About this hotel
General information
Solitaire Lodge occupies a private peninsula on Lake Tarawera near Rotorua, wrapped in native bush. Across the water rises Mount Tarawera, a dormant 1,111 m volcano at the centre of a geothermal region on the Pacific Ring of Fire. The lodge belongs to Luxury Lodges of New Zealand and has its own helipad and jetty.
There are just nine suites, with one or two bedrooms, each with floor-to-ceiling glass turned towards the lake and the volcano. Stays are full board: breakfast, a light lunch, pre-dinner drinks with canapés, a five-course dinner, the in-suite minibar, Wi-Fi and the lodge’s dinghies and kayaks are all included. The pace is unhurried, and the hosts — warm, very New Zealand — help shape each day.
Location
North Island, on the shore of Lake Tarawera, 18 km from Rotorua. Rotorua Airport is 25 km away, around 30 minutes by car, and Auckland International Airport 237 km, roughly three hours’ drive. Guests can also arrive by helicopter, landing on the lodge’s own pad.
Sports & leisure
The lodge’s motor dinghies and kayaks are free for guests to use, and trails follow the shoreline. The lodge also arranges private outings:
- a 15-minute launch ride to the natural Tarawera Thermal Springs
- a walk through native forest to the 65-metre Tarawera Falls
- rainbow trout fishing from a private boat
- a helicopter flight to the summit of Mount Tarawera, or a private 4WD drive and hike to the top
- e-bike trails past geothermal sights, lakes and forest
- trips into Rotorua, to the Hobbiton movie set and to the Waitomo Glowworm Caves
For children
Families are best placed in the two-storey, two-bedroom Villa Suite (two adults and up to four children) or the two-bedroom Solitaire Suite (two adults and two children).
Restaurants & bars
The menu changes daily and draws on seasonal, organic and local produce in a contemporary New Zealand style. Drinks and canapés are served in the lounge and bar at 7 pm, followed by five courses — starter, entrée, sorbet, a choice of two mains and dessert. Dinner can be shared with other guests in the dining room, taken on the deck facing the lake and Mount Tarawera, or served privately in the suite, with wines from an extensive New Zealand cellar. Mornings start with a full country breakfast, lunch is kept light, and picnics can be packed for days out.
Swimming
The lake is right at hand: from the jetty and the secluded private bays there is deep-water swimming, and natural hot springs lie 15 minutes away by launch.
Rooms
Nine suites in five types: some in the main lodge, while the Villa Suite and Solitaire Suite stand in separate buildings. Every one has a private deck and floor-to-ceiling windows onto Lake Tarawera.
Each suite has a super king bed (twins on request), a bathroom with heated floor, air conditioning, a complimentary minibar of drinks and snacks, satellite TV, a safe, turndown and laundry service, and Wi-Fi.
Executive Suite
A main-lodge suite with a super king bed, lounge chairs and a private deck over Lake Tarawera; the bathroom has a separate shower and deep freestanding bath, and one of these suites has its bath outdoors. For two guests.
Premium Suite
A super king suite whose deck takes in sweeping views of the lake and Mount Tarawera, with a freestanding bath facing the water. For two guests.
Tarawera Suite
A generous bedroom, a separate lounge with dining table and a deck with an uninterrupted view across the quiet bay to the summit of Mount Tarawera; deep bath and separate shower. For two guests.
Villa Suite
A standalone one- or two-bedroom suite above the bay: downstairs a main bedroom with lake-view bath, kitchenette, living-dining room and deck, upstairs a second bedroom with its own bathroom. Up to four adults, or two adults and four children.
Solitaire Suite
A secluded ground-level suite in its own building, with one or two bedrooms, a separate lounge, a deck and picture windows across the lake to Mount Tarawera. Up to four adults, or two adults and two children.
Photos are for illustrative purposes only. Actual room layout, furnishings, décor, views and amenities may differ from those shown and may vary between rooms of the same category. Hotel and room descriptions are based on information provided by the property and are believed to be accurate at the time of publication, but are not guaranteed. The hotel may renovate or change its rooms, facilities, restaurants and services at any time without notice. The final details of your stay are confirmed at the time of booking. See our Terms of Use.