Nelson's Lookout - Russell Holiday Home

7 reviews

• G

  Gauravpatil

  NZ · with friends · Apr 2025

  4/10

  Beautiful View, Basic Comforts Missing – Disappointing Stay

  The only thing we loved was the view and the living area.

  We stayed at Nelson’s Lookout for 3 nights, drawn in by the incredible view—which truly is stunning. Unfortunately, that’s where the positives end. For nearly $850 per night, we expected at least the basic comforts of a premium holiday home. Instead, we were greeted by a persistent musty smell in the rooms, adding an unexpected “aroma” to the stay. The upstairs toilet door didn’t shut properly, and the lock didn’t work—privacy clearly wasn’t part of the package. The shower water had a strange smell too, which made even a quick rinse feel like a gamble. At this price point, you’d expect comfort, cleanliness, and functionality—but sadly, we found ourselves struggling with facilities that should be standard in even a budget stay. The view was amazing, yes—but when you’re paying this much, you shouldn’t have to choose between scenery and a functioning toilet.

• D

  David

  US · group · Mar 2025

  10/10

  Exceptional

  Fantastic property!

• W

  Waravuth

  NZ · review category business travellers · Mar 2025

  7/10

  Overall, we enjoyed staying at the house.

  We love the view.

  During our recent stay at this property, we encountered several issues that affected our experience: External Second Toilet: The second toilet is located outside the main house, which may not be convenient for all guests. Suitability Concerns: Given the external toilet and other factors, this property may not be suitable for elderly individuals or young children. Dusty Bedrooms: We found the bedrooms to be quite dusty. Unfortunately, as this was the last property available, we had no alternative options.

• J

  John

  US · young couple · Feb 2025

  10/10

  We loved it!!! Planning a return.

  The property and its location were fabulous. The images online of the view don’t do it any justice. The private beach was spectacular and we didn’t want to leave. Additionally, we we were two adult couples traveling together. The space within the home was huge. We had perfect contact with the owner/Booking.com. We arrived and gained access with ease. We encountered a small hiccup connecting to WiFi and via email/text the issue was resolved instantly.

  Their wasn’t anything about the property we didn’t like. This is NOT a complaint just our assessment. However, to be fair in my rating I think a couple things should be mentioned for the next potential guest. Their is a second bathroom that is accessed by taking a couple steps outside. It’s clearly mentioned in the listing. The bathroom contains a shower, sink and toilet. We had no complaints or issues utilizing it. However it does not have any electrical outlets in there only lights. So to use a dryer, hair iron or shaver you must go back into the house. The only other thing we felt should be highlighted which is clearly listed in the advertisement is accessibility. We did NOT have any issues. To be fair the property is multi levels and utilizes many steps to move about the home. Additionally the private beach access was a spectacular walk up/down a lot of steps. We loved the walk but felt it was fair to advise that it’s a steep climb both ways.

• J

  Jan

  DE · family with young children · Mar 2024

  10/10

  Exceptional

  Nothing short of spectacular