Black Swan Lakeside Lodge Boutique Hotel, Rotorua

Impressive property in a lovely...

Liked: Beautiful property though some facilities were a little tired. Gardens were lovely to wander around. We had nine of us plus a two year old there for our staff dinner and the staff were very accommodating to our needs. The dinner was fine but a little disappointing though the service we were given was excellent. Lovely breakfast .

A wonderful stay in beautiful...

Liked: I had the pleasure of staying in beautifully presented, well-stocked rooms where every detail contributed to a delightful experience. The staff were friendly and attentive, providing service that couldn't be faulted. The food was delicious, and the grounds were stunning, featuring a lovely pool and a serene conservatory perfect for reading books and enjoying tea. Overall, it was a superb place to stay, and I highly recommend it!

Disappointing and overpriced for the...

Liked: The location and garden are nice
Disliked: Disappointing and overpriced are the 2 adjectives I would use to describe the Black Swan Boutique hotel of Rotorua. For US$800 per night, in a small town, I expect to be dazzled with small attentions, an outstanding service and a posh room. The room while clean was starting to show serious signs of wear and tear (such as shredding silk drapes, a yellowing toilet seat cover, loosely secured soap holder and faucet in the shower to only mention a few items…) The bathrooms are dated and everything is “ordinary”. Now let’s review the service, or lack thereof. At the level of pricing for a room, I expect a valet to unload my suitcase to my room, a welcome drink upon arrival and a free mini bar, well stocked with a variety of sodas and snacks (not just a couple bottles of fruit juice, water and a mini pack of chips). The sunroom is really nice, with views of the lake - perhaps a complementary afternoon tea with sandwiches and cake would go a long way, again when you are charging so much money for a room. I wasn’t expecting room service in a boutique hotel and the restaurant was more than correct… with again peaceful views of the lake. The breakfast however was mediocre in quantity and quality - although included in the price of the room. On the positive side, the garden is amazing and while we didn’t use the pool nor the Jacuzzi both looked really nice.

Average hotel not worth the...

Liked: The setting was beautiful with wonderful gardens
Disliked: We stayed in room 7, it was not clean with mildew on the shower curtain and bar area had not been cleaned on our arrival. The room above generated lots of noise which woke us up each morning.

Nice

Liked: Was a lovely place to stay with beautiful rooms. The facilities were nice.
Disliked: A little over priced.

So relaxing, serene, and beautiful!

Liked: Black Swan was better than expected with the warm pool, romantic nooks to cozy up outside, sweeping views, fabulous restaurant, and quiet atmosphere. It felt so private, luxurious, and peaceful. We appreciated the extra touches like the parrots, complimentary refreshments, and (of course!) all the black swans.

Exceptional

A truly magical place with...

Liked: Fabulous staff and the location is beautiful.
Disliked: The food was mediocre for a luxury hotel and the fixed price dinner was more expensive than any other restaurant I have eaten at in New Zealand. Beware of the lake flies! They are attracted to light so you can’t leave your outside door open.