Built in the style of a grand hunting lodge, this stone-and-timber hotel on the banks of the South Island's Lake Wakatipu offers five-pearl luxury in a stunning alpine setting. Oversized windows in most common areas -- among them two fire-lit dining rooms -- maximize the view, as do the balconies or terraces in the hotel’s 12 rooms. With woodsy-chic decor and modern comforts (such as minibars, Apple TVs, and Bluetooth soundbars), rooms here may be hard to leave. But the property does lure guests out with a games room, a small gym, a spa with a lake-view hot tub, and an outdoor lap pool. Golfing, hiking, fly-fishing, heli-skiing and horseback riding can be arranged, and even more activities are offered 45-minutes southeast in Queenstown. Luxury lovers who want to base themselves closer to the country’s "Adventure Capital" can try the more contemporary Matakauri Lodge instead.
Built in the style of a grand hunting lodge, this stone-and-timber hotel on the banks of the South Island's Lake Wakatipu offers five-pearl luxury in a stunning alpine setting. Oversized windows in most common areas -- among them two fire-lit dining rooms -- maximize the view, as do the balconies or terraces in the hotel’s 12 rooms. With woodsy-chic decor and modern comforts (such as minibars, Apple TVs, and Bluetooth soundbars), rooms here may be hard to leave. But the property does lure guests out with a games room, a small gym, a spa with a lake-view hot tub, and an outdoor lap pool. Golfing, hiking, fly-fishing, heli-skiing and horseback riding can be arranged, and even more activities are offered 45-minutes southeast in Queenstown. Luxury lovers who want to base themselves closer to the country’s "Adventure Capital" can try the more contemporary Matakauri Lodge instead.