Search hotels in Whakapapa Village

The empty Chateau is a shame but we hope that will be sorted soon. The neglected buildings in the village on both sides of Bruce Road is not a good look. Hopefully they will be restored and have tenants soon. We understand Covid and the uncertainly around the sale of the ski field had a big influence but we hope that it would be fixed soon

The management is chaotic. I lost my ski poles. It took me an hour to find them among three girls. I found that all their equipment was someone else's. I was shocked. There were too many novices. My friend's child was hit three times in one day. It was really dangerous.

We loved our visit. Fantastic views and quality time. Easy to get around in a standard car. Weather conditions were clear and bright, mild cold temperatures so a very minimal amount of ice on the road. We recommend the sky waka gondola. The skotel alpine resort is a good place to stay.

The isite leaves a lot to be desired. It could easily go from barely adequate to basic competence by putting boards outside stating the office is closed. As walkers are supposed to register their walks on the mountain you wonder how accurate their information is when the office is closed and there isn’t even a notice board outside for walkers to use to show they’ve left or returned. The village in summer, now the Chateau is closed, has very little available accommodation. There is a shop for basics and Skotel runs a great restaurant and bar.

Absolutely recommend the 2 hour walk to Taranaki Falls. You can do it in sneakers, some parts are lovely bush right alongside the river. The landscape keeps changing. Its beautiful and the air is so fresh. There's a table at the falls so take your picnic and stop for a while. Get your caffeine fix from TNT Pataka Food Truck at Whakapapa Holiday Park, they make a decent coffee and the food looked good too. Unfortunately some places in the area closed due to staff shortages, so it might pay to check for what is open when you visit.

Hi, It is better to plan your trip for at least two days. You can enrol your kids to ski school at the nearby school for a longer duration trip so that they learn the art of skiing. Bringing chains with the car will help you to revisit the Whakapapa skiing location often and reduce the commute cost. All in all, it was good to see snow all around especially if you are coming from the northern part of NZ.