Reviews of Waitakere Resort & Spa. (Restaurant) in Auckland (Auckland).
Waitakere Resort & Spa
573 Scenic Drive, Waiatarua, Auckland 0612, New Zealand
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Information of Waitakere Resort & Spa, Restaurant in Auckland (Auckland)
Here you can see the location, open hours, popular times, contact, photos and real reviews done by the users.
This place has good reviews, this means that they treat their customers well and you’ll feel great with their services, recommended 100%!
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Reviews of Waitakere Resort & Spa
J.Simply Fabulous. The room and balcony looking back towards Auckland was so lovely. The meal in the restaurant in the evening and the full cooked breakfast the next day were excellent. The service and care absolutely spot on. The atmosphere and views from this unique property make it one of Auckland's best kept secrets. I wish we could have stayed two days but we will be back in winter to try a different season with the open fireplaces. Highly recommended!
m. b.Great little getaway in the Waitakere ranges. Lovely views, gardens, trails, pool and room! Great bathroom, bed and balcony in the room which was clean, comfy and had character. Didn't try the restaurant or spa but can highly recommend everything else this hotel has to offer. Lovely receptionists also :)
A. I.Enjoyed my stay here at Waitakere Resort and Spa. The room was lovely and spacious and provided a great view of Auckland city. Resort provides access to a pool, sauna and gym.
Only downside was the over priced food. Ordered a vegetarian ratatouille ($35) and the lamb ($40) for dinner and portions were especially small considering the high prices. Food was okay overall but nothing to rave about.
Overall, nice place for a staycation. Beautiful views and very relaxing.
J. F.This is a hidden gem just out of Auckland city, if you are wanting peace and quiet then this is the place. We have been about 4 times and never get tired of the room, restaurant and breakfast the next day. I highly recommend this beautiful estate, even tho it is getting tired it could do with some painting, updating in the older rooms and maintenance on the pool it will not stop us coming back. I would still tell anyone to come once and see for yourself. Next time you need some R & R think closer to home.
E.It’s a very hotel located in the middle of the Waitakere ranges, the view was absolute amazing and the dinner was fantastic. The bush walk was a fun experience too. Appreciate the good service from team at the resort!
T.Service is amazing and Sivanna (from the spa) provided the best service I've ever had. Her facial was one of the best and she is so unbelievably kind. Food was spot on and expectations were met. This place is well underrated.
D. H.Mini Break, before works starts in 2022!
The kids gifted us an over nighter at Waitakere Resort & Spa. What a beautiful time we’ve had. The 6 course degustation menu was sò yummy. The room was clean and relaxing. And the gardens were immaculate. The building was a bit dated, but that didn’t take away from our wonderful experience. Not to mention the staff. Reception and dining staff included, were friendly and efficient. Thank you!
K. M.My partner and I stayed here for his birthday and we had an amazing time. Reception was lovely. Room had a lot of character and was clean. Food was AMAZING! staff treated us so nicely and the landscaping was beautiful. We would’ve loved to of stayed longer and we will be coming back. I recommend this place to anyone who wants to get away from the city but still close. 5 out of 5 💛💛
A. B.It was a great day but with few negative points
Let's start with the positive first :) We had a great time at the spa. The massage was perfect and the facial treatment amazing, everything is clean, tidy and the ladies are really nice. Uma made sure we were having a great time and we thank her very much for that. The products used are really good, haven't' had a facial in ages so it felt revitalizing. Thank you !!
Now the negative points ... I am not really fussy in general but think it's important to point it out. The service at the restaurant was not good and you could think it was because they were busy but it was not crowded at all. We had to wait 45mins to get our breakfasts. They forgot to give us the coffee, put normal milk in my friend's coffee instead of almond milk and the waiter was not friendly at all. I can understand that everyone's can have a bad day but still his attitude was a bit off. Made me feel like I was not welcome here.
