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Reviews of Black Swan Lakeside Boutique Hotel

5 out of 5
Black Swan Lakeside Boutique Hotel
171 Kawaha Point Road, Kawaha Point, Rotorua

Reviews

9.8

Exceptional

Rating 10 - Excellent. 69 out of 79 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 6 out of 79 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 4 out of 79 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 79 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 79 reviews" "

10/10

Cleanliness

9.8/10

Staff & service

9.2/10

Amenities

9.8/10

Property conditions & facilities

9.4/10

Eco-friendliness

Reviews

6/10 Okay

Edwin

Travelled with family and small children
Liked: Staff & service
Overpriced property. Older/not well maintained rooms. Our rooms have odor and bathroom has mildew odor. Was not comfortable stay.
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2024
Response from Bruce yang on 22 Apr 2024
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback with us. We're truly sorry to hear about your recent experience in our hotel . Please know that we take all feedback seriously and are actively addressing the issues you've mentioned with our team. We understand the importance of providing a comfortable and pleasant stay for all our guests, and we regret that we fell short in this instance. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience caused during your visit. If there's anything specific you would like to discuss further or if there's anything we can do to make amends, please don't hesitate to reach out to us directly. Thank you again for bringing these matters to our attention. We hope to have the opportunity to welcome you back in the future and demonstrate the improvements we've made based on your feedback.

6/10 Okay

Jay

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities
Disliked: Amenities
Did not like
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2024

10/10 Excellent

Susan

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The Black Swan is a beautiful property. We felt very welcomed and at home. We loved our room and all the extra amenities. The breakfast was exceptional! We would definitely stay again and highly recommend.
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2024

10/10 Excellent

Alex

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The property feels like a private home when you’re in the garden. We watched the sunset and played around in the garden and felt like we had the whole place to ourselves. It has a guest lounge with games and it feels like you could just hang out there for a week and enjoy yourself. We only had 2 nights but made ourselves right at home thanks to the hospitality of Rowena and her associate. Definitely stay at Black Swan!
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2023

8/10 Good

Valerie, Newburyport

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The property was well appointed and clean. The gardens and settings were lovely. Food was good, but not excellent. Limited options available for drinks.
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2023

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Beautiful Black Swan!
The Black Swan is a beautiful small boutique hotel. The grounds are gorgeous and the view of the lake is stunning. Rowena and the staff were extremely accommodating and so thoughtful. They treated us like family instead of guests. We had an early tour in the morning and they had our cooked to order breakfast ready an hour before they normally open to allow us to be picked up on time for our tour. We loved our stay and would definitely stay here again! Thank you Rowena! Cheers!
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2023

10/10 Excellent

Carmen, Gainesville

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
A n unforgettable experience. Extraordinary attention to detail.
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2023
Response from Rowena on 8 Nov 2023
Dear Carmen,Thank you for taking the time to review us! Your kind words are really appreciated. We love making wonderful experiences for our guests and we can’t wait to have the opportunity to make you smile again! Thanks for choosing us!Regards,Rowena

10/10 Excellent

Tim

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Beautiful location, modern rooms and friendly and attentive staff. Would highly recommend.
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2023
Response from Rowena on 7 Nov 2023
Dear Tim,Thank you for your kind words. We are glad that you have enjoyed your stay with us! We will share this with the team to let them know to keep up the amazing work.Regards,RowenaLodge Manager

10/10 Excellent

Mark

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Excellent location. Beautiful room. Food was great. Excellent staff especially Rowena.
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2023
Response from Rowena on 6 Nov 2023
Dear Mark,It was such a pleasure having you and your wife here with us! We are glad that you enjoyed your stay and our service. Thank you for your kind words and really looking forward to have you back here again someday.

10/10 Excellent

Wolfgang

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Lovely stay. Very posh place to relax. Thank you Rowena (Manager) for taking good care of us!
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2023
Response from Rowena on 20 Oct 2023
Hello!Thank you so much for taking the time to review us! I am glad that you both had a wonderful stay and it was such a pleasure having you both here. Looking forward to welcoming you back here again.

