The Horse And Jockey Inn is a 4-star inn set on Arawa Street in the heart of Matamata, New Zealand — the Waikato town famed as the gateway to Hobbiton. It enjoys a genuinely central setting: the town centre is a five-minute walk away, All Saints Anglican is about 700 metres off, and the famous Welcome to Hobbiton Sign sits within easy reach, making it a convenient base whether you're in town for the movie-set tours, a wedding, or the surrounding countryside.
Rooms are straightforward and comfortable, with most featuring private bathrooms that include a separate toilet. Travellers can choose from a Private Bathroom Twin Room, a Private Bathroom Queen Room, a Family Room and a standard Guest Room, all carpeted and heated, with electric kettles and garden furniture among the in-room touches. Note that there is no capacity for extra beds, so families should opt for the dedicated Family Room.
Food and drink are a real part of the stay here. An à la carte restaurant serves local dishes, with a children's menu for younger guests, while a snack bar and coffee shop cover lighter moments and a lounge bar anchors the evening. Guests are greeted with a welcome drink, happy hours are a regular fixture, and the leisure side is livelier than most country inns — a casino, live entertainment, a night club, billiard tables and darts all feature, alongside a game room and board games for kids.
Practicalities are well handled: free Wi-Fi in public areas, free street parking, luggage storage, VIP check-in and check-out, tour and ticket assistance, meeting and banquet facilities and an on-site ATM. The property is smoke-free and does not allow pets. Guests have rated it 'Pleasant' across 349 reviews, frequently praising the tidiness of the rooms and the walkable location.
Matamata may be a small Waikato town, but it punches well above its weight on the traveller's map. Thanks to its role as the gateway to Hobbiton, visitors from around the world pass through its main street every day, and the Horse And Jockey Inn sits right in the middle of it all. Set on Arawa Street, this 4-star inn is only a five-minute walk from the town centre, about 700 metres from All Saints Anglican, and within easy reach of the famous Welcome to Hobbiton Sign — a handy detail for anyone whose New Zealand itinerary includes a detour to The Shire.
The inn trades on the classic qualities travellers hope for in a country inn: a central setting, an honest kitchen, a bar where conversations start easily, and rooms that are clean and comfortable at the end of a long day of exploring. Guests who have rated it "Pleasant" across 349 reviews frequently mention the same things — tidy rooms, a walkable location, and an atmosphere that makes longer stays easy. One reviewer noted it made "a perfect base" for a wedding in town; another singled out the cleanliness of the family room and the five-minute stroll to downtown Matamata.
Room options at the Horse And Jockey Inn include a Private Bathroom Twin Room, a Private Bathroom Queen Room, a Family Room and a standard Guest Room. Most rooms come with private bathrooms featuring a separate toilet, and the rooms themselves are carpeted and heated, with an electric kettle for a cuppa and garden furniture for warmer afternoons. It is worth noting that there is no capacity for extra beds, so families should book the dedicated Family Room rather than trying to squeeze in a rollaway. The whole property is smoke-free, and key access helps keep things secure.
Check-in runs from 13:30 until 21:00, with check-out between 09:00 and 10:00 — timings that suit road-trippers who like to be on the move early. If your plans shift, VIP check-in and check-out, luggage storage and tour and ticket assistance are all part of the service, so you can drop your bags and get on with your day before your room is ready.
Food is a genuine part of the Horse And Jockey's appeal. The on-site à la carte restaurant serves local dishes — a chance to taste Waikato flavours without getting back in the car — and a children's menu keeps younger travellers happy. Around the corner you'll find a snack bar and a coffee shop for lighter moments, while the lounge bar is the natural place to end the evening. Guests are welcomed with a drink on arrival, and happy hours give everyone a reason to linger.
Evenings here are livelier than the average country inn. The property lists a casino, live entertainment and a night club among its leisure facilities, plus billiard tables and darts for a more casual kind of competition. Families are catered for too, with a game room and board games. If all you want is quiet, the sundeck and shared lounge offer a calmer corner.
Matamata's location makes the inn a smart base. Wairere Falls is a five-minute drive away, Pohlen Park is a kilometre down the road, and Firth Tower Estate and Museum is about a ten-minute ride. The Broadway bus stop, roughly 200 metres from the door, links you further afield, and staff can help with tours and tickets for local experiences. If you'd rather eat elsewhere one night, DKs Burger Bar is close by.
Practicalities are well covered. Free street parking makes arrivals simple for drivers, free Wi-Fi is available in public areas, and payments can be made by Mastercard, Visa or American Express. There's an ATM on site, vending machines for late-night cravings, and meeting and banquet facilities for small events. One clear house rule: no pets allowed.
Whether you're in Matamata for Hobbiton, a wedding, the falls or simply a stop on the long road through the Waikato, the Horse And Jockey Inn offers the kind of straightforward, warm-hearted stay that country New Zealand does best — central, comfortable and always happy to pour you a drink at the end of it.