Top 10 Holiday Park on a renovation cycle
It’s been in operation in Taupō since 1957 but many would have driven past the Top 10 Holiday Park on Rangatira Street without realising it covers just over two hectares.
Owner Darren Blank said he and his brother Matt and their wives Suzi and Kris, who bought the park three years ago, have embarked on a series of renovations since they arrived.
“Owning a holiday park you never stop spending money.”
The park which has won NZ Holiday Park Association awards for the top renovation under $100,000 for two years running will this year, with the addition of a pool, tip into the category of improvements over $100,000.
“We have been pretty lucky,” said Blank, “a lot of places are struggling... but we have 80 per cent domestic market and a lot of people are travelling within New Zealand.”
The park, which swells to accommodate about 400 guests over the Christmas holiday period, even had 30 internationals stranded onsite during the Covid-19 lockdown last year.
“We were the only holiday park in the central North Island that stayed open, we spaced them out and once they had been here for a few weeks they formed their own bubble and started having afternoon drinks,” said Blank
Large events like the Summer Concert series and sporting events such as Ironman are major sources of revenue, he said, with all of the park’s units, powered and non-powered sites usually booked out a year in advance.
He’s hoping the latest addition, an 18m x 9 m pool with slide and waterfall will be ready for use by December.
The unit being demolished to make way for it has probably been there for the last 70 years, he said.
Not shy in dubbing the park a “hidden gem”, Blank said this was backed up by ratings - reviews in Trip Advisor Travellers’ Choice 2021 placed the park in the top 10 per cent worldwide.
“We’re not the biggest, flashest park in Taupō but we do sensational service.”
Poll: As a customer, what do you think about automation?
The Press investigates the growing reliance on your unpaid labour.
Automation (or the “unpaid shift”) is often described as efficient ... but it tends to benefit employers more than consumers.
We want to know: What do you think about automation?
Are you for, or against?
-
9.4% For. Self-service is less frustrating and convenient.
-
43.6% I want to be able to choose.
-
47.1% Against. I want to deal with people.
Time to Tickle Your Thinker 🧠
If a zookeeper had 100 pairs of animals in her zoo, and two pairs of babies are born for each one of the original animals, then (sadly) 23 animals don’t survive, how many animals do you have left in total?
Do you think you know the answer? Simply 'Like' this post and we'll post the answer in the comments below at 2pm on the day!
Want to stop seeing these in your newsfeed? No worries! Simply head here and click once on the Following button.
Have you got New Zealand's best shed? Show us and win!
Once again, Resene and NZ Gardener are on the hunt for New Zealand’s best shed! Send in the photos and the stories behind your man caves, she sheds, clever upcycled spaces, potty potting sheds and colourful chicken coops. The Resene Shed of the Year 2026 winner receives $1000 Resene ColorShop voucher, a $908 large Vegepod Starter Pack and a one-year subscription to NZ Gardener. To enter, tell us in writing (no more than 500 words) why your garden shed is New Zealand’s best, and send up to five high-quality photos by email to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz. Entries close February 23, 2026.
Loading…
