Location: This place is situated in the heart of the national park very close to the tongariro crossing trail head but is a little pricey. They operate the earliest shuttle at 5.45 am and have rental rain jackets incase you have forgotten to get one.
Food: The only thing where we had problem was food.We reached the lodge at 8.00pm and to our surprise the restaurant was closed for the day and there wasnt anything else around. However the lady at the front desk was kind enough to direct us to the nearest restaurant which was 8 km away and also explained about the Tongariro crossing in depth. She was also helpful enough to leave a packed lunch for our hike next morning in our room while we were away looking for dinner.
Staff: The reception staff was friendly. The room service was also prompt
Rooms: They have a lot of options from camping grounds to basic rooms to chalets. We were in the basic room category since our purpose was to only spend a few hours.
Experience: Positive – Must stay place if you are planning to do the crossing as you get the advantage of location.