J H
Google
We stayed in Dome 6 and overall had a mixed experience.
First, the positives: the location is absolutely beautiful with a stunning view of the surrounding landscape. Our bed was super comfortable and the breakfast was nice . The entire site is very well maintained and clean. The shared facilities, including the bathrooms and showers, were spotless and clearly well cared for.
However, there were a few things that made our stay less comfortable.
Our dome did not have an ensuite composting toilet, so we had to walk to the nearby bathroom building during the night. It was close, so this was manageable, but it’s something guests may want to be aware of.
The main issue for us was the temperature during the night. It was extremely (!! ) cold despite the provided hot water bottles and blankets.
We ended up sleeping in our thermal hiking clothes, which we had actually packed for outdoor activities.
Even with that, it was still very cold and honestly close to being unacceptable for a glamping experience.
Our dome did not have a stove or heater, while some of the other domes seemed to have one.
At breakfast we spoke with other guests who told us they had also been very , very cold during the night — and they even had a stove in their dome. That made it pretty clear how cold it must have been for us without any heat source at all.
Had we known this beforehand, we likely would have chosen differently, as we usually expect some kind of heat source when booking glamping
accommodation.
The welcome was also a bit underwhelming. We were greeted by the owners’ daughter, and the interaction felt rather cool and neutral. This is not a major issue for us, but it stood out because everywhere else in New Zealand we experienced extremely warm and friendly hospitality.
EDIT
They confirmed that while Dome 6 is normally equipped with a diesel heater, it had been temporarily removed for maintenance to prepare for winter. They did not anticipate the temperatures dropping so significantly this early in the season ( 3°C weather) and offered a partial refund.
I think that is fair - I changed my 4 Star review to a 5 Star review