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Lodgings in the Southern Alps and Fiordland milk the fantastic views for all they're worth. You can almost always find a room that looks out on a lake, river, or rugged mountain range. Queenstown and Wanaka are busy in summer (January through March) and winter (July through September), so you should reserve in advance. Luxury options are plentiful in Queenstown, and costs are correspondingly high. Other towns, such as Aoraki/Mount Cook Village, have extremely limited options, so you should plan ahead there, too. Air-conditioning is rare because it's rarely needed. Heating, though, is standard, and essential in winter.
Patronized by gold miners during the 1860s, Eichardt's is now an elite boutique resort hotel. Guest rooms are rich cocoa brown and cream; all have sitting areas with fireplaces, dressing rooms, luscious bathrooms, and lake or mountain views. Staff are exceptionally helpful and the penthouse package comes with a car and 24-hour butler. Eichardt's also has cottages nearby, with full kitchens, two bedrooms, and a common area.
Famed for its stupendous mountain vistas from most rooms (there are floor-to-ceiling windows), the Hermitage is also home to the Sir Edmund Hillary Alpine Centre, a tribute to one of the most famous New Zealanders. There's a planetarium, the Sir Edmund Hillary Alpine Museum and theatre—perfect for when the clouds roll over. As the only hotel in the area, tours groups stay en masse over summer, so it pays to book well in advance.
Just 1 km (½ mile) out of the Milford settlement, on the banks of the Cleddau River, this lodge provides riverside chalets with either one super-king or twin bed, kitchenette, and spectacular mountain and river views. The on-site Pio Pio restaurant and bar serves high-quality meals all day. Campervan parking is also available.
This genuinely fun and quirky hotel with countless small touches ensures a memorable stay. There's a DIY-martini kit in each room, and many of the in-room art pieces and amenities, such as the Bose speakers and coffee machines, can be bought and taken home with you. The bar is better than most standalone venues in town and the Bazaar restaurant delivers a street market feel for breakfast and dinner.
Near the end of a long road, this imposing schist lodge is surrounded by thousands of acres of sheep-station land. At the heart of the lodge is the Great Room, with a grand fireplace, vaulted wharf-timber beams, and antique wooden floors. Floor-to-ceiling windows open out to breathtaking views of Lake Wakatipu and the Humboldt Mountains. All lakeside rooms have a private balcony or terrace. Suites have stone fireplaces and large bathrooms. The chalets and new four-bed villa echo the main lodge's structure and luxuries.
Somewhere between a boutique hotel and a bed-and-breakfast, Arrowtown House offers arguably the best service in Arrowtown. Located just off the main road into Arrowtown, you can easily walk to all local attractions. The five quiet rooms are all very spacious and well appointed, including a minibar and washer/dryer. It's ideal for just an overnight or a longer stay for a week of skiing.
This one-of-a-kind, loft-style accommodation sitting above the boutique Fiordland Cinema and Black Dog Bar includes a welcome bottle of wine and tickets to a screening of Ata Whenua Fiordland Experience downstairs. The room is well appointed and quiet, and a rare modern find in this sleepy town.
On the lakefront in a quiet area away from town, this property is great for a longer stay in Wānaka. Some rooms are fully self-contained and there's a nice restaurant on-site, where the locals make a point of visiting on weekends for their house-made scones. If you take the walking trail to Wānaka township, you'll pass one of the most photographed trees in New Zealand, a solitary crooked, cracked willow growing out of the lake known as That Wānaka Tree.
A few kilometers out of Te Anau on the road to Milford Sound, glass, stone, and timber blend together to make a stylish place to spend a few days. Each room has a wide-ranging lake view, and there are log cabins that are especially well-suited for families. They have guides that specialize in fly-fishing, and offer packages that include Fiordland tours or Great Walks.
Built to the exacting standards of the Living Building Challenge, The Headwaters is an inspiration to those with an interest in sustainable building and living. Separate cabins and a communal lodge for cooking and socialization mean this place isn't for everyone, but if you are brave enough to pay upmarket prices to use composting toilets, you will be very pleasantly surprised. You will leave feeling rejuvenated and eager to apply some of the wellness principles touted here when you get home.
This lodge is ideal for anyone wanting to enjoy the hikes and activities of the Aoraki/Mount Cook area; it's particularly nice for fly fishermen. Expect to be treated like family whether you are staying for a night or much longer. You can arrange for a guide to the nearby rivers to go after rainbow and brown trout. Each room has a veranda with mountain views, and your room rate includes breakfast and predinner drink. Spring for one of the higher-priced rooms to enjoy the double whirlpool.
A 20-minute drive from Queenstown, this glamorous resort has a special appeal for golfers: a 36-hole course first designed by New Zealand professional Sir Bob Charles. There's a spa to pamper you, and extensive exercise options. Accommodations range from rooms in the main hotel to villas and multibedroom cottages. Standard rooms have private balconies and fireplaces. The villas have kitchens, laundry facilities, and large lounge–dining rooms.
This plush hotel is located in the center of town, and you can walk to the lake, shopping, dining, and tour departure points in just five minutes. If you check in before dinner, guests are invited to drinks and canapes in the foyer, where you can share notes on the day's activities. The Remarkables rooms are bigger and quieter, facing away from the street, and better if you are staying for more than a couple of nights.
Named for Queenstown's first European settler—who oversaw the birth of the town during the 1860s gold rush—this hotel's accommodations range from rooms and apartments to multibedroom lakeside residences. The True South restaurant is worth sacrificing a night on the town to dine in.
