We spent two nights at Milford Sound Lodge over the New Year. Potential guests should be aware that there have been some problems with rock falls/avalanches on the Milford road, which have resulted in a number of road closures over the past few months. Prior to our arrival we were contacted by the Lodge (which was much appreciated) to advise us of these issues / check that we still wanted to proceed with the booking (there being a high risk of becoming stuck at Milford for a period of time due to a road closure). In any case, we chose to travel, and needless to say, the road was closed for 2 days after we arrived due to torrential rain.
We stayed in a budget twin room located in the main lodge. Basically furnished with reasonably comfy beds, a side table and functional heater, the room is intended only as a place to retire for the night, which is expected for the price. Well maintained toilets/showers and a large shared kitchen (which does tend to get very crowded at peak times) are located close by. Unfortunately, the torrential rain we experienced during our stay caused some minor flooding in the kitchen and the dining room.
We were very impressed with the service provided by the front desk in what were hectic times over the first two days of our stay (500mm rain over two days, NYE, road closure related issues) – from assistance booking cruises / walks and providing a spare key after my husband inadvertently locked us out of our room on NYE! The only niggle we had was that the communication from the Lodge to guests on the morning of the third day, January 2nd (the day the road was expected to be re-opened) about the road closure was somewhat poor. While there was a small notice on the noticeboard by the front door at 7.30 am advising that a decision on the road opening that day was “pending”, we would have appreciated clear information from the front desk in regards to a) what time the next road update was expected to be provided and b) what guests should do in the meantime regarding check out. As there was no clear information, the (unfortunately very surly) woman at the front desk fielded continuous queries across the morning from people wondering what was going on. The prominent placement of a large notice from the Lodge outlining all available information/common questions is likely to have prevented this.
All in all, a good stay, recommended to enjoy the solitude of Milford after the day cruise crowds have departed. A tip – the Blue Duck Café/Bar is a great place to have a meal if you choose not to brave the crowds at dinner time in the kitchen. Meals are extremely well priced given the remoteness of the location, and a free drink voucher (upon purchase of a main meal) can be obtained from the Lodge front desk.