8/10 Good

Eliezer

Travelled with partner
Liked: Amenities
Modern charming boutique hotel
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2023
Response from Rowena on 20 Oct 2023
Hello Eliezer!We appreciate your review and are delighted to know you enjoyed our little hotel. We look forward to serving you again soon.

10/10 Excellent

Lubo

The service was great!!!
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2023
Response from Rowena on 20 Oct 2023
Hello Lubo!We are so grateful for your kind words and 5-star rating! Our team works hard to ensure every customer has a memorable experience. We look forward to welcome you back here again!

10/10 Excellent

Bridget

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Beautiful lakeside property with a lovely restaurant and exceptional staff!
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2023
Response from Rowena on 20 Oct 2023
Hello Bridget!Thank you for taking the time to leave us a review. We are thrilled to hear that you loved your experience with us. Your kind words mean a lot to our team and will pass it on to them!

10/10 Excellent

MEREDITH

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Gorgeous property & accomodation. Situated right on the lake it is just so quiet & peaceful. The staff are lovely & very accommodating. Would definitely stay there again.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2023
Response from Rowena on 20 Oct 2023
Hello Meredith!Thank you for choosing to stay with us. We work really hard to give our guests the finest experience possible, so comments like yours are truly rewarding to hear. We’d love to welcome you back soon, so don’t be a stranger. Thanks again!Regards,RowenaLodge Manager

10/10 Excellent

Ziyong

Travelled with family, Travelled with family and small children
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
9/10Excellent , clean ,warm, very nice hot breakfast, smoked salmon egg Benedict is the best although it took ages to cook. EV charging is absolutely a surprise, there are two Tesla /type2 11kw fast charger.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

saman

Stayed 1 night in Jul 2023
Response from Rowena on 20 Oct 2023
Hello Saman!Receiving a perfect rating from valued guests like you is such a compliment. We are excited to serve you again!Regards,RowenaLodge Manager

10/10 Excellent

Christopher

Travelled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
This was a lovely small inn set on beautiful landscaped property (trickling waterfall, gardens, pool, etc) overlooking the lake. The staff was friendly and accommodating. Meals were delicious! For breakfast, which was included , we loved the combination of cold options set out as a buffet along with a hot entree made to order. This was all served in a dining room overlooking the lake. The room was clean, private and peaceful. Beds were super comfortable . Would love to go back here someday!
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2023
Response from Rowena on 20 Oct 2023
Hello Christopher!Thank you for taking the time to rate our hotel! We're thrilled to hear that you enjoyed your stay with us and that we have met your expectations. We strive to provide exceptional service and amenities to all of our guests, and we're delighted that we could do so for you. We appreciate your feedback and hope to have the opportunity to welcome you back in the future for another outstanding stay!Regards,RowenaLodge Manager

10/10 Excellent

Whitney

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Our stay at Black Swan was absolutely perfect! Everything was beautiful from the place itself to the grounds and all with a view to die for but what really made my husband and I’s stay so wonderful was the property manager Rowena! She took such good care of us and went over and beyond to make sure we didn’t need anything our two nights there. Would recommend anyone wanting an amazing stay that is slightly off the beaten path from all the hustle and bustle to book here. You won’t regret it :)

10/10 Excellent

Simon

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Delightful! The
What a fabulous hotel!! The staff were truly welcoming. The rooms beautifully appointed. Breakfast was delicious. Loved our stay - and will certainly be back. Just delightful.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2023

10/10 Excellent

Graeme

Stayed 1 night in Jun 2023

10/10 Excellent

Shabina

Stayed 2 nights in May 2023

10/10 Excellent

Ann

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Beautiful setting and top notch staff - the house manager in particular was great.
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2023

10/10 Excellent

gordon

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Excellent well located facility with friendly staff
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2023

8/10 Good

fernando

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
The hotel is very nice, but very limited in amenities. No gym, no spa, no restaurant, no bar. If you get good weather, it is fine because Rotorua is gorgeous, but the price is too steep ($600 ) for what the hotel offers
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2023

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2023

10/10 Excellent

Charnchai

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Nice staycation
The long access driveway down is narrow and windy. However we never encountered opposing traffic so no problem but it would have been a bit scary if there was a on coming traffic and 1 of the cars has to back up to give way. There is just no room for passing.
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2022

