Mangapapa Hotel

What a great find in the serene countryside of Hawkes Bay! Small, gated, historical estate turned boutique hotel, complete with swimming pool, grass tennis courts, apple orchard and flock of sheep on lovely and peaceful grounds. I arrived from the Napier airport in an UBER after the gates were closed (after 800pm), so I was buzzed in and someone was waiting for me in front of the hotel at the end of the long tree lined drive to welcome me in and to help with my bags. Check in is at the bar off of the lounge. I believe that there are only 12 rooms at the Magnapapa. Since the restaurant closed at 8pm, which is typical of the area, I had preordered some food with the hotel. This, along with an added dessert and freshly baked bread served with honey butter, was promptly brought up to my room. Breakfast is served in the conservatory with large windows looking out to the grounds. Breakfast consists of a small buffet with delicious fresh fruit including the very unusual and delicious red kiwi along with quite a few delectable made to order breakfast options; it was the perfect way to start the day. I had dinner once at the hotel with some of their delicious private label wine. Dinner was good, the service, as it was at breakfast, was five star. Rooms are serviced twice daily. Sweet “treats” are left in the room after each service, as well as nice chamomile tea after the second service. There was a welcomed, small parlor/sitting room attached to my bedroom. The main bedroom was spacious and looked out over the swimming pool towards the spa building. The en-suite bathroom was well appointed, modern and generous in size. Service was first rate! Housekeeping was seemingly invisible and took my clues as to how I liked things left and kept things accordingly. Management worked with a local bicycle company who had dropped off my bicycle rental; they charged and kept my rented e-bike for me. This was so convenient because there are cycling trails nearby that take you to many, many wineries, the coast and even to Napier city center. I highly recommend Magnapapa for your stay in Hawkes Bay and will absolutely stay here, if I find myself in Hawkes Bay again.

Such a beautiful small hotel. The grounds are lovely, the house is beautifully restored and maintained. We were made to feel very welcome and very comfortable. Our room was very spacious, with a sitting area. Bathroom was huge!! Breakfast was plentiful and delicious. The 5 course dinner was spectacular. All the staff were incredibly helpful and very friendly.

My wife and I stayed at Mangapapa for 3 nights while in a Backroads tour. Top notch experience without being snobby! The manager James is fantastic - so friendly, professional, efficient, and accommodating. The grounds are vast and gorgeous, with a rose garden and sheep grazing across from the cottage rooms. The meal services all excel in presentation and attentive execution, effortlessly supporting our dietary requests. The deep tissue massage from Sam was one of the best I’ve experienced. And the bar is capable and friendly.

Had a wonderful, albeit short, stay at the Mangapapa hotel. James was a wonderful host ensuring everything was taken care of. The room and bed was clean, comfortable, and overall excellent. Both meals we enjoyed, dinner and breakfast were exceptional. Support staff was also perfect. Nothing bad to be said about this place. We will be back.

We recently enjoyed a two-night stay at Mangapapa Hotel, staying in the Mangapapa Suite, and it was a thoroughly memorable experience. The suite itself was large, beautifully appointed, and lived up to its reputation as the hotel’s premier offering. While it comes at a higher price point, the experience will be remembered long after the price is forgotten. We dined in the restaurant on both evenings and enjoyed breakfast on both mornings. The three-course dinners were superb, showcasing the skill of an obviously very talented chef, each course was thoughtful, beautifully presented, and full of flavour. Breakfast was equally impressive, offering a generous range of delicious hot and cold options. From the moment we arrived, we were warmly welcomed by James, whose professionalism and genuine hospitality set the tone for our stay. He was supported by an attentive and friendly team who ensured everything ran seamlessly. Overall, this was a very enjoyable and relaxing stay, one we would happily recommend and look forward to repeating.