FAQs
See below for some of our frequently asked questions
As a small business, any cancellations greatly affect our operations and we ask you to be aware of this when you book.
Individual room bookings: made directly with Lakestone Lodge:
Cancellation within 48 hours of booking being made: no charge (deposit refunded).
Cancellation within 7 days of arrival date: 100% forfeit of the total booking price
Cancellation at any other time: 10% forfeit of the total booking price
Exclusive Use Bookings: For any cancellation of bookings for the full lodge:
Cancellation within 48 hours of booking being made: no charge (deposit refunded).
Cancellation within 60 days of arrival date: 50% forfeit of the total booking price
Cancellation at any other time: 10% forfeit of the total booking price
3rd Party Bookings: For bookings made through a 3rd party, (eg Travel Agent, Booking.com), their cancellation policy will apply.
No shows will be charged the full amount of the booking.
Please note that we highly recommend that you book travel insurance in case of an unexpected cancellation.
Shuttles are available on request either as transportation to/from the lodge, along the Alps2Ocean cycleway, to local attractions and other towns. Airport transfers can also be arranged.
The shuttle prices each way for 1-4 passengers are below:
Lake Tekapo: $150
Mt Cook: $250
Twizel: $75
Christchurch: $1000
Queenstown: $900
Hourly guide/driver/vehicle/fuel/tax/insurance $100/hr inclusive
There is an additional charge to transport bikes depending on how many and what type.
Check in is from 3pm and check out is 11am in the Lodge (Lake View Super King Rooms and Lake View Spa Suite).
Pukaki Family Apartments check in is from 3pm and check out is 10am.
Lakestone Lodge is a licensed restaurant and has a comprehensive list of cocktails, wine, beer, spirits and non alcoholic beverages available. During dinner service if you would like to bring a special bottle of wine to the table there is a $15 corkage fee.
All of our Lodge room types have uninterrupted views of Lake Pukaki and Aoraki / Mt Cook, private courtyards and baths under big view windows. All rooms have separate showers.
The Lake View Spa Suite is larger than the Super King room and has a Californian king sized bed. It has an outdoor hot tub in the private courtyard. It has windows on two sides of the room, a double vanity in the bathroom and its own fridge and tea and coffee making facilities as well as a complimentary minibar.
The super king rooms have a shared fridge and tea and coffee making facilities in the lounge (complimentary barista coffee is available at anytime between 8am and 9pm).
Lakestone Lodge is a 5-star boutique, serviced accommodation. All rooms have uninterrupted views of Lake Pukaki and Aoraki / Mt Cook. Dinner and breakfast is included in the lodge rate. Guests have access to all of the facilities of the Lodge including the media room, fire pit, complimentary mountain bikes, baking and snack bar and can book massage treatments. Lodge guest rooms will be serviced each day and there will be service staff around to answer questions and cater to any requirements. Lakestone Lodge is for people aged 13 and over.
Pukaki Family Apartments, located behind Lakestone Lodge, are for those looking for more independence. It features self check-in, fully functional kitchen and children of all ages are welcome in the apartments. There are views of the lake and mountains but these are more restricted. There is the option to have catering from the lodge in the apartments and if there is space and everyone is over 13 then apartment guests may dine in the lodge (depending on availability). The apartments are serviced daily but if more towels etc are required they can be delivered.
Lakestone Lodge is for guests aged 13 and over only.
However children are welcome to stay in the lodge with exclusive bookings or anytime in the Pukaki Family Apartments located behind Lakestone Lodge.
Yes, you can charge your phone, tablet, camera or use other power consuming devices at any time although ideally this is done when the sun is shining. We are completely off grid and generate all our power from the sun. At night the power comes from our battery bank, in certain times of heavy use or not much sun one of our back up generators might kick in automatically and power the lodge while simultaneously charging the batteries. This is all seamless and happens in the background and the only thing you may notice is a slight flicker in the LED lights. All our power is 240v and we have standard NZ power sockets located beside all beds and in bathrooms.
Yes, you can charge your electric bike - ideally this is done during the day when the sun is shining.
We are completely off grid and generate all our power from the sun. At night the power comes from our battery bank, in certain times of heavy use or not much sun one of our back up diesel generators might kick in automatically to power the lodge and charge the batteries. This is all seamless and happens in the back ground and the only thing you may notice is a slight flicker in the LED lights. For many obvious reasons we try and avoid having to use the generators and any help from the guests is appreciated.
Yes - at certain times on a sunny day through a 240v 10amp power point located near the main entrance to the lodge (you will need to being your own charging cables) or a 7kw charger located at the Pukaki Family Apartments.
