Hobbiton Movie Set — Matamata
Step inside the real-life Shire used in Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings and Hobbit films, set amid rolling Waikato farmland near Matamata — about 1 hr 45 north-west of tonight’s hotel at Karaka.
The room
Official In-Room Photos — Guestroom
Cheapest roomKing Guestroom (entry-level Guestroom tier)
The King Guestroom is the DoubleTree Karaka’s entry-level room, and for a hotel built around racing country it is notably calm and generous — soft greys and blond timber, a deep navy padded headboard and equestrian photography nodding to the Karaka bloodstock sales. Hilton describes the property’s 122 rooms and suites as offering Suite Dreams® by Serta mattresses, 55" HD TVs and therapeutic rain showers. Garden-view rooms add a window seat and a small table for two looking out over lawns and mature pines.
Hilton renders its room list client-side, so the exact booking-engine room name could not be confirmed. “King Guestroom” is the entry-level tier per Hilton’s own photo gallery, which sits below the Deluxe and Suite categories. Room size is listed by third-party distributors at about 28 m², which Hilton itself does not publish. Two things worth budgeting for: standard Wi-Fi is published at NZ$20, and breakfast is charged separately. Self-parking is free.
Facilities
Pools, gyms and dining — and the hours they keep.
Heated outdoor pool
🕒 7:00am – 6:00pm
Closes early. Coming back from Waitomo or Hobbiton, plan the swim before dinner or you will miss it.
Fitness centre
🕒 Open 24 hours
On site.
Ethereal | Artisan Kitchen
Hours not published
Paddock-to-plate restaurant led by Chef Mark Southon. Hours not published.
Horseshoe Bar
Hours not published
Indoor and outdoor fire-pit seating. Hours not published.
Parking
Hours not published
Free self-parking, with EV charging on site.
Guest laundry
Not available here
No self-service laundry. Chargeable valet service only.
Hilton’s site is behind bot protection that blocks automated reading, so the pool and gym hours below could not be read off Hilton’s own page. They are consistent across booking channels — worth confirming at check-in.
Room amenities
What is included in this room type.
En-suite bathroom
Yes — rain shower
TV
55" HD, wall-mounted
Wi-Fi
NZ$20 charge published — free via Hilton Honors
Fridge
Mini fridge
Desk
Work desk & ergonomic chair
Air conditioning
Yes
Washing machine
No guest laundry — valet service only
What we’ll see
23 Sep — Attractions
Both stops sit south of tonight’s hotel in the Waikato: Hobbiton (Matamata) is roughly 1 hr 45 – 2 hrs from Karaka, and Waitomo roughly 1 hr 50 – 2 hrs 05. Both return north on SH1, so you reach Karaka before Auckland’s worst congestion — but the 3–6 PM northbound peak on the Southern Motorway is the main risk to the last stretch. Karaka is about 25 minutes from Auckland Airport and 30–60 minutes from the CBD depending on traffic.
Day 11
Wednesday, 23 September
Waitomo Glowworm Caves
Ancient stalactite cave system with an underground boat ride beneath a living galaxy of thousands of glowworms — a truly magical experience.
Practical details
Address8 Hinau Road, Karaka, Auckland 2113Phone+64 9 296 2002
Check-in / outCheck-in 3:00 PM · Check-out 11:00 AM
Official sitehilton.com › Auckland Karaka