When we sat at the lounge after our spa treatment we had some bubbles & snacks included, the plate was perfect nothing to say about that however they gave us the drinks menu in case we wanted a second drink but never came back to take the 2nd order.
In general we had a great time, the spa day was really cool, the place is beautiful but looks really old and not really clean (huge amount of dead bugs in the globe lamp, curtains need to be washed), I think the place needs a renovation in general. The spa is new (one year old) so it looks in perfect condition
The staff at the reception was very nice & friendly
M. M.Beautiful place with lovely gardens and friendly staff. The restaurant has a warm atmosphere, breath taking views and a good selection of delicacies. Tanya was very attentive with our order and made sure we were comfortable. It was a short overnight staycation which we really enjoyed. The old charming decor is amazing, esp the library in the mezzanine and the beautiful crystal chandeliers. The large blue swimming pool is not heated therefore cannot be used in winter, a few hot tubs would do wonders. Overall a great short stay 👍💕
C. d. J.Hit and miss. We stayed in the new building in a premier room and the room was gorgeous with beautiful views. We used the new sauna which was great. If I was rating just that it would totally have been a 5. The reason for my rating is for things food related. We tried to call reception multiple times to arrange breakfast but never got any answer and reception was also unattended when we walked down. The dinner was incredibly overpriced for what was on offer. $32 for a small risotto and over $40 for 2 small pieces of lamb and 2 brussel sprouts is craziness even by Auckland standards. If they can lift their restaurant game this place would be amazing!
J. J.We stayed for 1 night, this is a good place if you want peace and quiet. The hotel is in the middle of the forest with great views of the Waitakere Ranges and Auckland City.
The room is tidy and bed linen is good. I would have liked a lamp shade or a dim light on the lounge area since we booked the cabin for 4 people and 2 of us had to sleep on the lounge area but it's too dark with all the lights and too bright with light on.
It was a Sunday afternoon when we arrived and the place seems quiet, we have enjoyed our afternoon drinks and snack at the lounge area next to the reception area.
The staff is friendly and the breakfast is good.
The pool area is outside and not heated so cannot be enjoyed the whole year.
The driveway can be tricky so drive with caution.
All in all a good experience and definitely a good hotel for a quick getaway from the city life.
L. B.My partner and I stayed at Waitakere Resort for two days (Saturday and Sunday) at the Garden Spa View apartment. We chose this room due to the view, and boy did the room deliver! I highly recommend this type of room (ask for Apartment 17 if you love iconic views of rain forest). My partner had multiple facial massages at the resort, these were top quality with a lovely staff (Bonnie was excellent)!
In my free time I took to the trails for a forest run. There is a trail called the 'Kuri Trail', which is around a 1.5hr walk from end to end (3hr return trip). I ran it in 1hr25min. It's a lovely trail, however, when there's rain it is quite difficult terrain. I highly recommend going down from the side of the reception and not that of the lower carpark.
Food was delicious and well priced for the quality of food you get. The high tea was lovely as well, just make sure you don't eat before hand as it is quite filling.
10/10 would stay again.
E.A hidden gem in West Auckland. Really enjoyed the drive and the view... simply stunning. The staff here makes it shine actually.. Mira from the reception, the wait staff they're all legends! This has to be the go to place if you want a quiet and relaxing holiday. Just a bummer that we did not manage to book for a massage as they're fully booked and we are actually looking forward to it :( nonetheless awesome getaway. Make sure to check out their own reserve, its like 1-2hr walk.
P. S.Wow! Our room was amazing! Very spacious (42 m2) and super clean. I am very fussy and have high standards and I honestly couldn’t fault our room. Very quiet and peaceful and beautiful views. We only stayed one night and didn’t dine at the hotel so I couldn’t comment on the food or the other facilities but the staff were really nice and I’d definitely stay here again! Thanks so much!
