Skotel Alpine Resort

A somewhat dated ski resort. It has a retro flair that is quite charming. The rooms are small but furnished with everything you need. They were cleaned very well every day. There is a fitness room and a sauna. There was no air conditioning/ventilation in the fitness room, which meant it was very warm. The sauna (including showers) was not recommended as it was very dated. The bar was already closed at 9 p.m. We didn't try the food on site as we cooked ourselves. The kitchen is well equipped. You can eat on the terrace in front of the kitchen with a great view. The location is fantastic for all types of hikes! There are plenty of parking spaces available.

This is probably the hotel accommodation closest to the top of the mountain. From the hotel, you can see two volcanic cones and the surrounding wilderness (not every room can see it). The hotel is at the starting and end of the Taranaki Falls Trail. The weather was clear that night, and I took photos of the stars with my phone. I booked the Ruapehu room this time. The room is relatively small. The Ctrip picture shows that there is a large bed and a bunk bed, but the upper bunk is a storage type. It is usually folded against the wall. If you want to use it, you can unfold it and it feels unreliable. There is thick dust, no mattress, and poor usability. In fact, it is a large bed and a small bed. The hotel "mainly focuses on environmental protection concept" and does not provide shampoo and shower gel (there is a soap labelled shampoo, but I used it and it is far from real shampoo, it has no conditioning effect at all, and it is eye-irritating), does not provide plastic bottled water, and the room lighting is dim. There is a public laundry room, but the opening hours are limited, it seems to be 7:00-20:00. I checked in late and didn't use it. There is no one at the front desk at night. If you go late, you can open the door by yourself to collect mail. There is no food at night, you need to prepare your own. There is a kettle in the room, but no kitchen. There is a small settlement at the foot of the mountain 20 minutes drive from the hotel. There are some restaurants, but it is not clear whether they are open at night. Check-out time is 10 o'clock, very serious, housekeeping will knock on the door on time, late is not allowed, unless you pay extra $25/hour, I paid extra. This hotel is suitable for mountaineering and hiking outdoor enthusiasts who get up early and go to bed early. The main focus is on experience and naturally does not care about comfort.