The Best Eco-Friendly Hotels in Rotorua

Millennium Hotel Rotorua is right within reach of stunning attractions like Lake Rotorua and the Polynesian Spa. Eco-friendliness is its strongest asset. Heating is primarily provided by geothermal resources, which are also incorporated into the hotel’s spa facilities. Many of the rooms come with lake and garden views, and there’s a fine dining restaurant on-site. Child-friendly facilities like a toddler swimming pool also make this an ideal choice for families.

For an eco-friendly alternative that won’t break the bank, you can’t go wrong with the Cleveland Thermal Motel. Its dedication to sustainability is evident right from the outset: all rooms are geothermally heated; energy-saving light bulbs are fitted throughout the motel; and community cooking facilities as well as geothermal mineral and swimming pools are readily available for all guests to enjoy. You’ll find rooms for all travel group sizes, from honeymooning couples to holidaying families, as well as a dedicated number of units for those travelling with their pets.

As its name suggests, Black Swan Lakeside Boutique Hotel is a place to indulge in a bit of luxury while embracing some of the finest natural features of Rotorua’s lakeside. Guests can choose from a selection of stylish lakefront, pool view and garden suite retreat rooms – each offers wonderful vistas and world-class furnishings to match. A day spa and gourmet restaurant also make this boutique hotel a perfect match for travellers yearning to take some time out for a bit of pampering.

A laid-back place to stay that’s well-suited for sustainability-minded families, solo travellers and couples, MALFROY motor lodge leverages Rotorua’s geothermal activity to its own environmental advantage. An on-site mineral spa pool is just one of its complimentary guest facilities, and all the motel’s water is heated via a geothermal re-injection bore. The apartment units, studios and family suites are also thermally heated, and equipped with flat-screen TVs, DVD players, their own kitchenettes, free Wi-Fi access and tea and coffee-making facilities.

Located just a short walk from downtown, Jet Park Hotel is a good option for those searching for a place to unwind that’s not too far away from all the local action. An outdoor swimming pool and spa will help you regain your sense of bliss. There’s also a boutique café and restaurant on-site with an all-day seasonal menu. All guests, whether on business or travelling with their families, get to enjoy an array of complimentary guest goodies including continental breakfasts, free Wi-Fi in all rooms, as well as parking and bike storage on the premises.

A central location and lots of sustainable amenities make Aura Accommodation a strong contender in the eco-friendly realm. Geothermal energy is used for water and room heating, day in and day out. On top of that, the hotel features its own mineral hot pool — with water extracted straight from an underground bore — as well as an outdoor swimming pool and free bike hire services. Choose from a selection of single suites, deluxe studios, one and two-bed units, or a family room that sleeps up to five people.

Koura Lodge is an upscale bed and breakfast nestled on the shores of Lake Rotorua. With an open-air hot tub by the lakeside, on-site recreational activities like kayaking and fishing and a selection of nine bedrooms with private suites and stunning lake vistas, the lodge is set to provide its guests with a relaxing experience that comes with just the right amount of privacy and intimacy.

Tucked away from the rest of the world, Treetops Lodge is the kind of place you will come to and never want to leave. And why would you? With 2,500 acres (1,000ha) of native bushland on your doorstep – containing everything from grand waterfalls to roaming deer – opportunities for adventure abound. Inside, the lodge features enormous windows that allow you to soak in the immense greenery even from bed. Rooms are spacious yet feel very cosy when you’re cuddled up next to the fire with a glass of wine.

At the end of a peninsula that juts into the deep blue of Lake Tarawera is Solitaire Lodge. Each of its nine suites come with commanding views of the lake – helped by floor-to-ceiling windows that allow you to drink in every last drop (metaphorically speaking, of course). Taking a simple approach, the ethos at Solitaire Lodge is about good things done well. You can relax all you want, or get active by taking out one of the hotel’s kayaks or dinghies at no charge – if you manage to catch anything with the provided fishing gear, the chef will turn it into dinner for you.