P.Great stay, would recommend for anyone who needs a night away. Duncan the general manager is an awesome host. Helps out in anyway he can. Good deals. Great communication. Great relaxing accommodation Highly recommend
M. S.We stayed here with the wedding party the night before our wedding at Tui Hills and the night of the wedding. We stayed at the gate villa and booked a few other rooms. Views were stunning and there was plenty of space for the bridal party to get ready. Very convenient and pleasant stay.
c.Absolutely highly recommend staying at the beautiful Waitakere Resort and Spa,
The service was amazing, relaxing few days away. Will be back again ☺️☺️
Y.I attended multiple seminars and workshops at the resort and their hospitality has been above and beyond each time. Special mention to Duncan who took the trouble to personally post personal items I accidentally left behind to me, saving me driving across Auckland to get them.
A++
E. C.Wow what a great visit, what a great price on the grabone deal, amazing staff, delicious dinner, stunning views, really pretty and tidy rooms, gorgeous birds in the area, gardens are immaculate, I could go on. What a beautiful driveway and gates, sure two cars can't go past but use common sense and regulate your speed. Gorgeous. Stunning.
Yes it was dated and needed sprucing up but come on, that's charm and character to me, and not everyone has an unlimited budget so I think they did awesome.
I felt comfortable and relaxed!
Hannah on reception is a stunning young lady and we commend her on everything :)
We stayed in room 5 on 13th sep.
Advice: pillow protectors zips need replaced, breakfast was good but could use some loving, dinner prices were up there but totally worth it, thank you for making my white Russian cocktail I can't wait to come back and see your new cocktail menu. Pool was shallow and needed a clean but still cool, a spa somewhere would have been so awesome, and some more beverages available in the rooms.
Gorgeous, charming, comfortable, happy.
J. B.Stunning venue! Honestly the views you get from here are gorgeous. You get to see basically the whole of auckland city (not just central, you can up to albany and down past greenlane ish area). The drive out is also really great.
So for me the whole experience started when we came down the drive, its quite a long drive and it IS two-way so be careful. You drive down with bush either side and go through a couple gates. The is the occasional sign to let you know you are still on the right track. Then you go round a single car-width path and circle up to reception and park with a cool view (Mr. Bond).
Once you get inside you are hit with retro nolstagia. The hotel looks like it's been there for a while and it has been upkept well. The staff were all brilliantly helpful and friendly and made check-in a brease. The room was lovely! Well maintained faucets and shower and all of it was clean and tidy. This is one of the cleanest rooms I have been into. The room itself felt cozy without being too small. Plus the large mirror that hung in the bedroom was a great addition.
You get a smart TV which is connected to freeview channels and there is also free WIFI that you can use.
We tried out the swimming pool which was understandably COLD - but super refreshing.
The resturant's selling point is the super good view looking out across the waitakeres and towards the city. The view is gorgeous and I found myself spending half of dinner just taking in the sights.
Dinner itself was just gorgeous, it is priced to match some of the higher restuarants in auckland but then again, that is the quality that you get.
I thought breakfast could have a couple more options or some difference variety in the breakfast options.
Overall our stay was comforting and inviting, thanks to a mix of brilliant staff and lovely rooms and features.
It would have been cool if there was a free use spa, the spas they have are only usable with their spa packages (to my understanding at least). I also think some more sped signs along the driveway would be a big help. When arriving someone almost ran into us because he was driving in the middle of the driveway. We both slowed down with loads of room to spare, and I think he got enough of a fright :P
I'm very much looking forward to coming back! Thank you all for making my stay superb.
w. w.Chris Ronalde and Win Will
Me and my partner had a memorable stay at the Waitakere Resort and Spa- away from the city just serene and peaceful atmosphere to unwind and relax. The road trip was so beautiful with such beautiful scenic forest view.
Our check in was smooth and quick. We were welcomed by the lovely Mira. Thank you Mira 🙂
Our room was so beautiful and neat. We had a lovely and thoughtful welcome card by Duncan.🙂The view from our room was awesome ....especially at night to see the Auckland City with the splendid City lights.
