Located in New Haven, Surat Bay Lodge, Motel and Backpackers is in the mountains and on the beach. While the natural beauty of Kaka Point Scenic Reserve and Surat Bay Beach can be enjoyed by anyone, those looking for an activity can check out Catlins Kayak and Adventure. Discover the area's water adventures with fishing nearby, or enjoy the great outdoors with hiking/biking trails and horse riding. Visit our New Haven travel guide
Surat Bay Lodge, Motel and Backpackers provides a garden and more. Guests can connect to free in-room WiFi.
You'll also enjoy the following perks during your stay:
Free self parking
Luggage storage, a TV in the lobby, and barbecue grills
Outdoor furniture and smoke-free premises
Room features
All guestrooms at Surat Bay Lodge, Motel and Backpackers have comforts such as free WiFi and sound-insulated walls.
Other conveniences in all rooms include:
Communal kitchens with ovens, toasters, and stovetops
Heating and daily housekeeping
Awards and affiliations
Sustainability Certifications
This property is certified by this third-party sustainability certification scheme: Qualmark Sustainable Tourism Business Award. For more information on what this certification requires and verifies, please visit their website.
Is Surat Bay Lodge, Motel and Backpackers pet-friendly?
No, pets are not allowed at this property.
How much does it cost to stay at Surat Bay Lodge, Motel and Backpackers?
As of 2026/10/24, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at Surat Bay Lodge, Motel and Backpackers on 2026/11/6 start from NT$2,795, excluding taxes and fees. This price is based on the lowest nightly price found in the last 24 hours for stays in the next 30 days. Prices are subject to change. Choose your dates for more accurate prices.
How much is parking?
Self parking is free at this property.
What time is check-in at Surat Bay Lodge, Motel and Backpackers?
Check-in start time: 3:00 PM; Check-in end time: 8:00 PM. Late check-in is available during limited hours.
What time is check-out at Surat Bay Lodge, Motel and Backpackers?
Check-out is at 10 AM.
Where is Surat Bay Lodge, Motel and Backpackers located?
This New Haven motel is on the beach, 0.3 mi (0.5 km) from Surat Bay Beach, and within 6 mi (10 km) of Catlins Lake and Teapot World. Cannibal Bay Beach and Kaka Point Beach are also within 12 mi (20 km).
Can I cancel my reservation for free and receive a full refund?
Yes, this property offers free cancellation on select room rates, because flexibility matters! Please refer to the property cancellation policy on our site for more details about any exclusions or requirements.
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Reviews
Surat Bay Lodge, Motel and Backpackers Reviews
8.6
Excellent
All reviews shown are from real guest experiences. Only travelers who have booked a stay with us can submit a review. We verify reviews according to our guidelines and publish all reviews, positive or negative.More informationOpens in a new window
Esther and the rest of the staff are incredibly kind and welcoming - I feel so lucky to have stayed here during my visit to the Catlins region. There are also plenty of sea lions just a short walk away that you can observe from a distance!
Absolute Magical place. A step back in time really. Great place to stay. Great hosts. Awesome views. Definitely recommend and will definitely be back to stay again.
Amazing view, the best housekeeping, small but comfortable place
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2024
Verified review
10/10 Excellent
Ross
2025/11/15
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities
Staff were very friendly and helpful. Rooms were clean, comfortable and well equipped. Lovely beach feel. Beautiful part of the country. We were blessed to see seals swimming in the bay from the deck at the front of the property and a stunning sunset.
This place is mega cool. Such an awesome spot right on the estuary. We walked for 5 minutes to the ocean and saw leopard seals sleeping onshore. Communal facilities are clean an water pressure in shower is great.
I had the pleasure to visit the Catlins again this year so took the opportunity to stay agsin in Surat as well this accommodation. The owner very friendly & helpful. It’s a great wee spot & property has awesome views of the sea & bay area. Large grounds as well with outdoor seating. Definitely will stay another time.
What a fabulous find. Extremely clean place, walking distace to the beach to find sealions basking in the sun, well equipped kitchen with comfy beds and a sunny lounge to relax in. A geat meeting place of interesting travellers, and the best hosts. Thankyou so much for your hospitality. 💝💖
The stay was right on the bay, and the host was incredibly friendly and always checking in with guests to ensure they had everything they needed to feel right at home. She was very bubbly and funny!
The only issue we had was that the shower was freezing after only a few minutes, and no matter whether I turned it off for a while it didn’t get warm again. There were also a lot of rules written around the building stating charges if guests didn’t abide, so I did feel a little on edge about possibly being charged for accidentally doing anything. Some felt unnecessary and as though I was at school, but I understand that there have likely been events in the past to feel the need to enforce those things.
This is a really beautiful stay in the Catlins, and we saw sea lions on the beach!
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2026
Verified review
2/10 Terrible
Andrés
2024/3/7
Disliked: Staff & service
Nice location bad hotel service
The location is very nice and it deserves to meet Surat Bay! However, maybe this hotel is not the best choice as the treat received was not good at all.
Although we hace contact to the hotel to comunicate our arrival time (8.30 pm) and they confirm us that there was no problem, the girl receive us angry saying that we do not write them and open our room giving us the key without explaining nothing about the hotel.
I had the pleasure of staying here for 1 night and it was wonderful. The location is perfect and quiet, and it was good to enjoy some peace after spending time in other busier towns/cities. Esther was a great host, very kind and welcoming. Will be recommending this place to anyone who travels to this part of New Zealand.
Surat Bay Lodge is an enjoyable place to stay as a backpacker, with a nice kitchen and living area to hang out in. The bay itself is steps away, and extremely quiet. Enjoyed my stay, but a car is a must.
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2017
Verified review
10/10 Excellent
Andrea
2026/1/23
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities
Wunderschöne Unterkunft! Superliebe Gastgeber, unglaublich schöne Lage, familiär und alles da was man braucht!
Schöne Lage am Wasser mit der Möglichkeit Seelöwen zu sehen, gutes Zimmer, sehr sauber, umfangreiche Küche Ausstattung.
Sehr nette und hilfsbereite Gastgeberin. Vielen Dank, wir haben unseren Aufenthalt sehr genossen!
Achtung: Es war bei unserer Buchung nicht klar erkennbar, dass das die Zimmer kein eigenes Badezimmer hat. Es gibt nur zwei gemeinsame Badezimmer, die über die Küche erreichbar sind, für alle Gäste.
We had a pleasant three-day stay in November, with only about half the rooms occupied. The place is right on the water, with some wonderful outdoor seating to watch the tide come in and out. Day one a juvenile sea lion snoozed 30 meters from the picnic table!
The place is a little worn, but comfortable and completely fair for the price. Water pressure good, wifi fine, communal kitchen has most things but a little small if the place is busy. (there are two stoves and two sinks though)
Owners were wonderful, and very friendly and knowledgeable about the area. We saw a yellow eyed penguin thanks to their tip!
There is a nice beach walk right off the property. We saw several sea lions every time we walked to the next cliff, about 40 minutes away. (Just past the Triplets)
Town is a short drive, and has a great Four Square.
Friendly and homely hospitality right on the beach
We enjoyed another lovely stay at Surat Bay Lodge with Esther & Jack, who warmly welcomed us and our children back. Our boys loved helping to feed the chickens again, trying their hands at fishing and eating some of what Dad had caught fresh off the on-site BBQ. And I got to see a big sea lion bull waddle all the way up the beach on one of my walks. Feels like a return to our own beach bach.
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2021
Verified review
6/10 Okay
Verified traveler
2021/2/28
Liked: Staff & service
Nice location on beach front and really friendly host. The property is an older building and shared facilities were OK.