified traveler

only the once

Partner

8/10

Excellent

16 Mar 2015

Quiet lakefront motel near town centre

We wanted a room in a good location for reasonable cost for 3 nights in Taupo. This small motel on the lakefront is very close to the town centre, and the room was clean, quiet and comfortable.
The building and grounds are quite ugly and there were only a couple of outdoor tables, and the indoor pool was unappealing and covered the whole time we were there so we spent time on the beach instead. There's no communal sitting room and no book exchange.
The room had all the basics, including fridge, microwave, hairdryer, but not much more - you would only be able to make the most basic snacks from the kitchen equipment provided.
The water pressure is very strong which made for a nice shower, but annoying slashes every time I ran the tap, and the shower water was very slow to drain which was disconcerting.
A pet peeve of mine is when there's no shelf or caddy in the shower so you have to put your toiletries on the floor. It's not a major, but this could be provided very cheaply so I notice the absence.
Overall, this was good value and fine for a few days stay if you want to eat out for most meals.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

12 Mar 2015

Louise

Worth a stay

Great location, helpful staff, well equipped room. Within walking of lake, eateries, shopping.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

10 Mar 2015

Bill

Facilities: Did not stay;
Was moved next door to an apartment at no extra cost

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

18 Feb 2015

Dylan

Facilities: Nice ; Value: Affordable;

Partner

8/10

Excellent

13 Feb 2015

Graham

close to lake activities and close to town

Stayed for three nights, very good hosts. We had a good ground level unit with ample parking on site. Would not like the units opposite the indoor pool and spa as they are interior type and have no natural light or outside view, probably OK for an overnight stay.

8/10

Excellent

03 Feb 2015

Verified traveler

Good positon central

Good experiience clean and comfortable easy to check in and out good position

10/10

Exceptional

28 Jan 2015

anshuman

Superb place to stay!

We stayed just one night, and we wished we had stayed more! The room was fabulous! It had everything we would wish - a small kitchen, microwave, hotplate, a separate bedroom, sofa. The hotel has a small swimming pool - which we splashed, gives free wifi 512Mb per device! Taupo is a small picturesque town we would have loved to spend more than a day.

Will definitely visit again!

Family

8/10

Excellent

25 Jan 2015

Pauline

Facilities: Basic; Value: Reasonable; Service: Friendly; Cleanliness: Tidy;

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

22 Jan 2015

Doc

Great Location

Location excellent
Xmas day we were ordered to leave by 10am without warning.
Otherwise comfortable

8/10

Excellent

20 Jan 2015

sue

Lake side convenience

Lovely lakeside views. Very handy to town and swimming beach.

8/10

Excellent

19 Jan 2015

Aaron

Great Place.

The things we enjoyed were the air conditioning, the closeness to town and lake. The room was clean and tidy and the hosts were very helpful and cheerful. Nice size room. Everything going for it, except the pool area needs a bit of an update. If this was fixed the place would really be awesome! Great to feel we could let the kids go play in the pool. Maybe have it slightly heated and upgraded. Furniture in the pool room and a paint, a few plants would really cheer it up. Otherwise great place to stay.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

17 Jan 2015

Verified traveler

Located South of Auckland.

Just a quick stay before flying home. Enjoyed staying there!

8/10

Excellent

16 Jan 2015

Verified traveler

Family rooms

The family rooms are comfortable and quite a good size. It is one big room with lots of beds. Works well with kids except there is not bathtub.

Just be aware that if you check out on Christmas Day you need to check out at 9am.

Family

8/10

Excellent

29 Dec 2014

Verified traveler

Taupo stay

Stay was comfortable. In terms of information around the area there were not much. Nice to have some knowledge of where to find entertainment or food etc.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

23 Dec 2014

Long

Facilities: Brand new; Value: Great deal; Service: Outstanding; Cleanliness: Beautiful;

Family

10/10

Exceptional

19 Dec 2014

Stephen

Room with a view

Pool was not available. Compensated with Spa room with a view. Central to town

Partner

8/10

Excellent

13 Dec 2014

Dave

Nice &close to town

Great stay thanks. Nice handy location to town centre. Tidy comfortable room.

8/10

Excellent

08 Dec 2014

Value for money

convenient place to stay. We have stayed there twice this year, clean rooms, good value for money. Plenty of parking.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

08 Dec 2014

Michelle

Facilities: Clean functional; Service: Respectful, Friendly; Cleanliness: Spick and span;
The Lake is immediately over the road, walk out the back of the unit and you are practically in the shopping centre.

Partner

4/10

Poor

10 Nov 2014

Chris

Left feeling like we had paid too much

Our experience here was not the best. I have paid similar prices for much better accommodation. There was a dirty coffee cup on arrival, the bathroom was very aged with poor paint work giving a slightly unclean feel. The spa pool also had a similar unclean feel to it so we could not let our kids in. There were worker men staying at the motel (not that that is a bad thing) except it just added to a feeling of this is where contractors come to stay not families on holiday.

I will not stay here again and would discourage anyone I knew to stay here.

Family

8/10

Excellent

04 Nov 2014

Jess

Staff were very friendly

Partner

8/10

Excellent

27 Oct 2014

Pam

Very handy to centre of town.

Check in fine, as was checkout. No outside noise, and bed was comfortable.
Very handy to town centre for food etc.

6/10

Pleasant

14 Oct 2014

Mike

Facilities: Typical; Value: Average price; Service: Amateur; Cleanliness: Tidy;

Family

8/10

Excellent

12 Oct 2014

Mitchell

Facilities: Good, Nice ; Value: Affordable, Economical; Service: Professional, Respectful; Cleanliness: Hygienic , Tidy, Clean;

Partner

4/10

Poor

10 Oct 2014

Uta

Needs TLC urgently

very welcoming reception but the room was disappointing ,the bathroom was falling apart ( leaky shower, push button on cistern coming off , window lever broken) , still functioning though. Bed was comfy.The name \"Absolute Lakeview\"
doesn't fit ether, most rooms don't have a view of the lake ,maybe a glimpse.
We have been most disappointed that the indoor pool wasn't maintained and couldn't be used.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

06 Oct 2014

Herbie

A great spot

Catered to all our needs and great staff. Thanks team

10/10

Exceptional

17 Sep 2014

John

Facilities: Modern; Service: Friendly;

10/10

Exceptional

15 Sep 2014

Peter

Facilities: Nice ; Value: Affordable; Service: Professional;

10/10

Exceptional

02 Sep 2014

Katherine

Facilities: Home away from home; Value: Bargain; Service: Friendly and Welcoming; Cleanliness: Spotless;
Close to everyhing and very central. Would definitely reccomend to others and stay here again.

10/10

Exceptional

01 Sep 2014

Jake

Facilities: Modern, Nice ; Value: Affordable; Service: Good, Friendly; Cleanliness: Faultless, Pleasant;
Very close to town and the lake