Queenstown has a little bit of everything for everyone. It’s known as a hot spot for Adrenalin junkies. But it’s also a foodie’s paradise, a driver’s paradise as well as a place for shopping, relaxing and chilling.
Its been 10 years since I was last there, however my daughter, Brianna has been on multiple occasions in that time. So a revisit for me was long overdue.
We spent about 9 days there recently and indulged in a myriad of activities. Below are our thoughts
Quick overall thoughts
- Queenstown has something for everyone
- Everywhere you drive in this part of New Zealand is a visual delight.
- The scenery is so majestic and stunning that it can be a touch overwhelming at times
- Queenstown in a tourist town. It’s filled with travelers from all over the world in almost all service areas, and they all seem really happy and provide great service.
- It would be expensive to live here.
- Petrol was about $1 a litre more expensive here than in Sydney.
- Yet a ski holiday here is still cheaper than the likes of Thredbo or Perisher.
Apart from the Subaru Outback that was provided for us as part of my normal business. None of the places mentioned provided any discount or benefit to us. They are all our own choices.
Day One – Arrive Queenstown
The flight in from Sydney didn’t get off to a good start. We originally booked an 8.30am flight, that was changed to 7.20am. This meant that we had to be at airport at 4.20am.
This meant we decided to stay at the Rydge’s right at the international airport in Sydney. Convenient, but expensive. Also terrible customer service.
After getting up at 3.30 am we arrived, sailed smoothly through the check-in process and immigration, had a coffee to wake us up and then sat and waited while the plane was delayed an hour. Back to 8.30 am – joy.
However, the flight was easy and apart from some turbulence arriving in Queenstown it was smooth. To be honest I slept most of the way.
However, I did manage to wake up for the most majestic view over the snow topped mountains and deep blue lakes as we drew nearer to Queenstown airport.
Queenstown immigration was a breeze, and I was quickly walking about 15 ins to pick up our car. We chose a Subaru Outback Touring for the holiday, which was graciously provided by Subaru NZ and Queenstown Motor Group. Their dealership is conveniently near the airport.
There are four of us in the group and the Outback managed to swallow all our luggage. It was full though.
Queenstown Accommodation
One benefit of the late arrival meant that we were able to check in to our accommodation as soon as we arrived.
We stayed at the Oaks resort. This is located on the Queenstown – Frankton Road about 5 minutes out of town.
It is undergoing renovations on the back block of apartments when we stayed. But luckily the lake front rooms have already been done.
We had a two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment with large lounge/dining and kitchen area. There isn’t a lot of room in the bedrooms, but they were comfortable.
The booking came with a daily room service as well as a bed sheet change in the middle of the week.
The best part of the apartment is the view. It overlooks Lake Wakatipu. The backdrop is The Remarkables mountains with snow covered peaks.
The view is stunning and worth every cent paid for the accommodation.
Dinner – the start of our gourmet filled holiday
It’s become a bit of a tradition for our family to dine at Winnies Gourmet Pizza Bar the first night we arrive in Queenstown.
Its upstairs in the main mall. The atmosphere is appealing and the staff exceptionally friendly.
The food is amazing. We had a selection of Montonara Pizza, Spaghetti Bolognese and Caprico Pizza. A few local brews and the evening was complete.
Winnies starts the evening as a family friendly Pizza outlet, but as the evening progresses it can turn into a fun filled party place with dancing on the tables and a famous opening roof.
There was a festival atmosphere on the lake foreshore, with a band playing and food stalls lining the pathway. This made for a lot of fun as we headed to another Queenstown tradition, Fergberger Gelato.
There are two stores, one in the middle of the trio of Fergberger outlets on Shotover St, the other on the walkway overlooking the lake. That one is less busy with no queues.
After the Gelato is was off to the Pier for a few quiet ales and hot chocolates. The Pier is a pub right on the waterfront with heating. That was important as it was about 8 degrees.
Quick note about parking in Queenstown.
One thing you will need to be aware of is parking is horrendous in the main town area. It’s packed, and where you can find it, you pay for it. It’s not terribly expensive but the fine is if you don’t.
Also don’t be tempted to park in any of the many loading zones. There are CCTV cameras on almost all of them and it’s an instant $60 fine.
You can find parking but often you may need to be patient.
Day Two Queenstown in the rain.
We had planned to wander around Queenstown on the Sunday, but it was raining and cold. This didn’t deter us though.
We had breakfast at another popular café outlet, Yonder. We managed to get a table easily enough, our coffees arrived, and we ordered food. But we were then told that the wait time was about 45 minutes. That’s a bit dodgy if you ask me.
The food was good, the vibe of the café was cool and there was an open fire to help the wait.
However, it was expensive for what we got.
Queenstown has developed into a high-end shopping delight, with almost all the expected luxury brands having a storefront here. Stores include R.M. Williams, T Galleria by DFS, Louis Vuitton, Country Road, and many, many more.
There are also numerous ski clothing and equipment stores, outdoor activity and clothing stores as well as numerous ski gear hire outlets.
One thing is for sure there is a store for everyone here.
We also picked up our ski gear today as three of us are skiing Monday to Wednesday. We chose Quest Ski Hire. They are located in the centre of town. The staff are very helpful and friendly.
Also, one important factor is that the loading zone directly outside their shop is one of the few ones that doesn’t have a camera, so you can safely stop there to quickly load your gear on the car.
Dinner Day Two
Dinner that night was pre-booked at the Skyline Gondola Restaurant. This is a smorgasbord affair. It cost some $140 plus per person. This was the premium package that allowed us to book a window seat and included one drink as well.
The Gondola ride isn’t for those with a fear of heights though and it doesn’t seem to make any difference if you look out at the vista or up the hill.
The food was delicious with a wide choice, from hot soups, salads, roasts, pastas, desserts, cheese and much more.
The view unfortunately wasn’t so great. The low cloud and rain meant that the expectation and reality were distant cousins.
Once back at ground level we went again for Gelato.
Day three Skiing at Coronet Peak.
coming soon
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