10/10 Excellent

Cassie

Stayed 1 night in Sep 2022
Response from Vivek on 28 Sept 2022
Dear Cassie, Thank you for choosing Black Swan Hotel as your ideal place to stay during your holiday in Rotorua.We are delighted to hear you enjoyed your stay and look forward welcoming you back in the future.Yours sincerely,Vivek VadeveluGeneral Manager

10/10 Excellent

James

Stayed 1 night in Aug 2022

10/10 Excellent

James

Stayed 1 night in Aug 2022

10/10 Excellent

krystyna

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Very elegant and comfortable hotel. It’s too bad it was winter. Beautiful gardens. Lots of places to sit and enjoy the view. Fireplace in the room for the chilly evening. Great breakfast overlooking the lake
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2022
Response from Kym on 19 July 2022
Thank you such much for taking the time to review the Hotel Krystyna. We're thrilled you enjoyed your experience with us.

10/10 Excellent

Bernadette

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Loved this place
Stayed 2 nights in May 2022
Response from Kym on 14 May 2022
We're very happy you loved the Black Swan. You must return to see the new refurbishments in the near future. You'll love the Hotel even more! Thank you for taking the time to review.

10/10 Excellent

Helen

Business traveller, Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Sunning accommodation on the lakefront of Rotorua. Great facilities - spa pool in an elevated grotto, swimming pool and gorgeous gardens. Kym, the manager was very welcoming and nothing was a problem.
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2022
Response from Kym on 5 Apr 2022
Thank you Helen! We really appreciate you taking the time to review the hotel, and definitely look forward to seeing you both again.

10/10 Excellent

Jaun

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
The quality of the service and condition of the room was impeccable. Quite little hotel located right on the lakefront was a real treat.
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2022
Response from Kym on 11 Jan 2022
Thank you Jaun, we really appreciate you taking the time to writing such a positive review.

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Amazing Romantic Getaway
Absolutely amazing. Modern, romantic and full of amenities like a hot tub, swimming pool, and delicious free breakfast. Arthur, the Manager, was very helpful in recommending sites to see around Rotorua.
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2020
Response from Arthur on 3 Nov 2020
Thanks for the great Review we are so glad you enjoyed your stay.

10/10 Excellent

Kim

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Lovely boutique hotel
Gorgeous boutique hotel tucked away but right on Lake Rotorua. Fantastic staff and lovely comfortable accommodation. Mala the manager on shift was so helpful as I was travelling with my elderly mother with mobility problems and they accomodated her needs so wonderfully. Would definitely return to this hotel in future for a longer stay as 1 night was not long enough.
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2019
Response from Guest Relations on 15 Oct 2019
Hi Kim, Firstly thank you for staying with us at the Black Swan. We are so glad to hear you and your mother enjoyed your stay here. We will sure let Mala and the staff know about your lovely comments. Yes we do hope you will come back for a longer stay to enjoy the full experience of the Black Swan and lovely surroundings.

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Really cool decor. Staff in restaurant for dinner were excellent.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2019
Response from Guest Relations. on 7 Aug 2019
Hi There. Thanks for staying here with us at the Black Swan. We really appreciate your feedback We love your comment about the Decor it gives our guests that extra luxury feel we think. We will be sure pass on your regards to our staff. Thanks again. Black Swan Hotel

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Throughly enjoyable stay at this awesome little hotel. Malekai on the front desk was exceptionally helpful and friendly. The food was outstanding. Can recommenced heading up to the spa pool in the evenings.
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2019
Response from Guest Relations on 25 June 2019
Hey there, Thanks for you kind review. Yes we totally agree with you there about our spa pools! We will be sure to let our chef and Mala know you enjoyed your experience. Hope to see you again soon.

