Buffalo Lodge

About

Buffalo Lodge in North Island sits at 860 Buffalo Road in Coromandel, a base on the peninsula southeast of Auckland. Guests who have stayed here have given it a full 5 out of 5 from 86 reviews, a near-flawless record for a guest house. The property keeps its own website at http://www.buffalolodge.co.nz/ for anyone arranging a stay.

Coromandel sits within reach of Auckland, Hamilton and Tauranga, while Wellington, Rotorua, Taupo, Napier and New Plymouth lie further across the island. The Coromandel area is known for its coastal scenery and quiet pace, with sheltered bays and bush-clad hills defining the peninsula. Visitors travelling from Auckland by car can reach the peninsula in around two hours, while Hamilton and Tauranga are closer still.

First-time guests should plan for a relaxed, self-contained stay rather than a full-service hotel, as the lodge operates as a guest house with private and shared spaces. Booking ahead is sensible in the summer months, when the peninsula draws holidaymakers from the cities. The surrounding roads are quiet and easy to navigate, though a car is useful for reaching the beaches and walking tracks.

North Island cooking leans on lamb, dairy and seafood such as green-lipped mussels, bluff oysters and crayfish, all easy to find in the region. Native birds including tūī and kererū are common in the bush, and dolphins and fur seals appear along the coast. Rugby union is followed closely nationwide, and driving is on the left, so hire cars suit most visitors.