For an easy staycation just south of Auckland, here’s how our editor spends a weekend away with Hilton Lake Taupō
There are few places that hold sentimentality quite like Taupō. Perhaps it is the lake’s peaceful and placid nature, or the nostalgia of special moments I’ve spent there—hand on heart, it is one of my favourite places in New Zealand to visit.
So with summer in the rear view mirror and one last road trip on the horizon, heading south to the great lake was an easy choice. We were off for a staycation at Hilton Lake Taupō, prompted by a test drive of one of the new electric Volkswagen models. Usually our holidays in this part of the country are a lot less lavish, so we packed up the car and welcomed the opportunity to settle in for some time.
It’s clear here that road trips are part of the joy—most of the guests staying were just venturing through, pausing for some of that peaceful reprieve. And why wouldn’t you? It’s not far from Auckland, an easy drive after a week’s work, and worth every bit of respite.
Our stay here was lush. We were in a King Junior Suite Plus, which had an outlook over the hotel grounds and into the native bush and the hot pools at the property next door. Hotel robes were plush, there were two TVs (one for my partner’s Super Rugby, one for my movies), and a big balcony that really would be perfect for hosting large groups. We tottered down to the pool in the late eve, and again early in the morning, to freshen up after a long day of eating.
Because that’s really to be noted here—Bistro Lago offers some very good food. The Afternoon Tea service was a delight: fresh pots of tea, trays of petite sandwiches and sweet treats, fresh-baked scones, and enough food to make you push out your dinner reservation a bit. We did exactly that, and after swimming, napping, and taking a moment to digest, we did it all over again.
Bistro Lago is helmed by Rudolf W. Segers, whose take on food is truly farm-to-table—after all, in central Waikato, you’d expect a bounty of produce. It’s impossible to think how we managed to get through it all; Crudo, Calamari Free Range Brick Chicken and an Eye Fillet from the grill—and the first time in my life I had to turn down dessert.
We had some exploring to do, and so Sunday morning beckoned us home. A quick swim in the pool to refresh before the roads ahead.
The easy conclusion would be to say that we’ve already booked our next trip back. Candidly, we’re off overseas and have no idea when that may be. But what I can assure you is that next time we find our way back to Lake Taupō, I know exactly where we’re staying, and I can only imagine it will be just as wonderful when we return.
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