Booked in looking forward to a hot shower as had been fishing and needed to get the smell of fish off me. Turned the shower on and just a trickle of water. Went to the front desk and told the person there, who came and fiddled with the rose. Told me that was what I needed to do, and left.... more

Fantastic place, Spa, sauna, heated swimming pool, right on the lake with great views of the mountains. Clean and comfortable accomodation, with a wholesale and Mcdonalds within 20 metres and about 50 metres in to the town centre. We ( an Auckland Sunday football team ) have stayed in two of the front units every year for the last 5... more

We spent a night at the Sahara and that was more than enough. The manager's customer service skills leave a lot to be desired - actually talking to visitors when they check in would be a good start! The room was a good size but could do with a really good clean and refresh. The room was very dusty, the... more

Extremely disappointing. Unit was filthy - kitchen floors not cleaned from previous tenants, many long hair strands on bathroom floor, bedding old, quilt and mattress protector blood stained, furniture old and grubby, no dusting done whatsoever, even a previous guest's pyjama bottoms left behind a door! No customer service skills at all, or pleasantries like welcomes, etc. We were horrified... more

I recently stayed at this motel that was completely awful. We were quoted $130 per night for a small, crappy room that looked like it hadn't been cleaned properly and their so called facilities (which included a heated indoor swimming pool, spa, sauna and BBQ) could not be used because they were filthy and had mould growing on them! Oh... more

The only positive about the Sahara is it is located across from the lake and within easy walking distance of the shops and cafes. The accommodation itself is very disappointing. The furniture is shabby, stained and out-dated and the bed linen and covers inadequate. The motel itself is badly in need of a total refubishment as walls and ceilings are... more

Not recommended. Excellent location next to Lake Taupo and close to town, but basically I felt we got budget accommodation at a premium price. Management might need training or replacing. It was hard to make a reservation in the first place and when we arrived they had no record of it! All off-street parking had been taken so we had... more