The hospitality queen putting the style in a Taupō welcome

Welcome to Taupō! Meet Elle Knight

When Elle Knight heard Booking.com had declared Taupō as one of the world's most welcoming cities for 2025, she wasn’t surprised.

“I’m proud to be a Taupō local, which gives me the inside-knowledge as to how amazing it is here and what’s on offer. We have so many genuine hospitality owners and tourism operators, and our community just absolutely comes together for the incredible events that have put us on the map over the past few years.

“But while I’m lucky enough to see and experience all of this on the day-to-day, it’s definitely a great achievement to have what we do recognised on that kind of scale.

Manaakitanga makes Taupō shine

Elle is the General Manager of Lakeside Accommodation—a business she took over in 2014—as well as the founder of a more recent venture, MyStays. And it’s from her roles in the town’s accommodation industry that she has been able to witness, first-hand, what makes Taupō shine on the world stage, alongside some other pretty incredible destinations.

“When I think about what it is that makes us special, yes we have the beautiful scenery and natural environment, but it really comes down to our people. The way we greet each other and greet visitors.

“It’s our culture of manaakitanga, which is about kindness, generosity, support and care for one another. And you see it in the volunteers who turn up to our events (like Ironman) rain or shine, always with a smile on their face.

“My husband Brent competes in Ironman and we’ve been to a few overseas destinations, like Cairns and Kona, for the competitions. And last year Taupō did the best job by far. I’m not just saying that either. We were buzzing all day long with pride and what had been put on by the town and our people.

“Then there are our cafes, restaurants and tourism ventures, who everyday make sure visitors are having a great time, and want to come back again.”

Lakeside Accommodation

Of course, every guest in town needs a place to rest their head. Which is where Elle and her superstar team come into play.

With a reputation for superior accommodation and a high level of service at every step, the Lakeside Accommodation and MyStays businesses have gone from strength to strength—backed by Elle’s deep desire to ensure every person who stays in one of ‘her’ properties is going to get the same incredible experience.

“Some of my best memories are tied up with holidays—right from a young age to now being able to head away with my own family. And these days in our busy world, everyone works so hard, so there’s nothing quite like having a holiday to look forward to.

“I also know that travel and vacations don’t come around very often, or at all for some people. And it might be about saving up for a long time to celebrate a special occasion with loved ones or friends. So our job is about making sure everything is perfect for them, and that they can have the best time possible.”

The extensive portfolio of holiday accommodations around Taupō covers everything from smaller apartments in town to luxurious, architecturally notable lakeside homes catering for multi-generational families and groups. Perched above the lake in picturesque Acacia Bay, Wai Marino is a spectacular holiday home boasting three levels of exceptional views and privacy. Drift at 5 Mile Bay is a spacious, beautifully decorated lakeside retreat with panoramic views, outside living and immediate access to the lake.

Little details

For Elle and her team, no request is too small (or big) when it comes to anything their guest may need, it’s all part of the service. And she knows it’s the ‘little details’ that can truly count.

“We had someone stay recently who informed us their daughter was highly allergic to anything feather. So we went through the property to ensure all the cushions, duvets, pillows and linen with feathers were removed and/or replaced. It gave the guest peace of mind that staying at one of our holiday homes would not be in the ‘too hard’ basket for them.

“A regular guest of ours comes back to the same property every year, as it was a favourite of hers and her late husband’s. So we always have something special waiting for her in the property to say that we are thinking of her—it’s an acknowledgement we like to make and means a lot to our guest too.”

And while the robust processes and systems in place are integral to the success of the businesses, again Elle says it comes down to people (her team) who are invested in the overall values of what Lakeside Accommodation and MyStays represents.

“It’s attention to detail and cleanliness, as well as our communication and commitment to make everything easy—from booking, to arrival, staying and then departing.

“We also provide local touches and recommendations so that our guests' stay is an overall experience, not just somewhere to sleep. And there’s consistency right across the board, so no matter where you stay, whether here in Taupō, Hawkes Bay or Auckland, you get the same level of service.

