Maruia Hot Springs

I’ve been a loyal guest at Maruia over the years and used to consider it a truly special place. Peaceful, welcoming, and thoughtfully run. But after my recent stay, I sadly won’t be returning. This time, I was travelling solo and discovered there was no way to book a package as a single guest. I didn’t want to pay for a full couple’s package just for myself, so I booked the room on its own and asked to have meals added separately. I received confirmation that meals had been added, but was never told the price. There was no mention that they cost $50 each until I was presented with a $200 bill at checkout. I would never have agreed to that had I been informed. When I raised this at reception, the staff member was rude and mean-spirited, saying bluntly, “Well, you ate them, you have to pay for them.” It was humiliating. I paid the bill because it was my daughter’s 18th birthday and I didn’t want to cause a scene or ruin her special weekend. This was on top of paying $700 for two nights in a room where the hot water didn’t work properly. The food was disappointing with very limited options, the yoga space was in disrepair, and the staff felt disengaged throughout. I’d also mentioned several times that I was there with my daughter and her partner for her 18th birthday. No one acknowledged it. For how much you pay to stay there, that lack of care was pretty astounding. I followed up with an email and received a response that completely denied responsibility, despite the clear lack of communication around pricing. It was dismissive and at odds with their legal obligations under the Fair Trading Act and Consumer Guarantees Act. It genuinely feels like the place has changed management since my earlier visits, which were exceptional. It’s a real shame to see how far it has declined. I would no longer recommend going here to stay or eat. The pools are still beautiful, but if you want a relaxing hot springs experience where you’re treated with care and respect, Hanmer Springs is a much better option. It’s also less of a trek to get to.

Third time here and we had a wonderful time. Every detail here with the food, staff, service, smiles down to the decor is just beautiful. The sauna infusion is defo worth a shot and for anyone brave enough to take a dip in the cold plunge… I had made an error with my booking and the man at check out helped hugely which I appreciate. Thank you for a peaceful escape at Maruia Hot Springs.

Maruia offers the perfect blend of Resort life meets Wes Anderson and Fawlty Towers. Our fave staffer is Joe, who manages to deliver seamless and fabulous 5 star service amongst the chaos of various family groups, tour groups, and urbanites there for a wee 'trip'. We love Joe! We love Maruia! We love its Japanese heritage and the fact the staff seem to do everything. The guy that makes your coffee also takes the sauna infusion, then serves you dinner two hours later. It's the best blend of quirky resort life and there's nothing else like it

Maruia is certainly unique! It is a picturesque location, away from the hub bub of life. The amenities are good, the rooms spacious, the pools fantastic and the guest lounge a cozy haven on a winters day. However, to enjoy Maruia you must lower your expectations of four star service. An error in booking meant our organiser failed to book enough rooms for our group. The reception staff informed us they were fully booked and seemed to think the matter resolved - despite us travelling more than 4 hours and a plane ride before that to reach the location. We said a member of our party was happy to sleep on the floor if a mattress could be provided - we were happy to pay a fee, of course. It took three requests by three separate members of our group til they ultimately said "it's not possible" with zero empathy or alternative solutions offered. Finally we approached a fourth staff member - Joe - who had some empathy - and he arranged for a mattress in one of the rooms. The next morning, a room had become available, but they did not mention it to us and when I enquired at reception - to the same ambivalent, slow, rude and unhelpful person as the day prior- was told I was lucky "as they'd listed the room online and no one had taken it". We had asked them the night prior to let us know if a room became available and they assured us they would. For $357 a night, I'd expect better and more accommodating service than this. It's almost comical how disorganised staff are, and how disinterested some of them are in helping you. We arrived for a dinner reservation two minutes early and were told "you're too early, we can't serve you" and they sent us away. The manner is brusque, apathetic and poor. Joe was wonderful and allayed some of the issues, but service was wildly inconsistent. It's a beautiful spot and I would hate to see the consistent poor reviews regarding customer service here derail a once flourishing hospitality venture. Without Joe's efforts, I wouldn't have been able to recommended this place to friends.

Having driven past this hotel many times, I was excited to book in for a night with a friend and to enjoy the hot pools and what looked like a cosy and relaxing place to be. Positives: The lovely young American man on reception when we arrived was super helpful and friendly when we arrived. The location is stunning and the outdoor hot pools were a real treat. The deep tissue massage I booked - the masseuse did a wonderful job. Loose leaf tea in the rooms was delicious Negatives: Where to start.... Paper thin walls/ceilings in the room - I could hear someone snoring all night in the room above me and it kept me awake. The rooms were small and while renovated, not worth the price. The bin in the bathroom had not been emptied from the previous guests. The room was not worth the price. The dinner - the entree of soup was served without any bread and was very small. My friends lamb was tough and chewy. Overall an underwhelming meal for the price. I left something behind in my room (cleanser) and when I contacted the hotel less than 24 hours later to say I would call past and pick it up, I was told that it had been thrown out for 'hygiene' reasons - I was not even given a chance to recover it. Very costly to me! We went to check out at 7.30 am and reception was closed and inaccessible and there was no key drop area or advice around reception hours in the window. It is a lovely setting and the potential for this hotel to be a fantastic place to visit it there. It did not live up to my expectations however, and I doubt that I will go back or recommend it - especially for the very high prices.

My wife selected this place. Great choice. The food was a fine dining experience considering the remote location. Nearby trails to walk. We stayed in a pod. Cozy. The bed was heavenly. Walking distance to the potty. The spa was very relaxing with the various pools. There is a cold plunge pool. We both had booked a message. Mine was great. I had some spots well worked on my left calf and back. The red Beech forest is beautiful.