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2019
Response from Guest Relations on 10 June 2019
Hi There, Thank.you for taking the time out of your day to post a review. We hope you enjoyed your stay here at the Black Swan Hope to see you again soon Warm Regards, Black Swan Hotel

6/10 Okay

Verified traveller

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
The property was the best part and the food was great however we payed $750 a night for a lakefront view and we were in a small building out in the back with no windows and now view so I would make sure they are giving you a room with windows and a view that you are well getting charged for.
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2019
Response from Patrick on 31 Mar 2019
Hi Brian, thank you very much for getting in touch! According to Expedia booking record, your booking was indeed made for our Garden Suite, which is a different room category from the Lake Front rooms. Our Garden Suite is a stand alone building with a large window out looking our manicured garden, accommodating 2-4 guests. Guests love the Garden Suite because of its added privacy. We would really appreciate it if you could raise your concerns during your stay as I'm sure we could find a solution while you were onsite, after all we would like every guest to have an enjoyable holiday. Thank you & warm regards from the team at Black Swan! Patrick

10/10 Excellent

Kate

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great spot!
Super nice staff❤️ Beautiful grounds, even though dry from drought!!! Great breakfast!
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2019
Response from Guest relations Manager. on 3 Apr 2019
Dear Kate, Thank You for your kind review! Our staff will be very please with your feedback. Oh yes it has been very dry the last few months one of the hottest summers we have had in a long time. We are definitely seeing some more green now with the weather getting cooler. Thanks again for your review We hope to serve you again in the future. Warm regards Black Swan Hotel

10/10 Excellent

Aseem

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Best hotel in Rotorua
Amazing small boutique hotel. We were greeted with a warm welcome. Very friendly staff and the breakfast was amazing!
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2018

10/10 Excellent

Marie, New jersey

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Loved it! Staff was unbelievably helpful. Started to rain and they came out to our car with umbrellas. Breakfast was great. Make sure you have the croissants. Had a wonderful dinner there. The chef is amazing. Save room for dessert.
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2018

10/10 Excellent

Michael

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2018

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Amazing Hotel !!
This is the best hotel in Rotorua. What a beautiful view and to top of it , the owner, Arthur is an amazing and really helpful person. Ps - do not miss the breakfast at this place !
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2018
Response from Arthur on 7 Mar 2018
Thanks we are very happy you enjoyed it.

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Good location, beautiful setting and excellent facilities. Breakfast and bed were the only letdowns.
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2017
Response from Arthur on 19 Dec 2017
Thank You as this is the first review to mention the bed or breakfast perhaps you can contact us to explain further?

8/10 Good

conrad , Auckland

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Beautiful Hotel
My wife and I stayed here for two nights for her 40th. The rooms are cosy and well-appointed. The grounds of the hotel are immaculate. If the weather had been better, we would have enjoyed spending time outside in the garden. Great views of the lake. The spa was wonderful. Evening meal was ok, breakfast was good (except for being served burnt toast).
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2017
Response from Arthur on 7 Nov 2017
Thank you for your review and we are glad you enjoyed your stay. We will pass on the comments to the chef

10/10 Excellent

Mark R

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2017

10/10 Excellent

Peter, Islamorada, FL

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Beautiful boutique hotel on the lake
We stayed 2 nights at the Black Swan and loved it. I usually don't stay at small boutique hotels because I like my privacy but we got the best of both worlds. Our room was fantastic with a fireplace and a wall of windows and balcony overlooking the lake. The dinner was was one of the best we had while in New Zealand with a local flavor. The staff was great, very attentive but also gave us space. They booked our helicopter tour of an active volcano. Afterwards, we enjoyed cocktails overlooking the lake and sunset while relaxing in the outside jacuzzi.
Stayed 2 nights in May 2017
Response from Arthur on 12 Aug 2017
Thank you for the review we are very happy you enjoyed your stay and will pass these kind words on to the team

10/10 Excellent

denise

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Wonderful
Our stay at the Black Swan far exceeded any expectations and was beyond wonderful. The attention to detail with regard to the amazing hospitality, beautiful room, delicious breakfast and stunning views was amazing. The location is also terrific- close to all the tourist attractions, yet peaceful. A true joy!

10/10 Excellent

Natalie

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Best Service Hotel
This was by far my favorite place we stayed at during our trip to New Zealand. The owner of the property, Arthur, made us feel like we were his only guests. The service they provide is better than larger five star hotels. The room was perfect, with our fireplace. The bathrooms were completely renovated and modern and spacious. We all had our own patios but use of common areas (Whiskey room, dining room, sitting area, balcony). He scheduled our dinner out as well as our Canopy Conservation outing (which was wonderful). I really can't recommend this place any higher and I look forward to the time when I can return!