Is Karaka Tree Motel pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

How much does it cost to stay at Karaka Tree Motel?

As of 17 September 2025, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at Karaka Tree Motel on 21 September 2025 start from $86.16, including taxes and fees. This price is based on the lowest nightly price found in the last 24 hours for stays in the next 30 days. Prices are subject to change. Choose your dates for more accurate prices.

How much is parking at Karaka Tree Motel?

Self parking is free at this property.

What time is check-in at Karaka Tree Motel?

Check-in start time: 2 PM; Check-in end time: 8:00 PM. After-hours check-in is not available.

Where is Karaka Tree Motel located?

Located in Waipahihi, this motel is within 1 mi (2 km) of Waipahihi Botanical Gardens and Lake Taupō. Taupō Hot Springs and Three Mile Bay are also within 1 mi (2 km).

Karaka Tree Motel Reviews, Deals & Photos 2025

8/10 Good

Jamsheed

9 August 2025

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities

Friendly staff. clean amenities. Only improvement we could pick was a heat pump in the room.

Stayed 1 night in Aug 2025

10/10 Excellent

Doug

18 May 2025

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities

I really liked the healthy retreat we have every time we visit the spa is awesome just same as debrets but in your room... Didn't really have anything to say negative about my stay always good service ect

Stayed 2 nights in May 2025

6/10 Okay

Patricia

6 January 2025

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities

Clean, comfortable, quiet reasonably close to town.

Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2025

10/10 Excellent

John

16 January 2025

Close to town

Stayed 1 night in Jan 2025

6/10 Okay

Gregg

26 May 2025

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service

We got a good deal on this property. We have stayed here a number of times pre covid. Accepting this is a budget motel, I was happy with the motel. TV set up was not great along with the internet and we couldn't get the microwave to work. The hot pool that fills in lightning speed off set the rest of it. Iwas very satisfied for the value for money. I think some of the other reviesw were a bit harsh for what you pay.

Stayed 3 nights in May 2025

6/10 Okay

Kelly

21 June 2025

Disliked: Property conditions & facilities

Very dated. Heater didn't work so room was cold. Internet was not great which meant the smart tv kept buffering. We eventually switched tv off. Could hear everything from people upstairs. Uncomfortable beds. Wouldn't stay for longer than a night.

Stayed 1 night in Jun 2025

10/10 Excellent

P

7 October 2024

Liked: Staff & service

Cheap and Tired

A cheap place to stay, but tired and quite run down.

Stayed 1 night in Oct 2024

10/10 Excellent

Harjeet Singh

17 December 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities

Totally worth it.

Stayed 1 night in Dec 2024

8/10 Good

Helena

8 October 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service

Overall a decent property to stay for its price. Just a bit run down with broken door handle and leaky room stain otherwise good. Staff are friendly and courteous.

Stayed 1 night in Oct 2024

2/10 Terrible

Brendon

6 July 2025

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities

Property dirty, unsafe with power cords all over the place, hole in floor that we would trip over. Slugs in bathroom. Holes in walls. Untidy surrounds, garbage outside windows. Poor to no. Internet access. Tvs didn't work due to internet. No sky TV as advertised on the billboard out the front. We paid for a spa unit and no spa yet advertised on Expedia and on billboard as having a spa. Unhelpful staff. No mention of a refund or partial when I approached them with the issues. Worse motel I have ever stayed in. DON'T STAY HERE

Stayed 1 night in Jul 2025

6/10 Okay

Suzie

12 January 2025

Liked: Staff & service

The manager was lovely and the bed was clean and comfortable but the shower was dirty and the bench in the kitchen was chipped plus there were spiders above two light switches and on the wall

Stayed 1 night in Jan 2025

2/10 Terrible

Sherliana

22 June 2025

Disliked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities

I have to say that I’m not enjoyed my time at Karaka Tree Motel. 1. I’m expecting there’s will be spa pool in each room. Apparently it’s not. This false advertisement is very disappointing and upsetting. 2. The room is cold. Only one works heater was provided. 3. There’s exposed electrical connector hanging on the tv. It’s not even secured make it even dangerous hazards. Especially when I’m travelling with my kids. 4. There’s a connecting room that not even been locked. It’s makes me feels unsafe. Overall, I do not enjoyed my stay and will suggest others to think twice before staying in this motel. I do have some pictures to show the hazard

Stayed 1 night in Jun 2025

4/10 Poor

Janette

12 January 2025

This place is not like the picture show in very need of repaint, curtains with rips and not even hung up holes and walls!

Stayed 1 night in Jan 2025

2/10 Terrible

Michelle

17 November 2024

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities

Nothing positive about this hotel - except it’s cheap. Such a shame as it was good once. Just been let go….

Stayed 1 night in Nov 2024

2/10 Terrible

Rhys

24 June 2025

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities

Property isn’t as advertised. Arrived and they couldn’t find our booking straight away. It’s the middle of winter with heavy snow on the mountains and the only heating in the room was a small fan heater, would not meet housing standards for any form of accommodation. Property isn’t maintained, room is dark and cold. We had just arrived from Ohakune and to walk into the room we knew it wasn’t going to be warm enough for the temperatures it gets down to at night. Motel refused refund, lost out on money when we had to book elsewhere due to not wanting to get sick. Bathroom is the size of a closet. Overpriced for what you get. Would not recommend. Might have to approach Ministry of Business to get the refund under the Consumers Guarantee Act at this point.

