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Situated 10 minutes walk from Kaikoura's main town centre, Nikau Lodge has magnificent views of the Kaikoura Mountain Range and the Ocean. Choose your breakfast from a range of cafe quality, cooked options, or home made granola served with yoghurt and berries. Toast and spreads, local percolated coffee and a range of teas are also available.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Qualmark.
HOTEL STYLE
Mid-range
Charming
Languages Spoken
English
Location
53 Deal Street close to State Hwy 1, Kaikoura 7300 New Zealand
Nikau Lodge
430 reviews
Getting there
Somewhat walkable
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travelers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
We stayed here for a couple of days as part of our NZ tour. We arrived early from the Christchurch train, but were welcomed by the owner, and although the room was being cleaned, we were allowed to store our luggage.
Our room was super, with an impressive view over Kaikoura and its surrounding mountains. It was clean and bright, with an immaculately clean en-suite shower room, supplied with a generous amount of toiletries. The guests were supplied with a fridge containing complimentary wine and beer! In the morning we were supplied with an excellent freshly cooked breakfast.
We were made very welcome here, and given a lift back to the station on the day of our departure. We would thoroughly recommend Nickau Lodge to anybody staying in the area.
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Date of stay: March 2020Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Rachel Baxter, Owner at Nikau Lodge
Responded Mar 16, 2020
Thank you for taking the time to give us a wonderful review, happy you enjoyed your time here with us.
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We stayed for one night and had a lovely room with a great view. Walking distance from restaurants and bars and very kind and helpful hosts. I was able to use their washing machine which was so useful and we enjoyed their complimentary wine/beer/milk from the fridge on the landing for guests to access. I also used an area of the fridge in the office for some items we were keeping for picnics. Breakfast was great too and they were happy for us to be extra early due to our dolphin tour.
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Date of stay: February 2020
Rooms
Cleanliness
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Rachel Baxter, Owner at Nikau Lodge
Responded Mar 15, 2020
Thank you for taking the time to give us a lovely review.
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We stayed here after weeks away from home, staying mainly in hotels and this delightful B & B made a very pleasant change. We stayed in the Dolphin room which has fabulous views over the mountains and the coastline. The room is comfortable and well appointed with its special feature the little bay with its fully opening window which is a great place to sit on a sunny evening with a pre dinner drink. The complimentary glass of wine or beer is a nice touch. Rachel and Nigel are very welcoming hosts who booked dinner at the excellent Pier restaurant for us one night. Breakfast is very good, cooked to order with an opportunity to chat to fellow guests sitting together at a long table. What's not like? The only negative is the road noise from the trucks on nearby state highway 1 which run into the night. However, Rachel thoughtfully provides earplugs if this is an issue for you. We slept well!
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: March 2020Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Rachel Baxter, Owner at Nikau Lodge
Responded Mar 5, 2020
Thank you for taking the time to give us an amazing review.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
The positives: The location is very walkable to the town and all its attractions. Guests are provided with a shared fridge with complimentary beer and wine. The hosts are very helpful with information and the breakfast is good and the garden lovely. The room I had (Crayfish suite) was well appointed however there is a big but....
The negatives: There was no air cooling in the room other than a large ceiling fan. My room had windows on 2 sides and an alcove with a glass ceiling which took the full force of the sun for most of the day. Having the curtains closed, fan going and windows open had virtually no effect until dusk. This made it quite uncomfortable and having the windows open at night wasn’t really an option as the nearby road takes all the lorry traffic on its way to Picton.
Given the price, the lack of air cooling has resulted in the grade I have given as compared to other places I have stayed in NZ.
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Date of stay: January 2020Trip type: Traveled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Wow! was our amazing view from the Whale Room in this superb accommodation. Snow capped mountains to the left with a turquoise sea. Our en-suite room was spacious with a very comfortable bed. It was spotlessly clean. The room had a kettle for tea and coffee with fresh milk in a fridge on the landing together with home made biscuits. Robes were provided for use in the hot tub. We appreciated the wine glasses as we sat in the glazed area admiring the view. Our delightful hosts Mick & Karen very helpful in suggesting restaurants & places to see. We enjoyed an excellent breakfast with fellow guests discussing our plans. Highly recommend Nikau Lodge.
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Date of stay: October 2022Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Mick Karen, Owner at Nikau Lodge
Responded Dec 15, 2022
Thank you so much for the great review, we really do appreciate it and we are so happy you enjoyed your time at Nikau, your right about the view its stunning. Congratulations once again on your 50th wedding anniversary, it was lovely to meet you both.