Dinner was delicious many thanks to the Chef and lovely Janet who served us kindly and checked on us to make sure we enjoyed our meal.
We had a peaceful sleep the beds were comfortable and at night we left the balcony door open to hear the sounds of the wild birds at night....and the cool breeze altogether made it so relaxing!!. Breakfast was very filling and our thanks to Arona for being very efficient during a busy morning and keeping up a smile the whole time.
We will definitely be back !!! Thank you Duncan you are an amazing Host....!!! You and your team made us feel really special🙂
E.We visited for the spa and high tea. Yuma was fantastic and went out of her way to make sure we had a great experience. The high tea was delicious and they were able to cater for dietary requirements.
E.An excellent experience.
The driveway winds through the Waitakere Ranges and makes you feel as though you are on an adventure! We arrived slightly earlier than check in time and were offered refreshments while we waited. The room was immaculate. The furnishings were extremely tasteful and the room was spacious and open. Thoughtful touches such as a coffee plunger and milk in the mini fridge were such a nice surprise. The view from the room was breathtaking. You could see the Auckland Sky Tower in the distance.
All staff we encountered were so helpful and polite.
The gym at the resort was a great little extra. It has a number of cardio machines, a bench and some free weight dumbbells ranging from 2kg to 20kgs. This could definitely use a few extra things like potentially a smith machine with some plates and definitely some mirrors! The area was open and comfortable to workout in. After our workout we hit the sauna! This was amazing. Such a well maintained sauna with towels waiting stacked neatly in the sauna itself. Right next door is a shower so you can take breaks in between! The accommodation also has a pool which is very clean.
We had the set menu at the accommodation restaurant for new years eve. The antipasti platter for two was a bit scarce especially as the menu said it included cheeses. The mains were delicious but the chicken was a bit cold and the desserts were so tasty although they were very small! Overall wonderful.
The beds were luxurious to sleep in and you wake up to such a beautiful view. The resort has two hiking trails and we opted for the 15 minute one as we couldn't find the two hour track.
The breakfast was beyond what we were expecting with a buffet spread including eggs, bacon, hash browns, mushrooms tomatoes, museli, cereals, juices and some delicious pastries.
Checkout was seamless and we will definitely be staying again. Thank you all so much for a great stay.
A. P.Absolutely beautiful spot!
Definitely a hidden treasure.
The restaurant dinner menu had very good size delicious mains.
A lot of work goes into the gardens and surrounds. Very well looked after.
H. J.Had dinner here last night, absolutely adore this place. The service from staff was excellent, the food was delicious, and the view amazing as always.
The reason I'm not giving this 5 stars is because we ordered seasonal vegetables with dinner and received Brussel sprouts & beans. Our mains came out with beans on them (so why double up?) If Id known the mains came with beans and 1 stalk of brocollini, I wouldnt have ordered a side of veges. I sent the sprouts back and was still charged for them.
My partners lamb was delicious but ridiculously sized, seriously two tiny peices and for $40? We ended up at the takeaway store afterwards because he was still hungry.
Oh and a wasp kept flying in and not one staff member came to assist even though I had to jump up from my table 3 times.
All that aside, this place IS a hidden gem.
M.HIGH TEA:
After several phone calls and emails we finally managed to make a reservation for our preferred day. We had trouble finding the restaurant as there was no signage. The receptionist was very helpful and pointed us in the right direction. The restaurant seemed puzzled that we were there and weren’t prepared for us or the other group that came in after us. The food took half an hour to come out. The spinach and feta tart was quite nice and the pastry melted in your mouth. Also on the bottom tray was a cheese scone which was undercooked, butter, runny jam and strange tasting whipped cream. On the next tray up was a beef and lettuce bun with a chutney the beef had no flavour almost like it had been soaked in water. The club sandwich had so much mayonnaise that was all I could taste. There was a pulled pork slice with caramelised onion which was okay. On the top plate was a shot glass with a chocolate Cremeux which was described as chocolate custard it had an orange zest syrup which was quite pleasant, there was a chocolate roulade cake with no flavour not even chocolate flavour, the Louise cake was stock standard and the coconut fell off as it was not cooked with the egg white and sugar mixture that it is usually cooked with to hold it in place. Finally the pear and almond frangipane tart was lovely until I found fabric fibres in the tart and to top it all off the coffee was burnt.
