Mt Cook Lodge and Motels: Basic Amenities but With the Most Beautiful Views
I decided to stay at Mt Cook Lodge and Motels inside Aoraki Mt Cook National Park. A signboard showed the way towards the lodge.
It was a relaxed style motel and the rooms were a little like a hostel. It was casual but inviting.
There was a parking area in front of the motel where cars could be parked under some trees.
I could see the main lodge further away. It was located right in front of the snowcapped mountains. There were rooms with balconies on the second floor.
I wasn’t staying at the lodge. I had booked a room at the motel instead. That was a little distance away from the main lodge.
The driveway led right up to the motel. I could drive up to the front door and park my car easily.
I went up to my door and opened it. I was excited to look at my room.
It was a suite and there was a small kitchen along with the bedroom and bathroom.
I looked around the kitchen first. It seemed to have all the necessary items. I could even cook if I wanted.
The counters and the stove were all very clean. There was a sink where I could wash any dishes, pots and pans that I used.
The room had a double bed. It was quite big and spacious and there were chairs and sofas where guests could sit and work.
The kitchen even had a chimney above the stove so the fumes would not fill the whole room.
Right beside the chimney were some shelves. Glasses had been placed on the shelves and a note warned guests to open doors and windows while cooking. It also asked guests not to cook strong smelling items.
Other items kept on the shelves included glass bowls, a French press and coffee mugs.
I checked the microwave to make sure that it was working.
Then I turned my attention to the other things that the motel had provided. There were different flavored teas, sugar and coffee sachets, a packet of ginger biscuits and even some salt and pepper sachets.
Right beside this collection of tea and coffee, an electric kettle had been plugged into a socket.
Below the counter, there was a mini fridge.
I opened the door of the fridge and found a few small cartons of whole milk inside. There weren’t any cold beverages or water.
I was curious to see what was inside the kitchen drawers and cabinets.
The top drawer held some cutlery like spoons, forks and knives.
And the drawer under that held cooking utensils like spatulas, chopping knives and ladles.
I tugged open the cabinet doors. Strainers, cheese graters, plates and bowls and cleaning supplies had been neatly piled inside. There was even a toaster and an oven glove in one corner.
The motel had provided clear instructions about how to use the oven.
There were four burners of different sizes on the stove (maybe I’ll cook the freshwater king salmon I bought at the Alpine Salmon Shop at Lake Pukaki Visitor Centre here) and each of them had a knob or dial to control them.
Underneath the burners was the actual oven. Two clean kitchen towels were hanging from the handle.
The hotel staff had lined the bottom of the oven with aluminum foil. That way, there wouldn’t be any bad spills.
There were even warnings and safety instructions in case of a fire.
A sign let guests know the emergency number that we had to dial if a fire did break out.
In addition to that, there was a fire alarm that I could pull. I was glad that the motel took safety so seriously.
I opened the closet in the bedroom and found an iron on the top shelf.
An ironing board had been placed on one side, in case I needed to iron my clothes.
There were shelves and racks to store my things right next to the big TV.
Necessities like extra pillows and clothes hangers had been provided, as you can see in the image above.
I opened one drawer and found a pretty and colorful blanket.
Another drawer held a copy of the Bible and instructions about how to operate the air conditioner.
A small table and two chairs sat under the TV. Guests could sit down and have tea or a meal.
And there was a big and comfortable sofa right next to the back door.
The motel room had a double bed that was the perfect size for two people to sleep comfortably.
The Mt Cook Lodge and Motels had also provided a digital alarm clock, a telephone directory to call for help and some pen and paper. I had booked a non-smoking room.
The bathroom was quite spacious. It had white tiles all around and large windows behind the washbasin.
The shower stall was a little small but it was closed off by glass walls so the water would not spill everywhere.
I could turn the knob to the left or right for the correct temperature of water for my shower.
The shampoo, conditioner and body wash was named after places in New Zealand like Aoraki, Ruapehu and Reinga.
The hand towels and bath towels were all piled on a towel warmer. That way, the towels were kept warm and dry throughout the day.
The switches for the towel warmer and the fan were right beside the door, within easy reach of the guests.
There was even a small heater inside the bathroom. I would be able to switch it on and stay warm even while bathing.
The windows in the bathroom had blinds that I could pull down for privacy. A large round mirror was placed on the wall beside the sink. It was perfect for getting ready.
I decided to wash my hands and face and picked up one of the warm towels from the rack.
A container of hand and body wash and a tissue box sat beside the washbasin.
I opened the cupboard under the basin to find out what was inside. There was a folded hairdryer and a set of instructions about changing the towels. The motel was careful about conserving water since we were in a National Park.
In another corner, there was a new roll of toilet paper in case I ran out.
I stepped out of the back door of my motel room. There was a wooden bench outside but it was too cold to use during the winters. I was sure it would be a nice place to sit during the spring or summer months.
The grass and the trees had become brown and dry because it was winter. The ground wasn’t fully white with snow but there was still some snow lying here and there.
The best thing about this motel room was the view. The snowcapped mountains were right in front of me and they looked absolutely beautiful. It was so close that it looked like I could walk right up to the mountain.
The sky was very blue and the mountain was completely white with snow. It was one of the prettiest sights that I had ever seen. Mt Cook Lodge and Motels was a little basic (compared to the Hermitage Hotel). It wasn’t the most luxurious hotel but the view from the motel rooms made up for it!
