Breakfast was basic but good. The service was extremely friendly and helpful. It was great having the pool table.

The public areas were great but nobody was about - the place was dead.a

The wooden lodge is lovely with great views of the snow peaks, even in December. Room size quite good, we stayed in Coach house. Location slightly away from the town bit we had a car so was not a big issue.

Mixed feelings about service. Before we arrived, they were quite friendly and helped us to even book a.dinner for Christmas evening, that was very well. One morning, we had booked an early glacier experience so requested for just cereals and milk to be kept aside so we could help ourselves in the morning. But they simply refused!

Unable to find a suitable B&B in the Franz Josef area, we chose Westwood Lodge, at about 60% more than the price of other places we had stayed during a South Island tour. What it lacks in charm and intimacy, it makes up for in its facilities. Situated on the main Highway 6, it is just a mile from central Franz Josef. Our large bedroom included a comfortable bed, wardrobe, small table and chair, fridge, TV and DVD player, with a good selection of DVDs available from the guest lounge. A veranda with table and chairs was next to a planted patio with the car park beyond. The large bathroom, with underfloor heating, had two basins, good quality toiletries, a wet room shower and high sided bath. The booking site said that breakfast would be $25 extra, but on arrival were told we would be given a free Continental breakfast, which was excellent, with cereals, a wide range of pastries and bread, yoghurt, fresh berry compote and fruit. The dining room looks down through a lovely lounge with a huge imitation log fire that throws out lots of heat, with French windows opening onto a pleasant garden with a wonderful view of the mountains beyond. Soft music played in the background during the evening, with a selection of CDs as alternatives. Next to it is a snooker and pool room with full-sized table.

The lodge is in a quiet location - just out of Franz Josep town. The room was a really nice size, with a separate lounge area.

The place seemed to lack something. The continental breakfast we had was about a 7/10.