“And if our guests are going to be arriving late on a cold winter’s evening, the lights and heating will already be on for them.”

What’s a credit to Elle is that MyStays wasn’t actually her idea. It was her clients—some who were guests in Taupō but owned holiday investment properties in other locations. They saw the difference in service and standards and repeatedly asked her to expand the offering of Lakeside Accommodation to other regions. At first she said no, but after having the same conversation three times in one week back in 2023, she had a chat with husband Brent and decided to give it a crack.

“I enjoyed what we did locally, because we did it well. Then I started to see the potential and how it could work -- completely building a system from the ground up. After that, it was a case of lifting the model up and moving it where it needed to go.

“Now we have the most amazing GEMs (Guest Experience Managers) in a number of places around New Zealand, and we’re exceeding expectations in terms of growth.”

Elle’s favourite places in Taupō

As a family of four in Taupō, Elle has plenty of favourite places and spaces they have explored over the years. For her it’s about the ease of living and that there’s always an outdoor activity to get in amongst—an hour to the ski fields, half an hour from work to be out on the lake, 15 minutes from work to be biking at Craters Mountain Bike Park. But she’s also pretty fond of the local coffee and eateries too.

“Some of my favourites are Baked with Love, Plateau, Brantry, L’Arte and when we’re out for a walk along the lakefront on the weekend we will always stop at Steaming Bean. Two Mile Bay Sailing Club is a great place for a cocktail and live music, and you can’t beat the location right on the lake’s edge.

“When time allows, we love to go out to the go-karts at the race track or will just go on one of the walks around the region. There are so many and we just really enjoy the outdoor lifestyle.”

There’s always a risk of offending the locals when sharing ‘best kept secrets’ but most of the activities Elle recommends are already well-known in their own right. So we’re safe here.

“We recently ran part of the trail from Whakaipo to Kawakawa Bay and gosh it was so beautiful, it is such a nice track. I also just can’t rate being out on the lake highly enough. My kids have super fond memories of dad getting home from work in the summer and we’d load up into the boat, find a bay to dock in and have sausages and bread on the cooker for dinner.

“My husband and I love Wairakei Terraces for a relaxing dip and time out. And for groups, we’ve had kid’s birthday parties on the Doughboats which are just so fun. I bring along all the food and drink, the kids can jump off and swim and you can blast the music. It’s such a great time.

“I also don’t think we talk enough about how beautiful our sunsets are here in Taupō. They are just incredible where the whole sky is just lit up in the most gorgeous shades of orange and pink. That’s not so much a secret, just more of a ‘make sure you check them out!’”

Elle’s ideal day in town

“Get up early and either do a walk at Kinloch or along the lake front. This would be followed by coffee and brunch at L’Arte. Then we might head out for a mountain bike or go-karting and finish the day with sundowners and a pizza at Two Mile Bay or on a lake cruise.”

While the Booking.com accolade is icing on the cake, Elle says it’s ‘business as usual’ for her—in the best way possible. The team will continue to consistently deliver to a high standard, while never losing focus about why they do what they do.

“There’s always room for more to come and stay in Taupō, and I definitely think this nod from Booking.com will give everyone in the industry the opportunity to gain some momentum. For us, we’re currently having some real deep conversations about how to continue our regional growth while doing it sustainably—so it’s not at the expense of our people who already work really hard.

“We also want to continue strengthening partnerships with other operators and businesses, so that everyone who visits Taupō will not only want to return, but will tell friends, family and their colleagues to come here too.”

Elle Knight

Taupō is more than just a destination, says Elle as a final word. It’s a vibe, an atmosphere and a place where people can enjoy themselves while also feeling safe. It’s got something for everyone, whether it’s about relaxing or a full-on adrenaline rush. Then there’s the charming boutique shopping, and delicious food. And luckily for Elle, it’s her job to tell as many people as possible how great it is here, all while getting in amongst it herself.