We are completely off grid and generate our power from the sun, we normally have excess solar power in the afternoons from 1pm until 5pm on a sunny day in summer. In winter we don't have much spare power. After that you might be sucking out of the Lodge batteries to charge your car battery and we may need to run the generator (which kind of defeats the purpose of an electric car) and there would be a charge for this power.
We recommend you recharge your electric car in Twizel whilst enjoying the local cafes. Zero has 6 x 150kw chargers and Chargenet has 1 x 150kw located in Twizel.
We aim to make Lakestone Lodge as welcoming and inclusive as possible for all guests.
All guest rooms and shared areas are on ground level with wide doorways for easier access. We do have one room that is more easily accessible than others and closer to communal facilities. If you would like this room please let our team know when making your booking.
We have a gravel car park with a designated park right by the entrance door for guests with limited mobility, and we’re happy to assist with luggage and check-in.
Our showers are walk-in style, and our accessible room has a bench available for use in the shower.
Service dogs (certified disability assist dogs) are welcome in accordance with New Zealand law.
The lodge is naturally quiet, and we’re happy to support guests with sensory sensitivities or other specific needs — just let us know.
While some outdoor areas include gravel and natural paths, our team is always happy to help with access around the grounds.
If you have any specific access requirements or questions before booking, please do not hesitate to contact us stay@lakestone.co.nz
The closest main airport to Lakestone Lodge is
Queenstown Airport 2.5 hours drive
Christchurch Airport 3.25 hours drive
Dunedin Airport 3.5 hours drive
Timaru airport is 1.45 hours drive but only has flights to and from Wellington.
If you have the option flying into Christchurch and out of Queenstown airport this allows you to see a variety of scenery throughout the South Island.
Absolutely. Please notify us prior to arrival and our chef can prepare a menu that caters to any dietary requirements.
The lodge room rate includes accommodation for up to 2 guests and a 3 course dinner and cooked and continental breakfast.
The Pukaki Family Apartments rate does not include any meals.
No we purposefully chose not to install tvs in the guest rooms to give people time to enjoy the scenery outside. We do have a media room for guests to enjoy a large screen tv and surround sound. We have all the Sky channels available as well as chromecast for Netflix, Disney+ etc.
Tablets are also available on request.
The Pukaki Family Apartments have a smart TV in the lounge with Sky Movies and Sky Sport as well as chromecast for Netflix, Disney+ etc.
What our other guests had to say
Came here for a week of relaxation. You don’t need to even leave your room to experience amazing views and all the activities/hikes nearby are great. I highly recommend the A2O trail on the east side of the lake. Staff was very kind and helped organize everything for me (I didn’t...
Aaron C
This small lodge has excellent and very helpful staff. the rooms are good and the food is excellent. However the crowning glory for my wife and I was the magnificent view along the lake with Aoraki Mount Cook central to the view surrounded by other snow covered mountains in the Southern Alps.
Peterm2014123, Auckland Central, New Zealand
From the moment we arrived till the follow up visit to pick up our bikes that had graciously been looked after while we shot up to Christchurch, the service and hospitality was amazing. Mike met us and with his staff quietly looked after our every need. Food was delicious and very well...
Craig L
A stay at Lakestone Lodge was our reward for the grind of 2020. The accommodation and food were superb, and the hosts were friendly, attentive and well informed. The star of the show is the location – the lodge discreetly tucked away on a ridge above the road, away from other travellers...
David G
We had the most amazing experience at Lakestone Lodge. We can’t find fault with anything! We highly rate the food, service, hospitality, comfort and attention to detail! We are truly lucky to have had the chance to stay here!
Nalini G
We throughly enjoyed our stay. What amazing views, waking up to see Mt Cook painted in soft pinks at dawn was truly special. We had a delicious meal, equivalent to any in an upmarket restaurant. Staff were attentive, but unobtrusive. Furniture and layout high quality. I’d love to...
Fiona T, Auckland
As soon as you walk through the doors of Lakestone lodge it becomes a haven of relaxation. Mike and Anna and their team are so welcoming and friendly ensuring they care for your every need. The lodge and rooms are stunning and oh so comfortable, the food is divine and our massages were the best...
gardinersnz
We stayed for two nights at Lakestone Lodge on the Cosy Couples package. The location is stunning, room very comfortable with incredible views, the food was outstanding and the massage was one of the best I've ever had. Even though our stay was only for two nights, we felt the stresses of...
Debbie - NZ