Private Tour
45 minutes
Mobile ticket
Secret Spot Hot Tubs is a stone’s throw from Rotorua, hidden in the heart of New Zealand’s mountain biking mecca, the Waipa Valley. Discover your own secret spot in the stunning Whakarewarewa Forest after your day’s adventures. You’ll find a place with great atmosphere and a warm welcome, where everything is beautifully handcrafted, from the western red cedar hot tubs to the craft beer and artisan coffee! Secret Spot has 12 hot tubs that are situated along the edge of the forest, overlooking the Puarenga Stream, and each hot tub is perfect for any group of friends or family up to 6 people.
You can also explore our unique café and bar set in a forest oasis with native plantings – we have smooth manuka-roasted coffee, Good George craft beer and cider, and Mills Reef wine. Have a bite to eat, play lawn games and enjoy our outdoor campfires, or unwind with a Shinny Dip foot hot tub, free with any drinks purchase.
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Dogs allowed
Children under 5 are not allowed in the hot tubs
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
You’ll find a relaxed atmosphere and friendly welcome when you discover our secret spot in the forest. We are all about connecting you with nature, friends, and family after your day’s adventures. Soak in your own cedar hot tub surrounded by native trees and ferns, while you receive tub-side bar service at the push of a button and complimentary cold plunge tubs. Our fresh (non-geothermal) water comes from a beautiful aquifer spring, which we heat to just the right temperature for you to enjoy a relaxing 45-minute soak. The tubs can fit up to six people and come with complimentary drinking water and lockers. You can bring your own swimwear, or we have swimwear, towels, and robes for hire. Check in 15 minutes before your booked soak time. Explore our unique café and bar in a backyard setting – we have smooth manuka-roasted coffee, Good George craft beer and cider, and Mills Reef wine. Have a bite to eat, play lawn games and enjoy our outdoor campfires, or unwind with a Shinny Dip foot hot tub, free with any drinks purchase.
Parking for buses and cars
Cold plunge tubs access
Complementary drinking water
Secure lockers
Private cedar hot tub (45-minute soak)
Food and drinks (available for purchase)
Towel, swimwear, and robe hire (available on-site)
Hotel pickup/drop-off
556 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
H5832TIemmas,,Jan 28, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
Amazing spot even in heavy rain we had a great time. 45mins was plenty of time to relax. The tubs were plenty big enough for the 4 of us.
paulhC5107ES,,Jan 28, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
This is a great spot, with amazing atmosphere. Each tub (12 of them) are seperated by natural vegetation and a boradwalk. The drinks they offer are great. The cold immersion tub is a welcome break from the hot tubs. Very relaxing and very natural. Easy to drive to with lots of parking. Great place to relax after a day of adventures




glenlyons,,Jan 25, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
Fantastic experience & great service. Beautiful setting. Loved the cold tub plunges as well. Will definitely be back thanks.
Catherine K,,Jan 24, 2026
- Review from Viator
What a great experience, This was probably one of the best activities we did on this trip especially after hiking! Your ordered drinks are waiting for you when you get to your tub. The tub surroundings are beautifully landscaped for privacy. Hop in and start relaxing. Jump in the cold pool plunge when you get too hot or at the end of your 45 mins. There are individual showers to use after. All in all it was a wonderful experience. If we lived here I would come at least once a month!
Sarah P,,Jan 20, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
Stopped here on the way to Taupo - a great coffee stop. Enjoyed sipping our coffee whilst having a gorgeously warm foot soak.

mcurtis924,,Jan 17, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
Honestly, I was travelling with another person and really needed some alone time. This was perfect for that. It would also be A LOT of fun with a group; I did the hot tub, then cold plunge (very very fast) and I am now a total fan of that experience. The tubs are in serene, beautiful settings and the light system (lets you know when your time is up) really keeps it undisturbed and peaceful.
Dreamer35407289123,,Jan 17, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
Absolutely loved our time at Secret Spot. Stunning forest setting, private tubs, perfect temperature and amazing staff. A very relaxing experience and well worth it — we’ll definitely be back!
tatyanaw346,,Jan 13, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
We recently visited this hot tub in Rotorua and had a fantastic experience. The views were stunning, the atmosphere was truly relaxing, and the service was excellent. Nice and a very important bonus was that our dog could join us, which made the visit even more special. Highly recommended.
Gelm05,,Jan 7, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
Lovely and clean nice water temperature. Loved the plunge pool. Would thoroughly recommend. A great place to relax and recharge
marzena k,,Jan 3, 2026
- Review from Viator
We arrived and checked in, the reception attendant gives you a bunch of instructions without any printouts so as you feel a bit flustered on arrival because there are a lot of people in the check in area and try to orient yourself, you kind of have to figure out what to do when you get a locker key because what she told me was a blur. After we changed we walked over to our hot tub and it was nothing really like the photos. You see the path, the dividers between tubs don't create privacy, some of the plants were dried and dead, spars so you can see and hear others sitting in their tubs, ours was still occupied by someone who ran their time longer so we were suppose to have 45 min but we only had 30 min because of the other people. They have a light based timer that alerts you when your time is up. That wasn't as big of a problem because I couldn't sit in the hot tab for that long anyways but I didn't see them clean the area between us at all, neither did my partner which makes me wonder how clean are these hot tubs and the water if they only clean maybe once a day when every 45 min someone else gets in. I could smell some chlorine (you only smell chlorine supposedly when someone pees in chlorine water btw) so the whole concept of magical, rainforest hot springs hot tubs is more of a gimmick in my opinion than any real fresh, healthy, magical hot springs experience. During the day you see everything. Again, nothing at all like the photo that advertises the place. For anyone who is hesitant with public pools or tubs I honestly would not recommend it. I don't like to sit in chlorine water because it's unhealthy to absorb all of that plus potential for bacteria since the water is warm, lower temp than standard hot tub...I expected maybe that the water was naturally flowing in and out and had some self cleaning properties. There was a filter in these wooden tubs but again, didn't feel super clean. It was pretty, you could hear birds sing and looked into the distance at all of the plants but just like with many things in NZ, very "tourist trap like". Instead look for real hot springs in nature, perhaps they have it, couple of beached in North Island in the Coromandel area do have them. Go find that instead.
Operated by Secret Spot Hot Tubs