Hotels near Hobbiton Movie Set, Matamata

You must book the Second Breakfast tour. Be the first to explore Hobbiton under the early morning light, without the hordes that will follow. Savour your choice of beverage at the Green Dragon, enjoy the talented and enthusiastic staff who will lead you on an extraordinary adventure around the film set and indulge your sensory organs as you delve deep within a hobbit hole, before enjoying the best breakfast spread in Middle Earth and beyond.

Sparking blue sky day and we loved our walking tour up the hill with our guide, Alexandra. It was a little bit pushed for time, as groups set off every ten minutes. TIP: go super early if you can, then there are less persons on the hill. There is only one Hobbit-hole (smial) that you can actually walk inside and the detail in every room, on every shelf, on every piece of furniture is incredible. It was not used in the LOTR or Hobbit films (how would you get cameras and lighting in there?) but was created for us tourists. I was so grateful that Alexandra split our group into two smaller groups of about 17 persons to walk through. Why? We already heard the very loud constant 'interpreting' during the earlier part of the tour, so it was so nice to be able to have a quiet walk through the home and enjoy the wonderful details. Again, we were a little bit pushed for time inside this smial, but I guess they can't delay the next group and the next group and so on.

The movie set tour was great and the guide, Taylor, was very knowledgeable and entertaining. The gift shop, unfortunately, was uninspiring. There are so many souvenirs that could be created, but instead only coffee mugs, keychains, hats, etc. They were even out of stock on most of their tshirts! There are better items in the souvenir shops in Auckland than at the location itself!

If abit wobbly on your feet see if the Hobbiton management can help you see all the sights. The feeling was you were right in with the "little folk" feeling everything had just been left then and there and left you eager to see more of the Hobbitons life

The set was interesting but we were lucky to book a Banquet Tour - this was so much more enjoyable as not only do you do the walking tour in daylight - you see it after dark when everything is lit with lanterns and the banquet was amazing food with generous Hobit style servings

Do the evening dinner tour and wear comfortable shoes as a bit of walking over some rough terrain to travel through the movie set. Very good tour staff and very interesting information about Lord of the Rings.