Reef Resort Taupo

Rooms and decor

Reef Resort is a 4-star apartment hotel in the middle of Taupo, and every unit is a self-contained apartment rather than a standard hotel room. They come as 1, 2 and 3-bedroom apartments, each with a living area set apart from the bedrooms — which is why this place suits a family of 4–6 settling in for several nights rather than a one-night stop.

Food and amenities

The kitchen is the reason to book. Every apartment has a full one — induction cooktop, fridge, microwave, dishwasher and a proper set of cookware, enough to actually cook for the family instead of eating out every night. Outside, the pool runs on Taupo's geothermal hot water, so it stays warm all year and is fine to use in winter; reviewers single it out, since it's a real change from the cold pool most hotels offer. The on-site spa handles the standard massage and facial treatments. There's no restaurant in the resort, so meals are either cooked in your unit or eaten in town.

Location and getting there

You're central. A big Pak'nSave supermarket is a 5-minute walk, which makes stocking the fridge easy, and it's about the same walk to Lakefront Park and the town's main restaurants — roughly 400 m to the lake itself.

Things to know before booking

This is an older building, and some rooms haven't been renovated yet, so the finish varies from unit to unit. There's no restaurant on site and breakfast isn't included — you cook in the kitchen or walk into town. None of that is a dealbreaker for a self-catering family, but go in expecting an apartment, not a full-service resort.

Our take

Reef Resort fits best for families who want to save by cooking their own meals and for travelers staying 4 nights or more — a real apartment with a working kitchen in the centre of town, a pool that's warm year-round, and a price that comes in under a standard hotel. From around $76 a night with a 8.4/10 score, it's the value call of the list for a longer stay.