Lake Brunner Eco Lodge

Spent four days at the lodge 26-29 June 2026 which was our first experience. Brenda was a great host. We had good weather throughout and the lodge was clean and warm. Peaceful and we enjoyed walking to the lake and the short walk to local waterfall. We had a package that included return Tranz Alpine train from Christchurch. Highlights were the Hokitika Gorge and Treetops Walk. we are keen to return to explore other parts of the West Coast.

Lake Brunner Lodge was the most incredible way to begin our honeymoon in New Zealand. After the long journey from Texas, Brenda made us feel genuinely welcomed and cared for from the moment we arrived. She is truly one of the best hosts we have ever had! The lodge itself is so beautiful, with comfortable rooms and stunning surroundings in the heart of New Zealand nature. The experience became even more special when we were taken out by a fishing guide to catch the biggest brown trout of our lives. Everything about our stay was peaceful and so special. We are so grateful for the hospitality, incredible food, beautiful setting, and memories we made here. Lake Brunner Lodge will always be one of the highlights of our honeymoon, and we cannot recommend it enough and we cannot wait to come back!!

Excelent quiet location. The host, Brenda offered excelent service. The three course dinner was also very delicious.

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We had a wonderful stay at Lake Brunner Lodge, truly a hidden gem. The serene lakeside location provided a great place to relax and unwind on a rainy day. The rooms were very comfortable and the half board meals (made with fresh, local ingredients) were beautifully presented and quite delicious. We really enjoyed the happy hours, too. Thanks to Brenda for her many tips and personalized hospitality. Brenda’s glowworm tour at night was an added special experience, and the stars were amazing! We would highly recommend this lovely hotel in such a tranquil location.

Great location and host Brenda ! We unfortunately only stayed one night but enjoyed it very much. Delicious dinner and breakfast and the night was full of stars !

We had an excellent experience at the dinner and glowworm walk. We hope to stay longer to experience more of the life in Moana.

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We stayed at Lake Brunner Lodge as part of our South Island tour and loved it. Old world charm meets lovely friendly service and what a view!!!

A beautiful lake side location with native bush behind. Calm well appointed rooms with wonderfully comfortable beds and underfloor heating in the ensuites. The staff are family and delightful.

what a wonderful experience and a very special spot. The glow worm experience was absolutely magic. The pre dinner snacks and drink was delightful and the dinner just perfect. Thank you Brenda

We had a fabulous 2 nights recently at Lake Brunner Eco Lodge. The setting is just gorgeous and the lodge extremely comfortable. The lodge is from a bygone era and has a great deal of charm. Library/sitting area are filled with books and puzzles plus a separate pool table. We stayed in Iron Maiden – no, not the rock band, a fishing fly! – and the room was huge. Very comfortable bed and with two lovely comfy chairs to sit and contemplate the wonderful view. The three course dinner in the evening was delicious and the continental breakfast was perfect. The best part was the wonderful host, Brenda. She is a font of knowledge about the area and directed us to lots of great activities. Closest to the Lodge is a walk to the Carew Falls and not to be missed. Further afield, was a trip to the coast to see the geological “pancake” rock formations and blow holes at Punakaiki. If the sea is really running, the blow holes would be truly spectacular. The day we were there it was still pretty impressive. We can’t recommend a stay at Lake Brunner Eco Lodge highly enough. Thank you Brenda!

We really enjoyed our stay at Lake Brunner Lodge. For us the remote location was the best part, followed closely by an extremely comfortable lodge with great food and a super attentive host who couldn’t do enough to make our stay special. An after dinner glowworm walk (and the rain made it more memorable) and the boardwalk seeing my first NZ Fernbird were two standouts from our stay. We hope to return soon. Thank you Brenda.

Stunningly beautiful setting Beautifully maintained old lodge reminiscent of the 90’s angling retreat with library, pool table and bar area …perfect atmosphere for the telling of fishy stories. Extremely comfortable bed and toasty warm throughout. Our host Brenda was most attentive and a great promoter of the area

It was everything we imagined it would be

We stayed at the Eco Lodge cottage and loved it! The cottage was simple yet it had everything you needed with a few homely touches including books, puzzles and importantly, privacy. We loved the neighbouring sheep, Lake Brunner and the walk to Carew Falls, including hearing the waterfall right outside our Lodge. We didn't get a chance to kayak or do the glow worm tour (had day trip plans to the West Coast which occupied all our time) but we loved enjoying slow mornings in the cottage, drinking tea by the window and looking out at the lake. Brenda was so lovely and even generously tried to find us after we returned to the cottage very late one night from a long day trip. We can't wait to return and have already recommended this place to our family and friends who frequently travel to NZ.

