Hop, Skip and Jump to the Lake - Te Anau House

The property is located behind a residence so the lake is not visible from the house. The beds were comfortable with a split bedroom arrangement offering some privacy for parents with children. We did not use the stove but the fridge and microwave were in good working order. The location was convenient to restaurants and the grocery. There is only a washer, no dryer, so we did find a nearby laundromat. The bathroom is not near the bedrooms and I found that a bit inconvenient but there was plenty of counter space in the bath. It was a quiet location. The heater worked with the remote. Television channels were limited but that was not a problem since we were not there for TV. The WiFi was fine and a plus was the covered parking.

We really enjoyed staying so close to the lake and just a short walk from town. The house was very nice. The beds were comfortable and the wood stove in the living room made everything so cozy. The kitchen was well appointed. It was just a nice little cottage in a very pretty and convenient area.

If location is everything - this was the very best. We drove our rental car into the driveway and walked everywhere for 4 days - including to two tour experiences. That made our stay just wonderful. But the house itself had some issues. It was super clean and decorated in a lovely way. The linens were great and the beds were very comfortable. Our concerns were about how freezing the house was at all times. A window in each of two rooms was made of louvered glass so it couldn't be closed all the way! The heating unit was of very limited value. Some days - we were there the first week of fall - the temp was about 4 degrees C. That made the inside extremely chilly! The host was quite lackadaisical about responding to us. One question we sent was never answered, another took 2 days to hear back. The guidance sheet was odd. There were directions for the dishwasher, yet there wasn't a dishwasher. A heat pump was mentioned but we couldn't get any warm air to come out of it. There were warnings about the house getting too hot. I guess it must get hot in the summer. There were directions about putting the trash out yet there weren't any trash bags to use. The kitchen was not really stocked with anything. There wasn't even salt. There were leftover soup packets and teas other guests must have left. And yet my husband and I still say the location was everything. A 2 minute walk to the lake and not that much farther to downtown Te Anau. I'm writing this in the hope the owner will improve the climate issues and perhaps provide a bit more in the kitchen.

A delightful classic NZ cottage providing a perfect base for exploring the beauty of Fiordland