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We had such a lovely stay at Nikau. From the moment we pulled into the driveway it just felt "easy". On-site parking with clearly sign posted walkway to reception. Great hosts, super clean room, comfortable bed, good linen, plenty of space to unpack luggage, great spa, fab breakfast and an all round beautiful environment. These two clearly have an eye for detail. The established garden was stunning with well looked after roses, flower garden and very well manicured lawn, it was lovely sitting and enjoying a glass of wine in the quiet sundrenched space. Fresh baked cookies when we arrived added a lovely personal touch that was really appreciated. We really could not fault a thing. We will definitely be back.
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Date of stay: October 2021Trip type: Traveled as a couple
Room Tip:Â Book your restaurant reservation in advance - we recommend Zephyr! Make sure you pack a swim suit...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Mick Karen, Owner at Nikau Lodge
Responded Oct 26, 2021
Thank you so much for the great review, we really appreciate it. So pleased you enjoyed the Lodge and your stay with us and we look forward to seeing you again.
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Nikau Lodge has excellent friendly and accommodating hosts who provided helpful information on the best things to do and the best places to eat which were spot on. We were given the beautiful 'Whale Room' with a peaceful view over Kaikoura. A high standard of cleanliness is maintained in a warm, home style environment. We enjoyed the lovely seating on the deck overlooking the garden with a cuppa and a book on our first afternoon. Mick's culinary skills provided us with restaurant quality breakfast on both days that really set us up for our day trips. Over breakfast we loved sharing travel stories with Mick and Karen - they have got some great stories! Although we rented a car, it is a fairly short walk down to the main part of Kaikoura village (steps but good exercise with outstanding view). We highly recommend any one spending some time at Mick and Karen's Nikau Lodge for relaxing, refreshing and taking in the local culture.
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Date of stay: January 2021
Rooms
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip:Â All rooms appeared to be well appointed and with windows that open wide to enjoy the view.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Karen and Mick Moorhouse, Owner at Nikau Lodge
Responded Jan 25, 2021
Thank you so much for the lovely review, we enjoyed the "chats" too and hope to see you again.
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We only stayed one night at Nikau Lodge, but would have liked to stay longer. Nigel and Rachel were great hosts, really friendly and very helpful. Nikau Lodge is an easy walk to the town. Our room was perfect. Lovely view from the room. Our room was clean comfortable and well equipped, with lots of amenities to make our stay just right. We had home baked biscuits, fresh flowers, a choice of hot drinks and complimentary white and red wine, ( which were excellent) beer and cold water. Breakfast was cooked to order with plenty of choice.i would recommend a stay at Nikau Lodge.
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Date of stay: November 2019Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from 126RachelB, Owner at Nikau Lodge
Responded Jan 3, 2020
Thank you so much for the wonderful review and the great photo. Happy you enjoyed your time with us.
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Nikki Lodge has fantastic views of the mountains and Kaikoura Bay. It’s just a short walk to the seafront and the majority of the restaurants. I was in the Crayfish room which is beautifully appointed.
Breakfast was superb and lasted me all day.
Couple of things which weren’t ideal:
The property is really close to State Highway 1 which traffic use well into the night. If you aren’t able to zone out the traffic this might not be the property for you as the room gets very hot and you may want to leave the windows open.
Earplugs are provided but I didn’t use them as I eventually filtered out the noise. There is a ceiling fan if you want to shut the windows but I found I was cold when it was on. Despite all of this I did sleep well.
The hosts are lovely, friendly people and were very happy to offer a lift back to the station on the day I left.
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Date of stay: March 2020Trip type: Traveled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Rachel Baxter, Owner at Nikau Lodge
Responded Mar 15, 2020
Thank you for taking the time to give us a lovely review, yes the trucks are annoying but hopefully as soon as all the Earthquake road repairs are finished the trucks will die down. We have had someone come and look at putting in air conditioning units.
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This is a bed and breakfast which accommodates several couples to their home. Service attitude is ok, but basic problem is in the house. There is no justification for the price if you get a relatively small room in a noisy (road and flights) house. This is a home which means that you cannot expect all to be clean and well organized. Bed and breakfast are good.
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Date of stay: January 2020
Value
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from 126RachelB, Owner at Nikau Lodge
Responded Jan 9, 2020
I’m sorry if you didn’t like our place, I also take pride in my home and it is very clean and tidy. Also if you were woken by a rescue helicopter I’m sorry (but this is the lifeline between Kaikoura and Christchurch (main hospital) we don’t have any input in when people need to be transferred. Happy you thought the bed was comfortable and you enjoyed your cooked breakfast.
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There are more places to choose from in the Kaikoura area.
PRICE RANGE
$197 - $200 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
LOCATION
New ZealandSouth IslandCanterbury RegionKaikoura
NUMBER OF ROOMS
5
Prices are the average nightly price provided by our partners and may not include all taxes and fees. Taxes and fees that are shown are estimates only. Please see our partners for more details.
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