Staying at the the Mantra at Tekapo

The Mantra resort, Lake Tekapo.

Sarah Lawrence checks into a lovely spot with mountain views.

Getting there: Easy to find, you'll see it before you reach Tekapo on the Fairlie-Tekapo Rd.

Check in experience: Friendly, helpful staff were waiting for us and provided a complimentary map of Tekapo, highlighting all the main attractions. Great for directionally challenged visitors like myself.

What's so good about this place: It's Lake Tekapo. It's pristine. The air is clear and the people are awesome. Enough said.

And the bad: We had to leave.

My room: We stayed in a three-bedroom apartment which felt just like home, except spotlessly clean with all the mod cons. Sipping a nice red in front of the fire and then napping in the softest leather La-Z-Boys was a holiday all on its own.

The bed: The linen was soft and the bed so comfy I didn't want to get out. And being a bit chilly in Tekapo, the electric blanket made climbing into bed that much nicer. I left my curtains open so I could watch the sun rise over the snowy mountains.

A room with a view? We couldn't see the lake from our room but we didn't mind. Our apartment had a pretty courtyard, landscaped with tussocks and river stones with the mountains as a backdrop.

Bathroom: The apartment had a generous en suite off the main bedroom, a main bathroom upstairs and a separate toilet downstairs. Perfect for families. All amenities were super clean, without a scratch or mark.

Price: At the time we stayed (mid-June) three nights cost $1153, via booking.com.

Would I return? In a heartbeat!

CHECKLIST

Mantra Lake Tekapo is at 1 Beauchamp Place, Lake Tekapo, New Zealand. Phone: 0800 448 891 or +61 756 654 450 if calling from overseas.