B. T. W.Came here with my husband for our 5th year wedding anniversary, nice to see they are LGBT+ friendly. We got the apartment spa with view and the view by itself is worth a million bucks. The spa bath was great fit two average size people. The staff is friendly with two modern TVs in the room. The restuarant by itself is 5 stars with amazing food and a good selection of drinks.
B.This probably was a great hotel in its day. It needs to be updated. The room was not air conditioned . The hot water was out for the entire building and the front desk did not know this until we told them. They seemed short on help as the front desk clerk was also the waiter in the restaurant. The food in the restaurant was good but pricey. It did have a great view of Auckland. They had trails, gardens, and croquet on the grounds which we had to discover because they really didn't tell us fully about. The drive in is hardly enough for two cars so beware. This could be much better since it in a great location near Piha Beach which we thoroughly enjoyed. I hope someone invests in it as there were hardly any guests and we stayed on a Sunday night.
N. D.The team at Waitakere Rest and Spa are awesome. Duncan, Cherry and the rest really looked after us and their hospitality was second to none.
They were very flexible in accommodating us on short notice and went out of their way to make our stay enjoyable.
The location itself is great. There are brilliant views over the Waitakeres and towards the Sky Tower and Coromandel, which can be enjoyed during both day and night. There are a couple of bush walks around where we spotted a few native birds, you wouldn't normally see in the city. They do have a pool too, but we didn't have the time to use it.
The food and drinks were perfect too. They had a busy night in the restaurant, but still managed to ensure we were well looked after. We had the 6 course degustation and everything on there was so perfectly cooked. My favourite was the pork belly and I even stole my partners share off her plate.
Breakfast was cooked and enjoyed with a view.
The room itself was clean, tidy, very warm and had a nice view and balcony to enjoy.
E. K.Gorgeous property! The room was nice and luxurious, the view from it was fantastic, and the grounds are to die for. The rainforest surrounding it is full of birds, beautifully kept, and really gives the place a feeling of a retreat. my husband and I loved staying there and will definitely stay again whenever we are next in the area.
K.We held our Christmas function here, the location is fantastic, views are magnificent. There was some major construction going on and great to see progress. My 3 rating goes specifically on the service, whilst the food was great, they are disorganized, still setting tables up as we arrived, waiting over 30min for refreshments, firstly told to sit down and they will serve us that never happened. It seems making a large booking no planning was done, the team was not prepared, had to wait 20m just for a lemon! I think the could have increased the sales by at least 30% by just giving us a group of 26 some service! Lost opportunity very disappointing.
S. L.Best view while you are dining. Great value for the food and service. It will be a perfect place for those who want some privacy and peace. You are not next to the nature. You are right in the nature. Fresh breeze comes with the scent from flowers and trees. You can spend one night or two here and to wake up in the beautiful Waitakere morning fog. Lovely
M.We visited for afternoon tea towards the end of January and everything was lovely. The lady at reception was polite and quick to find out if there was space for us. The waitress was great, very attentive and quick. Our afternoon tea platter was delicious and freshly prepared. All in all, a great afternoon.
N. P.The views are fantastic but the buildings and rooms are quite dated. If you're looking for somewhere modern and luxurious this isn't the place for you. The service is great, very friendly and helpful staff.
Very comfortable bed. Peaceful and relaxing atmosphere.
F. E.Beautiful area. Clean rooms. Nice shower. Delicious dinner. Average buffet breakfast. Very friendly service! Lovely massage.
H. G. (.Really nice place to stay in a gorgeous setting. Really nice room but it is a little dated and some damage to the room.
