Skotel Alpine Resort

Giving if four stars, mainly for the location and friendly service. We stayed in a whanau room, which was OK and basically what we expected for the price. The communial kitchen however was rather under whelming -not enough cutlery and many of the pans and pots are just worn out. Showers were tepid at best, the water system cannot keep up properly when the hotel is full. The location is perfect however, 10 mins from Whakapapa ski field. I would think twice about staying in the back-packer kind of rooms if you need quiet, its rather noisy with kids and doors banging etc, the usual sort of thing. We were OK and slept relatively OK, but I can see if you're a "quiet night" sort of person you should go for the private cabins away from the action. Having the Edge gear hire on site made things easy. I did not try the restaurant, looked ok and was quite busy both nights we were there.

I booked here because the other hotel is fully booked. I'm glad we made a booking here. lots of pillows provided, plenty of towels, efficient air conditioning and strong wifi connection. The outer building and surroundings look very simple, but it's elegant inside, and you can access most of the amenities indoors. They have a bar and restaurant, which I was keen to try, but I had ingredients to make a nice pasta meal and went to use their kitchen with lots of utensils; they even have rice cookers.

Location location location! Super close to Whakapapa ski resort only 10 minute drive. Ski hire is also in the same building and super convenient. We had a room with mountain view and the view is magnificent..! Please be noted the walls are very thin so you can hear your next room neighbors very easily. Resort should notify all of their customers about keeping the noise down at night. Otherwise very convenient place, clean and well maintained.

I paid $80 a night for a backpacker queen room and my review is based on value for money. This place was an absolute bargain, really warm room with great wall heater and heated towel warmer. Comfy bed, with heavy warm blankets. Well stocked guest lounge with fridges, appliances, cutlery and everything else you need to make breakfast and lunch. Fancy restaurant, perhaps a little over priced but great food. Great snowboard hire store, a lot cheaper than the mountain. Dying room for after the mountain and a sauna. Our rooms didn’t have bathrooms but wasn’t ever an issue as showers and toilets were never busy and we had a sink for water and brushing teeth. Beautiful views of the mountains outside. Would highly recommend and looking forward to returning.

The family room accommodation was perfect for our family of four. Awesome that there were kitchen facilities so we could cook our own food. Absolutely amazed at the playroom, we have a 2 & 4 year old, so this was a perfect way for them to unwind. Would recommend to friends and family.

Mixed Experience on Our Second Stay This was our second time staying at Skotel Alpine Resort. We've always loved its kid-friendly environment, with plenty of toys and a relaxing restaurant that serves decent food. It’s a spot I’ve happily recommended to friends in the past. However, this recent visit was disappointing. The bunk bed ladder suddenly detached and fell, and my son was injured as it landed on him when he climb on it. This wasn’t just a minor accident — it was a serious safety failure due to poor maintenance. When we raised the issue with the front desk, we were told that nothing could be done as it's part of the old hotel design. That response felt dismissive and left us feeling unheard. To make things worse, on the second day, we returned to our room and found cleaning chemicals/tools left unattended—a safety risk, especially with a curious young child. We still appreciate the charm and potential of this place, but sadly, we’re now more cautious about recommending it to families with young kids. We hope the management considers some simple safety improvements, especially in family rooms.

Absolutely loved this place! The free lounge kitchen has all things you'll need-- even had free to use BBQ. And i super love the private sauna which was $5 for half an hour!! Also great view of the mountains. Made me wish i stayed longer lol.

I have such mixed feelings about this place 😅 Great location, near to the Whakapapa base. The rooms are really dated but clean (which is impressive). The ensuite shower was low key amusing (spraying everywhere) and the soap/shampoo provided was hardly anything. Definitely bring your own. Restaurant was very average, you're better off bringing your own food to cook. Kitchen isn't the cleanest looking but functional. Additionally, they have their own ski rental facility in the lodge which is so convenient and affordable. It's just really dated equipment and possibly the worst quality rental I've ever used, skis kicked off multiple times on the slopes so again. Mixed feelings! Overall, you can see why I'd have mixed feelings (haha)