The Hilton in Taupo was a surprise (in a good way). I’ve been in my fair share of Hiltons, but this wasn’t your typical corporate build. In fact, it’s the old Terraces Hotel (a heritage building dating back to the 1880s), which Hilton has taken over and combined with a moddern wing.
As soon as you walked up to reception, you knew which part was what, and, frankly, it all made the place more interesting then your average cookie-cutter chain hotel. It was primarily chosen because of where it is (on the lake with those mountain views)… But I found myself spending longer than expected simply walking around the old building and taking in the details.
This is definitely one worth considering if you are visiting Taupo and looking for somewhere with a little more character than the usual choices. Here’s what I thought of it.
What I Liked About the Hilton Lake Taupo
Hilton Lake Taupo
There is also that old verandah wrapping around the front; the type of verandah you see on old pictures of hotels throughout New Zealand. They’ve left it pretty much as is in the heritage wing. There is the original entrance too, which they’ve kept pretty much intact.
I parked out front by the covered entrance and walk inside. It was weird in a good way, walking into a Hilton but through a door that has been there longer than I has been alive.
The old part has been maintained well, they’ve obviously spent money on making it look smart. Next door there’s a modern wing that are all very nice but lacks any sort of presence. There’s a bike rack by the drive.
It’s always good to spot, as Taupo is flat enough that you can actualy cycle around town if you want to.
Nothing fancy, just tidy: the planting around the heritage entrance had been well kept. You see the full extent of the old frontage from the car park, with its long roofline and dormers. The modern wing is marked off by a separate reception welcome sign and the big Hilton sign, making it easy to work out where to go if this is your first visit.
The real selling point for me was the lawn leading down to the lake. After checking in we just went wandering around and when the view finally opened up. There was Lake Taupo stretching out before us with the mountains in the background.
There were some flags they had flying down by the water too, a little extra ceremony to the entire set-up. From the grounds you are looking right at the lake, no buildings or roads getting in your way. The hotel is pretty much on the lake.
The interior of the heritage wing lobby was unexpectedly cosy for a Hilton. They’d retained the old-world timber look to the reception desk and filled out the seating areas with vintage furnitures: a cart that appeared to have been there forever and some velvet chairs that gave the space an air of permanence. No gutting and going all corporate here.
I approved.
A nice touch is that there’s a coffee urn in the lobby with some glasses ready to go for those arriving and departing. It’s a functional, not a fancy, brushed steel lift lobby and the seating consist of a mixture of armchair.
As you walk down the heritage corridor, you’ll see framed paintings on the wall. You’ll also see a staircase with the classic New Zealand hotel feel, with solid banisters and timber. Additionally, you’ll notice the directory still lists “Cellar Lounge” and “The Terraces“.
They’ve retained the old names for the dining spaces, and it makes sense in this historic building.
The room we were given was one of those in the heritage part of the building, and bigger than I’d imagined. It had a large, comfy bed. I have to say I did take some time to work out how it all worked.
The bathroom is partly open plan, and there’s a free-standing bath slap bang in the middle of the room. I wasn’t a fan at first, but it turned out okay. It was nice to be able to use the bath for a good soak after a day of sightseeing.
There was also a full length mirror next to the door. A bedside lamp cast a reasonable amount of light for reading. They had also installed a tall wardrobe unit.
Overall, it felt more like staying in a home than in a standard hotel room, which I rather approved of.
There was the standard iron and ironing board stashed away in the wardrobe. Also, the minibar area was fully stocked. There was a coffee machine that I used daily.
They had also posted a minibar price list. Beers were around nine dollars each, which isn’t outrageous by New Zealand hotel standards but is still pretty steep.
There was also a small under-counter fridge that was well-stocked with drinks.
I didn’t go out one night so grabbed a couple of bottles instead, and it got the job done. As for the bathroom, this was smartly done too. It featured a decent set of toiletries, a wall-hung basin and a freestanding bath with a floor tap so you could easily fill it up.
It all felt well looked after and clean. The fully-enclosed glass shower had a mixer/rail-handed handset that did what it needed to do; there was no fuss. There were three wall-mounted dispensers in the recess…
Body wash, conditioner, shampoo… So there was none of that single-use bottle clutter everywhere. The water pressure was solid and the temperature was consistent.
No complaints from me. In summary: The Hilton is definitely worth staying at if you’re visiting Taupo for a few days and looking for something with a bit of character (and a good lake view). While it’s not perfect (the mini-bar prices are the mini-bar prices, and the open-plan bathroom isn’t going to suit everyone), the character of the old Terraces Hotel and its location really distinguishes it from other Hiltons.
Have you ever stayed in a heritage hotel that surprised you?