Stayed 1 night in Jun 2025

8/10 Good

Rex

23 February 2025

Disliked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities

Smoke detector was removed, Mineral bath was dirty, leaking tap in bathroom, low water pressure in shower, cigarette butts in container outside window, no milk given, general condition of unit was out-dated and needed a lot of maintenance

Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2025

6/10 Okay

Verified traveler

25 April 2025

Liked: Room comfort

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities

A little cleaning would go along way!!

I checked in and gave cash but they could not provide me with a receipt, ended up having to pay by card and only got an eftpos receipt!!. No milk was given for our room. There was no spa for us to use either and no apology given. The beds were super comfy though and the rooms were very spacious, the sheets were also clean. The cleaning left alot to be desired, beside the fridge looked like it had not been cleaned for years, same with beside the shower and on top of a plug was thick in dirt! Was not impressed either at getting a knock on the door at 9.27 asking when we were checking out as checkout was between 9 and 10!!

Stayed 1 night in Apr 2025

6/10 Okay

Sue

27 May 2025

Disliked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities

It appears the property has different owners than when i last stayed here. Cleaning needs to be upgraded. The area around the fridge was very dirty and dirty towels from previous guests were left on the floor in the dpa bath room in my unit. The tv didn't work alrhough the owner attempted to get it working, he gave up in the end. There were no easy chairs in the room and heating was s tiny fan heater. The general condition of the unit was dated and slightly run down but not too bad. The plant pot ashtray outside the room had not been cleaned out and on the morning i keft, the cleaner knocked on my door at 9.30 a.m. and asked how much longer i was going to be before i vacated. Having said all that, i would probably still stay here but would look at other options first.

Stayed 2 nights in May 2025

4/10 Poor

Graeme

9 January 2025

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities

Property needed a major tidy up with weeds and dead plants in pots etc. No SKY as advertised. Rooms very outdated and in need of repair. Cleaning left a lot to be desired. Also office still closed for checkout at 8.45am.

Stayed 1 night in Jan 2025

2/10 Terrible

Angela

26 November 2024

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities

the room smelt very musty, it was run down, the kitchen sink tap was almost coming off at the base, the teatowel and cloth was dirty, all the cutley, dishes and cooking gear was filty, repairs in the showeroom were unfinished, curtains in the second room were coming off ...fire alarm was beeping all night, TV would not go.....no milk etc etc the manager was a lovely man who had only been there 2 months. he was the only good thing.

Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2024

4/10 Poor

Bella

5 January 2025

Disliked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities

Very old and run down. Dusty and bathroom not clean. No milk provided even when advised they would drop it off. Tv wouldnt work. Jug had to have the switch held to boil. Extra pillows where gross(glad we had our own) Glad we were only one night. Will not be returning

Stayed 1 night in Jan 2025

2/10 Terrible

Mike

13 April 2025

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities

No Soap provided in the bathroom. No face cloth or hand towel. Room hadn't been cleaned of cobwebs around window catch's and windows were dirty. Used shampoo packets and cobwebs down the side of the bathroom vanity. Key provided to the room didn't work. Some lights didn't work. Adjoining room door didn't lock with the key provided and no way to lock it to keep my room isolated from someone else coming in if the other room got booked. Staff seemed indifferent to this issue. No milk offered or provided. No additional bedding if it got cold. TV lost Wifi frequently. Stayed 2 days, room not serviced after the first day - which I was expecting. Check in was a joke, after 2pm (official time to check in) spent 20 minutes pushing the buzzer and calling out, 4 other people and a serviceman also waiting for attention at this time. Very poor. A little bit of effort from them could have changed this easily.

Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2025

2/10 Terrible

Matthew

30 December 2024

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Shocking stay

Upon arrival to our room, the first thing we noticed was the used towels on the floor in the spa room covered in hair. Next we noticed stalks of cherries and strawberries ends left next to the spa, the spa was not clean. All doors were damaged or had been smashed, the door lock was fiddly to secure. The mirrors were dirty and had not been cleaned. There were ‘white mark’ stains on the couch, the tv did not have Sky as it was advertised. The kitchenette doors did not close (and half were missing) and kitchen was dirty. Bathroom was gross, floor had grime and there was mould on the ceiling and bits of toilet paper left on the floor. The light fixing/vent was completely exposed with cobwebs and dirty hanging. There was no toilet paper in the holder. After bringing the ‘dirty towels’ to the staffs attention it seemed there was no care, although they were removed. The room was out dated, and there was no effort taken to improve or actually clean anything. We didn’t spend anytime in the room, and left earlier than expected.

Stayed 1 night in Dec 2024

8/10 Good

Sarah

8 June 2025

Liked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities

Stayed 1 night in Jun 2025

10/10 Excellent

Dwayne

6 June 2025

Liked: Amenities, property conditions & facilities

Love the hige spa pools , would be nicer if they had a good clean everynow and again though

Stayed 1 night in May 2025

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