Woodlyn Park Motel

We stayed one night in the plane. We had both units for 5 of us. We loved it. The cockpit bed wouldn’t be easy to access for anyone with mobility issues. The bunks are quite small. We were warm and cosy. Good showers. Plenty of towels, tea, coffee etc. Walking distance of the caves and restaurants. Quiet area. Clean. A bit old and battered in places but that’s to be expected in a unit such as this !

I had stayed at this accommodation several times over the years and had loved the uniqueness of the property, so had been looking forward to showing my hubby the hobbit hole unit, even though it had been over 13 years since i had last went. We were informed at check in that the property had been sold to Chinese (which explained why the microwave was all in Chinese and tv). And although the lady was lovely at check-in... the property needed a lot of work. The electronics (heater, etc.), were very outdated and the electric blanket had exposed wires. The artwork and bed were very dusty. Wet leaves made the little walk to the unit slippery. Plants needed a good trim and potholes filled in the driveway. The units are pricey, so did expect more (like some body wash and better toilet paper). I do hope one day the property will be a magical place again.

Location is great. Waitomo valley is awesome but this place needs some love. We stayed in the rear ship room. The down stairs smelt damp and dusty, and the whole unit could use a refresh. A wet room style bathroom is not my cup of tea. The bridge leading over to the plane is dangerous. It’s rotten so be careful you don’t fall through! The place is quite charming but could be made so much better with a refresh and some maintenance.

Great idea and I bet it was amazing in it’s hay day. Now run down and un cared for, everything needs an overhaul. Rooms lacked basic items, no salt in the shaker or tea towel and dishcloth for example. The novelty of sleeping in a boat was a huge draw for the kids and they absolutely loved it. Host was amazingly easy to deal with and lovely. Thank you, we will be back to stay in the plane next time.

Quirky interesting place… do the promotional photos match what you see… yeah nah. We stayed in the Boat … unit 5 at the back of the boat. Upon arrival you could see this place has seen better days. Reception was very helpful & friendly… unit was clean & tidy… but in general the whole seriously needs some love & care. Went for a wander & the over grown grounds made it interesting

We stayed in the Hobbit Hole room and loved it. There are also options of a plane and ship to stay in. Our room was comfortable for a family of 4 adults. It has a kitchenette if you choose to bring food but we didn’t. We enjoyed seeing the property with the chickens, pig and cows too. Staff was accommodating to our late arrival and we had no problems with our stay. I saw there were reviews about no heat or TV, but our room had a TV, microwave, and a nice heater. We were all comfortable. Recommend.

Pros: Great idea with all those different sleeping possibilities. Clean. Cool for the kids! Cons: quite run down. Everything needs a brush and paint. A couple of things in the hobbit hole are out of date or order or less than sufficiently fixed. Windows don’t close. Curtain-holders miss partially. Lots of rusting metal or wood laying around in the park. Signs tangling. 100 points for the initial idea and implementation. 0 points for the maintenance.

Stayed here for 1 night. Quirky, probably fun for kids, and it was clean and had good amenities provided. However, the shower water pressure was almost non existent, and most of all , the place smelt of mildew. There was no visible mould or anything but it made my wife cough all night. My guess is that due to being built partly underground, somehow, damp just gets in. Staff were friendly and helpful. Beds were comfy, albeit main bed cover smelt faintly of the mildew, damp smell in the air. It was not the smell of the natural , recycled wood or hessian sacking curtains, we did not misinterpret those. I grew up on a farm and dealt with hessian grain bags all day. It was not recycled Timbers….it was damp.

We stayed here while visiting the Waitomo Caves. We chose to stay in the aeroplane cockpit. The venue is well spaced out over a lot of land, so feels very peaceful. When we arrived the person at reception was very helpful, full of tips and information about where to eat and what to do during our stay. The accommodation itself is pretty much what you'd expect for a converted aeroplane. Its small and cramped, but what they have done with the space available is very impressive. Two double beds (one is up in the cockpit and a challenge for anyone over 40 to get to...!), a small fridge, hotplates and microwave. Basic eating the cooking utensils are also there. The bathroom is cosy, but does the job. You wouldn't want to spend too many nights here, but it does what you expect - gives the kids a great story to share with their friends and provides a perfectly adequate bed for the night. Once you've seen a glow worm you've seen all glow worms, so its unlikely we'll be back in Waitomo any time soon, but for anyone stopping here for a night with kids in tow, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Woodlyn Park.