We were made to feel very welcome on arrival by Brenda - the Lodge host. The rooms are of a good size with comfortable bed and easy chairs. The bathroom could do with some updating - particularly the shower but everything was very clean with fluffy towels & beautiful smooth linen sheets. The lodge has good facilities- pool table; extensive library area & sitting room with tv. There are no TVs in the bedrooms. Continental Breakfast & dinner were included in our package . The dinner is a set meal. It would have been good to see the menu for the day in the morning- just to make sure we were happy with it. One added attraction is a wood fired hot tub out in the woodland area. By pre-booking the hot tub you can spend a quiet evening in the tub looking at the stars. Good car parking; easy walks around.

We loved our stay at Lake Brunner Eco Lodge. Fabulous, historic, lodge with stunning views over Lake Brunner. Peaceful, quiet and totally charming. The glow worm walk was amazing, and the hot tub under the stars a real treat. Brenda is a lovely host, great local knowledge, and looked after us perfectly. Food was excellent. Fantastic West Coast experience! This would be a perfect corporate retreat venue.

This is an amazing place - so tranquil, we just wish had stayed for a few more days. The owner's welcome was super and we even ventured out to see the gloworms at nightfall with her.

Nothing - a delightful stay.

Had a superb time - great food, Brenda and the team went the extra mile to make us feel at home. The night time glow worm tour was an unexpected bonus. I just wish we could have stayed longer, and been able to get to know some of the outstanding local scenery better.

Perfect and charming family run place. The service and facilities are top class. The owner Brands is open and very helpsome and even showed us the secret Glow worms place at night. The view from the room and restaurant is magical. The room are large, clean and charming. A perfect place to stay

We thoroughly enjoyed our overnight stop at this lovely hotel. The beautiful and peaceful setting were a welcome reprieve from the busy bustle of some of the previous stops on our tour of South Island. We were warmly welcomed by Brenda who is a wonderful host. The Lake Brunner team provided great hospitality and very comfortable, airy rooms. We enjoyed predinner drinks on the veranda in the evening sun and dinner and breakfast were excellent. Loved the little extras, including Brenda's guided glow worm walk and the opportunity to kayak on the lake.

The lodge has a lot of potential, but the house we got was not clean, the kitchen equipment was dirty, and the furniture was old and not nice I gave the same feedback to the owner; she agreed that the self-catering house should not be offered... and yet...

This stay was a special occasion and exceeded expectation. Brenda was the ultimate hostess and our every need was met. Lake Brunner Lodge is so relaxing and just what we needed away from our busy lives. The room was lovely with exceptional views, a great bed and ensuite facilities. Our meals were just what we needed. The public rooms were lovely and the wonderful weather prevented us from being inside to play games and do puzzles! We enjoyed our walks. it was sad to leave and we have been recommending others to go!

From the manager and owner’s warm welcome to us as strangers, through to the farewell/departure as new friends, our two-day stay at Lake Brunner Eco Lodge at Mitchells was a most enjoyable experience. The Lodge is a beautiful old building with native timber paneling, generous-sized bedrooms with tasteful furnishings and very comfortable beds. There are quiet spaces in the form of the library and lounge rooms and a more recently added dining room with picture windows capturing views of the lake and surrounding forest-clad mountains. A deck with views of the lake is a great place for a late afternoon drink. Did we experience relaxation, adventure and connection with nature? Absolutely! Close-by there is a 30 min walk to the Carew falls via an easy-gradient track though the forest, and a lake-side board walk through regenerating silver pine bush. Tuis, fantails and morepork on hand, and glow worms at night. The adventure element included trout fishing from access points on the lake shore and from the owner’s boat (thank you Kevin). The breakfast and 3-course dinner are included and are all prepared in house. A good selection of wines and other drinks are available. Where possible the meals use locally-sourced ingredients (such as venison). The continental breakfast was top notch and the dinners of a high standard. Mitchell’s is ‘a little bit isolated’ which is a real positive for a quiet holiday away from crowds, for being with people who also respect the land and the nature, and with sufficient local recreational activities if you want them.

Very friendly and warm welcome. Brenda is a great hostess and we felt very comfortable. The highlight was the experience of tracking down glow worms with Brenda at night and canoeing together on Lake Brunner the following morning. Nice family run lodge!

Me and my parents who was visiting me from overseas really enjoyed our stay at Lake Brunner Eco Lodge. Brenda was very helpful and kind, always looked after us. She took us glow worm tour which was just few minutes walk from the lodge, we all very amazed to see it. My mum never done kayaking, so we enjoyed kayaking in the lake, at the same time my dad had a good time doing fly fishing in peaceful nature. Every morning we woke up with birds songs, it was unforgettable. Weka, Fantail, Tui and other native birds were everywhere. Historic building was very interesting too, learning about it was so much fun. Outdoor hot tub surrounded by Punga definitely made my day! View from our cottage and restaurant window were outstanding, we couldn't stop watching beautiful outside nature during our stay. We will definitely come back soon again. Thank you so much, Brenda, her mum and dad :)

Fabulous venue with the hosts to match...Brenda was a gem. The peace and quiet of this historic venue is something that will take us back in the near future.The food ( Breakfast and Dinner) was the very best. Enjoyed the view from the dining room out over the lake. The West Coast at it s finest.

