Philipp Stech
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South Island ▷ Mount Cook - MacKenzie ▷ Lake Tekapo ▷
Lakes Edge Holiday Park
We strongly recommend NOT to stay on this campsite.
These are the reasons:
- The campsite is huge, but it doesn't have sufficient facilities for the number of guests (e.g. stoves, sinks in the bathrooms). Be prepared to queue during peak times
- Some sites have lake view, but especially large motorhomes will need to park towards the back of the area which is next to the highway (and noisy)
- They are paranoid about strangers using their facilities and hence everything is locked with PIN codes; makes a lot of fun if you want to use the toilet in the middle of the night but you can't remember the code. Or that your have to enter code of the kitchen door every time you want to throw something in the garbage
- The power on our site was gone just when we prepared breakfast
- There was a long queue when we checked in late afternoon; they just had one counter open while the owner was also in the reception without serving any customers. It shouldn't be a surprise that so many customers check in late afternoon when you run such a huge campsite
- They have a lot of flies and insects which obviously is not their fault. But they could do something against the insect cemetery in the kitchen/bathroom in the morning as it was really gross
- You will need to love dual gender bathrooms if you plan to stay here
Considering the amount of money they charge the service is simply not keeping up accordingly. Bad value for money.
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South Island ▷ Fiordland ▷ Manapouri ▷
Possum Lodge Motel and Holiday Park
Possum Lodge lives from its location (close to the stone beach, close to the Doubtful Sound departure point), but that's about it.
The facilities are run down and it is obvious that the place hasn't seen much investments (neither time nor money) in the recent past. Owners/staff rather unfriendly trying to rent out every square meter of their land. Garbage bins are emptied only occasionally. Showers and toilets are 50m apart from each other. No dump station. Many sand flies.
This guest clearly has no idea or appreciation of the hospitality industry. We bought this camping ground a year ago and have spent many hours and money on it. You did not see it a year ago. We are working furiously on upgrading but this insulting guest has no idea and never asked. Regarding the bins - how would you know when they are emptied?? Did you watch them all day?? If you did watch them all day - very sad - you should spend more time enjoying the great outdoors and sights Fiordland has to offer. If you did not watch them all day - how would know when they were emptied?? This guest clearly needs to stay in sterile five star hotels and not in character filled, fun camping grounds
Henry