Six Must-Stay Hotels and Resorts for the New Year
Many travellers aren’t satisfied with only one option when considering their holiday arrangements. If you enjoy sampling a range of what a holiday destination has in store, here are some recommended Queenstown accommodations that will bring you to the edge of nature, in the lap of luxury.
The Pacific Gemm: Play Skipper on Lake Wakatipu
Spend your vacation afloat on a Queenstown yacht. Imagine cruising along the inland fiords of majestic New Zealand aboard the Pacific Gemm, a luxuriously appointed yacht. The Gemm sleeps eight in its five-star cabins, with spa bath in the master bedroom. Dive off the deck in summertime straight into the azure lake Wakatipu or wake up to snow-dusted peaks in the height of ski season.
- Lake Wakatipu, Queenstown Stuck in Customs / Foter / CC BY-NC-SA
St. Andrew’s Park: Absolute Privacy, With a View
St. Andrew’s Park villas are a perfect family holiday spot, or decadent choice for a very private romantic getaway. Each five-bedroom chalet has a view of the Wakatipu basin, a fireplace, and tasteful, modernist décor. Wake up to the sunrise over the lake and watch the mountains caramelize in the setting sun from your king-sized master bedroom. Gourmet kitchens and outdoor barbeques make entertaining a breeze.
- Lake Wakatipu Accommodation, Queenstown janeddiehale@sbcglobal.net / Foter / CC BY-NC-SA
Nugget Point: A Spa for All Seasons
Saunas are often thought of as more of a European luxury, but guests who venture out on the slopes or even head for the hills for a summer hike delight in the luxurious spa suite with plunge pools, spa bath, rain showers, sauna, and steam room at Nugget Point Boutique Hotel and Spa. Part of the Distinction chain of grand New Zealand hotels, from your room at Nugget Point you can step or ski out onto the trails of Coronet Peak.
- Queenstown , Nugget Point_perSona_ / Foter / CC BY-NC-ND
The Distinctive, Bold, Queenstown Park
The architect-designed Queenstown Park Boutique Hotel is a cut above. With its glass ceilinged showers, zinc and cedar clad exterior, and signature two-storey tower suite, the Queenstown Park Boutique Hotel offers dramatic views of the Remarkable Mountains and Bob’s Peak.
- Bob’s Peak, Queenstown FraserElliot / Foter / CC BY-NC
Aspire to The Spire
The Spire hotel, with its ten large guest suites, is a five-star resort that makes the perfect landing for your ski holiday in Queenstown. The Spire also offers an exclusive conference facility, ski concierge, and lake and mountain views for every suite. Their onsite restaurant, No. 5 Church Lane, serves Thai food and signature cocktails for the perfect après-ski unwind.
Minaret Lodge: A Cozy ‘Hobbit Hole’, With All Mod Cons
A short 59-minute drive from Queenstown is the town of Wanaka, where fans of The Lord of the Rings will not want to pass up the opportunity to stay in a hobbit-inspired accommodation. Minaret Lodge is a luxury boutique lodge offering the Barliman’s Room, with a round front door entry and Lord of the Rings themed books, games, and DVDs inside. It may be Middle Earth outside, but inside, Barliman’s is luxuriously appointed with stone fireplaces and plush linens.
You can see these, and more fine lodges, resorts, and hotels by visiting www.everythingqueenstown.com. If you want the total seclusion of life aboard a yacht, the comforts of home away from home in a self-catering villa, or the European class of a fully appointed spa, Queensland’s lodging options have you covered. Stay in style at boutique hotels and conference centres or release your inner Frodo at the unique Barliman’s Room at the Minaret.