We were hoping for some time in a quiet , warm comfortable place, and Lake Brunner Eco Lodge certainly exceeded our expectations. We were very warmly welcomed and felt at home straight away. The Lodge was beautifully warm, spacious, immaculately clean, very quiet and very very comfortable. The pre-dinner platter, with complimentary wine in from of a log burner, was plentiful and tasty, and the three course dinner was top class and absolutely delicious. The service was great and we were very pleasantly surprised to be asked our choice of music!! The scenery was magic, .... and we didn't want to leave. Thank you, Brenda and family.

Welcoming and attentive ,lovely position,great views, good for walking biking relaxing. Large lake view bedroom and very comfy large bed. Dinner bed and breakfast means no fuss for guests. Recommended highly and we will return for a second visit

We had the pleasure of staying at the Lodge last night. It is such a beautiful and grand building where we sat by the fire and had a superb dinner and made to feel very welcome by Brenda and Tammy. This property is off the beaten track and off grid and the most peaceful stay we've had. Highly recommend

Warm attentive service. Comfortable rooms with everything you need. To visit the glow worms was an unexpected treasure.

Brenda was an awesome hostess. Our meals were delicious along with the home made made bread. Rooms were amazing, beds were super comfortable. There was an added bonus for some of team as Brenda took them to view the glow worms. I highly recommend this facility.

Had a wonderful day & night at the Eco Lodge. Arrived on a stunning day and were showed to our room - a large sunny, lakefront room. The bed was super comfortable with beautiful line sheets - slept really well! The house is a 30s house - so it’s so interesting to see the architecture and the large rooms. The place is spotlessly clean with a great selection of books in the library. We had a spa in the afternoon which was in the bushes behind the house. We played pool as a family and had some pre dinner drinks and a wee platter. Dinner was lovely, prawns, venison and cheesecake - just the right size too. Had a good selection of wine and beer and we had some gins after dinner in the lounge - love that they have the reefton distillery range from the coast. Walked up to the waterfall in the morning which was a brisk walk! There lots of walks and kayaking if you want to - would be a fab place to spend a few days just relaxing. Thanks Brenda and family we had a lovely time!

The location was beautiful. The dinner was very good. And the glowworm walk after dinner and stars at night were amazing.

The new management is perfect. The place remains a magic one.

It was quiet and secluded. There was a lovely but unfortunately, for us, unfinished walk round the lake, so only a very small part was accessible. It'll be amazing when it's finished.

The house is the cheaper of the two options available but overpriced from our experiences of South Island. The property is quite scruffy and in need of maintenance. It felt like walking into someone's family home after they'd done their best clean up. The kitchen table was sticky, the pots and pans were dirty. The sandflies are a nightmare!

Brenda was wonderful and obviously very proud of Lake Brunner Eco Lodge. She went out of her way to make our stay enjoyable with wonderful rooms and use of the kayaks, fishing rods and a lovely walk to see the glow worms. It’s a very special place.

Although the dinner was excellent, the breakfast was a bit disappointing but we wouldn’t have minded had it been included in the room rate. There is absolutely nowhere else to get breakfast so to be charged extra for this was not very welcome. Also, the staff seem to treat the dining room as their own, singing along to the slightly intrusive music. It would be more appropriate to allow the guests to enjoy the space undisturbed.

It is a lovely traditional property overlooking the lake with large very comfortable rooms. The 3 course evening meals were beautifully presented and absolutely delicious. Brenda was extremely helpful and made our stay very special.

Setting on Lake Brunner.

Bookin.com erroneously stated that no food was included, but both a continental breakfast and excellent 3 course dinner are included in the vroom rate.

It is the perfect escape. No TV... but that was part of its charm and we really appreciated just being able to do non-digital things like reading together in the library and playing snooker. Brenda was the perfect host with the right balance of knowing when to check in for a drink request versus giving us peace and quiet. Being a secluded location, there is no other food/shops nearby... but that again added to charm and reason for going... plus the set menu dinner they provided was amazing! We will be back... but next time we plan on staying longer

Amazing location. Incredible views. Very friendly host. Food far exceeded expectations - delicious but also presented like a high-end restaurant. Would absolutely recommend!

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From the moment we arrived “Brenda” and the team were super accommodating and we wanted for nothing. The nostalgic charm of the lodge is stunning which is complimented by the remoteness with the majestic scenery as well.

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Very nice place, bit remote but cozy and close to the lake!

The situation is fantastic.The lodge itself has been beautifully converted with many original features. Being taken to see glow worms in the bush was an amazing experience

We liked everything about the property

It seclusion, peace and quiet.

A choice of evening meal but appreciate why this is difficult. Due to it remote location it is not possible to provide an extensive menu.

We enjoyed our stay. It was a beautiful location for a relaxing weekend. Our hosts were very welcoming and look forward to our return.

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Nature, comfort.