Winston Aldworth checks into The Lodge, at National Park.
Getting there: Going via State Highway 3, National Park village is about a 4-hour, 15-minute drive from my office in central Auckland. Or you could do it the way we did and get stuck in the traffic leaving Auckland on theFriday of a long weekend. It took us a sniff more than six hours to get there.
They'll also do railway station pick-ups for anyone smart enough to take the train. It's a good option (I was shattered after the drive), with plentiful shuttles servicing the ski areas and the Tongariro Crossing.
Check-in experience: Swift.
Room: We were in a Quad Mezzanine, with myself and a mate in single beds in the downstairs area, and the kids in singles at the top. It's a pretty compact scenario — downstairs is 6m x 3m, and upstairs 2.2m x 3m — but four adult mates with few secrets to hide could use this room for a skiing getaway.
Top tip: Choose the bed that's not positioned immediately beneath the stairs. My mate Tristram was woken each morning of our stay by my daughter (his god-daughter) dropping dirty socks on him through the slots in the stairs. It looked pretty funny from where I was lying.
Price: Rates vary by season, but you can get this room for $125 midweek.
What's in the neighbourhood? It's a 20-minute drive to Whakapapa (to check conditions or book lift passes, go to mtruapehu.com/whakapapa).
Food and drink: Breakfast is served downstairs and the Spiral Restaurant and Bar has a roaring fire in the evenings and a good restorative menu. Go for the lamb.
The bed: If I wasn't so knackered each night I'd probably observe that it could have been firmer. You'll sleep well.
Entertainment: There are two magnificent spa pools. There's also a 40-inch TV in the downstairs room as well, but we were in the room to snore and get dressed in preparation for skiing on Ruapehu each day.
Bathroom: Functional.
Free Wi-Fi? Yup.
Noise: I was too exhausted from the long drive and the skiing to notice anything.
