15 Best Hotels in Upper South Island and the West Coast, New Zealand

Spacious chalets and studios, with native gardens between them, are nestled between Abel Tasman National Park and Marahau Beach. Units are finished in natural wood and have high cathedral ceilings, New Zealand wool carpets, queen- or king-size beds, and balconies. Room-service breakfasts, prepared packed lunches, and a communal kitchen are available. Staff can help make reservations for sea kayaking, water taxis, and hiking. There's a barbecue to share and an outdoor hot tub. Book well ahead for summer.

Luxurious tree houses are the star accommodations here, but there’s also a main lodge with a restaurant and hotel-style rooms, plus the salubrious Olive House, a freestanding and self-contained three-bedroom suite featuring spacious dining, lounge, and bedroom areas and 360-degree views. The tree houses, made of rough-sawn timber, copper, glass, and steel, stand on stilts above native trees. Inside are freestanding baths and elegant handmade furniture. Each unit has a wide-reaching view over olive groves (the lodge makes its own olive oil) to the sea and Kaikōura mountains. A spa offers massage and beauty treatments. Rates include full breakfast and gourmet dinner.

Located alongside Lake Moeraki and surrounded by World Heritage Park, this lodge is a stunning place to relax and learn about New Zealand nature. A network of forest tracks radiate out from the lodge, which also has 20 single and double kayaks to explore the lake. The lodge features stylish accommodations and superb food, Skilled eco-guides can take you on half-day excursions where you will spot Fiordland crested penguins (September to early December), seals, and Hectors Dolphins. Also available are guided kayak safaris down the Moeraki River to the Tasman seacoast. 

One of the classiest of several fully inclusive luxury fly-fishing lodges in this region has six beautifully appointed cottages overlooking the Owen River Valley. Adjacent to Kahurangi National Park, lodge gives you access to 25 fishing rivers within a 90-minute drive, plus many more by helicopter. Back at the lodge you can relax in the cozy lounge, or wander the landscaped grounds, including the massive vegetable garden that supplies much of what arrives on your table for dinner.

Here, a short walk across soft grass from your luxurious, fully self-contained villa or studio unit gets you to your own quiet beach. Sunsets are sometimes enhanced by blue penguins arriving home from a day out fishing. During the day you can swim, kayak, or paddleboard (complimentary boards and kayaks are available). At night the doors and windows can be left open so the sound of the sea lulls you to sleep. Rates include a breakfast hamper crammed with fresh, local produce, and full housekeeping service, or you can opt for the "independent rate."

This might be a European alpine-inspired lodge, but the view out the window is all Kiwi—wetlands, forest, and mountains. Accommodations run from hotel rooms and two-bedroom, self-contained apartments to backpacker dorms that include some private rooms. A few two-bedroom apartments are good for families. It's set in the center of the little village a short bushwalk away from Lake Rotoiti. The lodge bar and bistro restaurant offer a good range of Kiwi fare. There is no breakfast included in the rate, but there is a nice menu to purchase meals from.

The region’s only Qualmark-rated five-star hotel offers a mix of suites, apartments, and studios, all luxuriously appointed, some with full kitchens, dining areas, and laundry, and some overlooking the gardens of Seymour Square. Ask for one of the rooms facing the square for a leafy outlook. The hotel, which is locally owned and independent from major chains, also has an excellent restaurant, cozy bar, sheltered pool and courtyard, small but modern gym, and a lovely day spa.

These spacious and stylish studio apartments have plenty of conveniences, including washer-dryers and very comfy leather lounger chairs. Outside is a heated pool and there's also handy off-street parking. Guests can charge meals at the lovely Tides Restaurant, at nearby Trailways Hotel, to their room.

A charming seaside hotel conveniently located on Kaikōura's Esplanade, at the south end of town, this quaint venue has sea and mountain views galore. Quirky décor decorates the waterfront rooms on the first floor of the historic building. Everything else is on ground level, including the courtyard rooms, which open into a gardened area. A basic continental breakfast is served daily from 8 am, and the bar offers a platter menu every afternoon until close, where an extensive champagne, wine, craft beer and martini list is also on offer.

This model for this grand old lodge has been given a thorough overhaul since pandemic times, and nowadays it only offers all-inclusive dine-and stay-deals November through April, on select dates only. Each year in September, a list of these dates is released. There is a choice between a two-, three-, or four-night stay, and includes chef-cooked breakfast, lunch, and three-course dinner. The rest of the year, the lodge is booked out for exclusive use only. The recently renovated facilities overlook the forest-covered hills and waterfront. If relaxing on the veranda gets too tiresome, try an adventure on a paddleboard, kayak, or mountain bike, or try your luck with a fishing rod—all are complimentary for guests. Getting here is half the fun, with the only access being by water transfer or helicopter.

Set along State Highway 6, this laid-back oceanfront resort borders Paparoa National Park. It's a 15-minute walk from the iconic Pancake Rocks and Blowholes. The rooms are clean and spacious with nice patios or balconies overlooking a mix of beach, ocean and rainforest garden views. There's a cozy lounge with a large fireplace, and a restaurant serving good-quality food all day and sunset views. 

These stylish oceanfront wooden cabins, chalets, and motels are as close to the beach as you'll get. Chalets have full kitchens, and some are equipped with whirlpool baths. Cabins at the back of the camp have relaxing views to a grassy enclosure where alpaca, goats, sheep, and pigs graze. There are also campsites and powered campervan sites here, a well-equipped shared kitchen, and a barbecue area. There's even a glowworm dell just out the back; take a look when it gets dark. A continental breakfast is available on request.

Nestled beside an estuary, this estate features pure, simple luxury. Guests in the four purpose-built villas and suites come together for champagne each evening. Te Koi is surrounded by mature gardens. At high tide, the lawn is lapped by the sea and at low tide you can walk onto the sand flats. Full breakfast hamper included. Play some pétanque (bocce) or tennis, then relax in the solar-heated pool. 

Here you'll feel ensconced not only in luxury but also the rain forest, as the hotel has been built to fit in and not intrude on the trees—from concrete jungle to real jungle, as their mantra states. Enjoy the possum fur pillows, bathroom underfloor heating, and deliberately designed decor: the foyer is glacial-white while the dark rain-forest bar even comes with glowworms. Two-night stays are encouraged—that gives you more chance of fine weather for glacier trips, and the opportunity to try both the à la carte menu and the five-course degustation dinner. Amaia Day Spa is in the hotel, and the hot pools are just a walk down a rain-forest path away.

Located in central Nelson, on the banks of the tidal Maitai River, this hotel has everything you need for a comfortable stay, with many of the city's attractions within walking distance. Featuring an on-site restaurant and a heated outdoor pool, it also offers accessible suites on the ground floor. Book a riverfront or river view room, some of which feature spa baths and hydro massage showers.