Mt Prospect High Country Station (Te Anau)
 

Has anyone stayed at this ranch? So many wonderful choices in Queenstown but not in Te Anau. Campbell's Motor Lodge seems a popular choice on this forum. The cost difference between Mt. Prospect and Campbells is $160--is it worth it? We only need one night in Te Anau to see the Glow Worm caves and leave for the Doubtful Sound trip in the morning. Driving back into town for dinner, coupled with the cave tour might be a hassle.

Mt Prospect Station and Campbell AutoLodge are not really comparable.
Campbell AutoLodge is a Motel. There is a lounge which overlooks Lake Te Anau, and one bedroom. The is also a small kitchen, and a bathroom. No meals are provided. Cambell AutoLodge is right in the Te Anau township.

Mt Prospect is a high country sheep station, about 20 miles from Te Anau. Meals are provide, and the Cockburn's are very gratious hosts. I feel that you would be doing the place an injustice to rush dinner to go to the Glow worm Caves. It's the sort of place you would want to just relax and soak up the ambiance.

If you are looking for something a bit more up market than a motel you might like to try Fiordland Lodge. This is four miles from Te Anau on the Milford Road. Owned by Ron and Robyn Peacock. Robyn's family own Real Journeys, which run the Doubtful Sound and Milford Sound overnight cruises, as well as the Te Anau Caves, Milford Sound day cruises, Coaches, Aircraft etc etc. Real Journeys are the largest tour company in New Zealand.

Some reports say that Fiordland Lodge is a bit cold in the winter. If you are comming in the summer that shouldn't be a problem. It in a spectacular setting on a hill overlooking the South Fiord of Lake Te Anau.

Thanks for explaining the differences. I will check out Fiordland Lodge. The motel concept is not very appealing to us so I am glad to hear of another option.

I looked at the Fiordland Lodge and although it looks fabulous, spending over $500 US per night is too high. Isn't there anything in between Campbell's and this expensive lodge?

There's not much between Motels and the really expensive stuff.
There are a few hotels in Te Anau. Try Te Anau Hotel and Villas, or The Village Inn.

Te Anau Hotel is pretty good. The hotel rooms are all PF and about half of them face the lake. The other half face the gardens. The Villas are self contained apartments out back of the hotel. There is full meal service, bar, conference rooms etc.

The Village Inn is similar. The hotel is themed like a turn of the centuary NZ main street. each unit's frontage is like an old shop - grocer, hardware, etc. The interiors are just like hotel rooms. There is a dining room and bar.

Of these two I would probably opt for the Village Inn, but they are both about the same standard. Not sure of the prices, but probably between $150 and $250. Depends when you want to stay.

Hope you are not by now terminally confused.

Barry

We stayed at the Cat's Whiskers B&B when we were in Te Anau in 2000 and liked it very much. It was not expensive and had a delicious breakfast.

Don't be too quick to write off Motels. I know in the States motels have a rather seedy reputation. This is not the case in New Zealand, where most motels are of very high standard, and generally offer better quality accommodation than most hotels, although without the bar and meal service.

Bed and breakfasts and Home Stays are a good option if you want to interact with your host. Some of these have separate accommodation, and are more like a motel in this respect, but in most cases you will be sharing the home with your hosts. Many, but not all, have en suite bathrooms.

Home Stays are not nessesarily cheap options. Mt Prospect is a Home (Farm) Stay; admittedly at the top end of the market, but most are at least as expensive as Motels or Hotels.

Check out the Qualmark site (www.qualmark.co.nz) for an indication of the quality of various accommodation options. The Motel Association site (www.manz.co.nz)is a good source for information on NZ motels.

Happy Hunting.

vbca was reading my mind - I came back to this thread specifically to mention that motels in NZ and Australia are nothing like motels in the US.

When traveling in NZ and Australia, we actually prefer motels to other accommodation - they're usually spacious, clean, comfortable and well equipped. Most motel rooms also include a small kitchenette with refrigerator, microwave, tea and coffee making facilities, etc.

We don't usually cook while we're on vacation, but having a fridge in our room is always a perk. We tend to collect lots of wine from NZ wineries and it's nice to grab a chilled bottle of white before heading out to a BYO restaurant (another brilliant concept that I wish would catch on the US!)

I really appreciate your comments about motels. You are right that I have a grim image of motels resulting from years of childhood vacations across the US. I vowed when I grew up I would always avoid any accommodations using the word motel. Everyone on Trip Advisor raves about the Campbells auto lodge in Te Anau. In Dunedin, I found a new 5 star Qualmark Motel on York which looks very nice. The rates are incredible--$119US for a suite or $105 for a superior studio. I now have the courage to give both of those places a try--thanks for your encouragement.