The Waitomo Caves is a village and solutional cave system forming a major tourist attraction in the northern King Country region of the North Island of New Zealand, 12 kilometres northwest of Te Kuiti. The community of Waitomo Caves itself is very small, though the village has many temporary service workers living there as well. The word Waitomo comes from the Māori language wai meaning water and tomo meaning a doline or sinkhole; it can thus be translated to be water passing through a hole. The caves are formed in Oligocene limestone.

Caving

Early history

The limestone landscape of the Waitomo District area has been the centre of increasingly popular commercial caving tourism from as early as 1900. Initially mostly consisting of impromptu trips guided by local Māori, large sections of cave near Waitomo Caves were later taken over by the Crown and managed as a (relatively genteel) tourism attraction from 1904 onwards. A 1915 guide said, "It is reached by railway to Hangatiki, thence 6 miles by coach along a good road".

Waitomo Caves Hotel (originally called Waitomo House and later Government Hostel at Waitomo) is a hotel located in Waitomo District, King Country above Waitomo Caves in New Zealand.

Construction and development

The hotel was first built in 1908, and was renovated 20 years later in 1928 due to an increase in popularity. The building is famous for its unique style of New Zealand Victorian.

Hauntings

According to stuff.co.nz, Waitomo Caves Hotel is the fourth most haunted spot, and the most haunted hotel, in New Zealand. There have been claims of bathtubs dripping blood, orbs bouncing around the driveway and a Māori princess stalking the corridors. Some people have also reported experiencing the dining room going cold, laughter, the feeling of 'something' walking through them and the noise of a maid's trolley going along the long stretch of hall in the lower part of the hotel.

It has been reported by hotel staff and guests that a ghost likes to play tricks on them or that apparitions have been seen in the dining room, along with an uneasy feeling in the atmosphere. It has also been reported that some rooms have moving lights, objects and even screams.