Very happy with breakfast as they had gluten free options for me but it was very slow service as there was only one person working.
T.Try to see this place as a remarkable piece of Auckland's history. Our room was large and well set out with a small balcony overlooking the pool. Reading the history of the house was interesting. Check out time was not until 11 am so we had time to take a short walk into the bush before we left.
T.As soon as we arrived we were met by the warm glow of the fire in reception, which was very welcome on a wet & windy Auckland afternoon. Warm and well decorated in keeping with the character of the hotel. My room was clean and tidy but suffering from significant wear. A beautiful location.
L.Hard to believe this is 30 min from our house on the North Shore. Feels like a world away! So relaxing! Great pool. Awesome shower. Massage lady can come to your room. Yummy food. Really nice staff. We'll be back!
R.Incredibly beautiful setting, we loved our time here. It's got a helipad, pool, walkways and much more... Highly recommended for an office function, OR if you planning a wedding, OR if you need a relaxing weekend away. All Food was to highest standards. Thank you to the friendly staff, we had a wonderful time.
b. b.Best time ever, super comfortable bed & bed linen that makes you feel so rested. This combined with the peace & total darkness at night, fab food & scenery provided a wonderful retreat feel- far better than any local hotel could provide. Staff are lovely, highly recommend a visit. It's not just a room.
d.Waitakere Estate is an amazing destination for a luxury stay so close to Auckland. The staff is very friendly and welcoming. The views are spectacular by day or night. The chefs are superb and go out of their way to accomodate guests.
T.Staff were helpful and friendly and there were a few lovely little extra touches. I had the omlette which was very nice and my wife had the french toast which was very different to anywhere we had seen before and it was excellent. We were made to feel very welcome all times.
C. M.Amazing! The service was phenomenal! We loved the breakfast feast! The views were breath taking. The room was very spacious and warm. Cozy beds! Brilliant!!!!!
P. H.Greeted with a warm welcome, very clean and well presented reception room resturant areas. Quiet very peaceful surroundings and just stunning views from our room of Auckland. Highly recommended!
B. G.A great location for a retreat or small conference. Helpful staff and good food. The views are incredible, and the classic old lounge area is a great place to unwind in the evening.
S. K.My partner and I booked in for a meal and it was absolutely fabulous! The food was beautifully cooked and presented on the plate, the staff were very warm and frendly and the veiw of the city lights were breathtaking. Highly recommended!
T.The driveway is a little scary especially on a motorcycle but just keep following your nose and the carpark is right up by the main entrance. The dinner we had that night was pleasant but there were long waits between sitting down, ordering and being served our food. At full price the value is questionable.
N. G.The veiws are to die for and the staff are lovely, the food was beautiful 😍rooms are amazing and the views, big ups to the cleaners room was brilliant cleaners dont get thanked enough
T.The hotel is so far away from anything else that it needs something to entertain guests in the evening. Having recently stayed there found the place old and needing some TCL in the room we were in. Expensive and Ordinary. The service excellent. The room was very comfortable and well appointed.
A.Had the best massage and facial/bubbles combo 😍 I would highly recommend!
R.We had a great time here. Rooms are clean and well-presented. Lovely setting. Quiet and peaceful. Food is spectacular.
K. S.Lukewarm feelings about this place. Food was pretty good but odd hospitality vibe e. No children in dining room allowed when we went.
N.Wonderful spot in dense native forest with brilliant service, food and excellent rooms. A real gem and great escape from city living - and so close to AK!
G. D.Good food, very quiet, friendly staff, great spa bath, great setting up in the bush.
R. C.Fantastic experience. From the drive through scenic rain forest to the welcome and rooms which have been updated end of 2015. We have lived in Auckland since the 80's and did not know this place was here. The views back over Auckland were amazing and the gardens are kept in tip top condition.
The food especially the breakfast was just beautiful. Very helpful staff. We would definitely stay here again.
Thank you for a great break away.
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