The long weekend of proud parties at the start of September is just one of the many reasons to visit Queenstown and its surrounding serenity. Queenstown boasts some of New Zealand’s most luxurious hospitality, stunning scenery and once-in-a-lifetime outdoor adventures. Here is our guide to a glorious stay.
STAY LAKESIDE
The Rees Hotel feels slick from the moment we arrive. Check-in is effortless, the staff have a nothing-is-too-much attitude and EV charging parks are plentiful. Then we open the door to our Executive King Room and find lake and mountain views that resemble an oil painting brought to life.
The spacious room’s muted palette wisely lets that majestic outlook do the talking. Its clever layout means the television can be watched from the generous couch and ottoman, king-size bed or spa bath, complete with jets galore.
Laziness wins the next morning. Breakfast in bed costs only an additional $5 tray charge. Minibar prices are similarly reasonable and both showcase New Zealand produce, while the ethical toiletries support Forest & Bird.
A 24-hour gym, bar, in-house massage service and hourly shuttle into town complete the offering. Our favourite option, however, is the lakeside walk into central Queenstown, with the path due to reopen in November. (therees.co.nz)
For a more economical lakeside stay, The Oaks Queenstown Lake Shores Resort delivers immaculate, modern rooms with small balconies and pretty views. Upgrading to a one-bedroom apartment brings considerably more space, plus an outlook towards the Remarkables.
Its restaurant pairs polished international service with local wines, cocktails and four- or five-course menus. Highlights include perfectly cooked eye fillet, subtly seared tuna tartare and a jewel-like dessert. With further extensions about to open, there’s good reason this resort is only getting bigger. (oakshotels.com)
UP ON THE PEAKS
Thirty minutes from town, Coronet Peak offers ski and snowboard runs for every ability. First Tracks begins at 8am, while Night Ski on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays extends the fun into the evening until the end of August. This season, a state-of-the-art new snow machine can produce reliable powder coverage on the lower learner slopes and children’s Snow Play zone, whatever the temperature! (coronetpeak.co.nz)
ON THE FLAT AND FOOTHILLS
For a gentler workout, try the peaceful Kelvin Heights Peninsula Loop, ten minutes from town, or Arrowtown’s Tobin’s Track, where the views become more rewarding with every uphill step.
STAY IN STYLE IN THE CENTRE
When romance is part of your Queenstown plan, stay at Hulbert House.
Refined maximalism fills this historic Victorian villa, creating the feeling of a secluded resort in the heart of town. Our Archerfield Room is dressed in dark gold and royal blue, with an ornate king bed and a gloriously opulent bathroom. A deep bathtub sits beneath an enormous rain shower, while proper brass taps make even washing your hands feel pleasingly old-fashioned.
Service is just as memorable. Reserve one of the two outdoor hot tubs, and towels and bottled water await beside the spotlessly clean tub overlooking the lake and mountains. Returning from the slopes with muscles you had forgotten existed? Call ahead, and the team will draw your bath.
At 5pm, guests gather beside the open log fire for local wine and canapés. The pours are generous, the quality exceptional and, after two hours, everyone in the lounge feels like an old friend. Beautifully restored by New Zealand designer Neil McLachlan, Hulbert House offers just six distinctive suites, so get booking now! (hulberthouse.co.nz)
EXHILARATING
Thunder Jet The combines high-speed spins with a longer journey across Lake Wakatipu and the Kawarau River. Its 60-minute, 47km return trip reaches remote river landscapes, historic gold-mining country and scenery accessible only by water. It is classic Queenstown adrenaline with time to appreciate the surroundings. (thunderjet.co.nz)
RELAXING
Queenstown Marina catches our eye, now bustling with boats and promising an easy lakeside afternoon. We begin with melt-in-the-mouth beef cheek at Fino Wine Bar, then stroll to Wet Jacket for wine tasting while Lake Wakatipu reflects the mountains back at us. (finowinebar.co.nz; wetjacket.nz)
TASTE BEFORE YOU TOUR
With so many Central Otago vineyards, choosing where to start can feel overwhelming. The Winery solves that delicious problem by bringing more than 100 local wines together under one roof.
Secure a seat beside the fireplace, load a prepaid tasting card and explore the wall of dispensers. We begin cautiously with a taste of Boneline Shiraz, graduate to Sam Neill’s Two Paddocks, then lose track of time while gossiping with friends over mulled wine and hot buttered rum.
That is The Winery’s magic. You wander in for one sip and stay all evening. Whisky, dessert wines and tasty tapas add to the temptation. Its spacious Queenstown venue has a lively soundtrack, while the Arrowtown branch brings the same idea to a more picturesque setting. (thewinery.co.nz)
BACK TO NATURE
After Frisky’s Big Chill Weekend, Cross Hill Lodge & Domes will offer the perfect change of pace. Set amid the park-like grounds of The Camp at Lake Hāwea, its huge canvas domes contain some of the smartest glamping designs we have encountered.
A hotel-style bathroom forms the centre, surrounded by a luxurious bedroom that looks out on the lush green bush in the day and out at the stars at night, a kitchenette, a private changing area and luggage storage. An automatic fireplace keeps everything toasty, while two Cape Cod chairs invite morning coffee on a private deck filled with birdsong. The lake is a minute away, and friendly staff serve a cooked breakfast at the lodge before your next adventure. (crosshill.co.nz)
THE ULTIMATE ADVENTURE
If you choose one major excursion, make it Southern Alps Air’s Fly, Cruise, Fly and Glaciers trip to Milford Sound.
Departing from quiet, convenient Wānaka Airport, our six-seat plane climbs above Lake Wānaka, Mount Aspiring and Fiordland National Parks. During nearly 90 spectacular minutes, more than 100 glaciers pass beneath us before we descend dramatically into Milford Sound.
While bus passengers recover from the winding journey from Queenstown, we step straight onto a cruise and travel the full 16km of this epic waterway. Waterfalls tumble from sheer cliffs, mountains rise from dark water and every turn produces another photograph.
Then comes the real luxury: a swift 25-minute flight through the mountains back to Wānaka, gliding past snow-capped peaks at eye level. It is a genuine bucket-list experience, and watching visitors reboard their buses only confirms that we chose wisely. (southernalpsair.co.nz)
