Blanket Bay
Grand alpine lodge — think soaring timber-and-stone architecture, roaring stone fireplaces, and views that dwarf everything else. Formal enough to feel special, relaxed enough that you'll wear your robe to breakfast. The pace is slow by design.
Book the Wine Cave for a private dinner for two — it accommodates up to four guests and is one of the most intimate dining settings on the property.
Why It Matters
One of New Zealand's most acclaimed lodge properties and a Relais & Châteaux member. Stays here are full-board, with a nightly changing five-course degustation dinner led by award-winning Chef Dan Reynolds. The property sits on the 60,000-acre Wyuna High Country Station — a working sheep and cattle farm — and has its own helipad for access to Fiordland and heli-skiing.
Blanket Bay sits on the shore of Lake Wakatipu at the foot of the Richardson Mountains, 45 minutes from Queenstown — and its setting is genuinely difficult to process. The Humboldt range reflected in the lake, the lawn stretching to the water's edge, the 30-foot Great Room: it all feels bigger than a 13-room lodge has any right to be. Built with local stone and native New Zealand timber, the lodge started life in the late 1990s when an American couple's fly-fishing cabin grew into something considerably grander. Rates are full-board — breakfast, pre-dinner drinks, canapés, and a five-course degustation dinner are all included every night.
Where You'll Stay
7 room types available
Chalet Stateroom
A Chalet Suite with an additional spacious living room added on. Each stateroom has its own open stone fireplace and spectacular lake and mountain views. The extra living area makes it feel like a small private residence. Winter single from NZD $3,420.
King
Chalet Suite
Separate buildings a short walk from the main lodge — good for anyone who wants a bit more privacy without giving up access to the Great Room and dining. The chalets blend colonial New Zealand architecture with open stone fireplaces and reclaimed timber. Same price bracket as the Lodge Suite but with a more standalone, retreat-like feel.
KingLodge Room
The entry-level room at Blanket Bay, and still genuinely generous by most standards. Set in the main lodge building with views overlooking Lake Wakatipu and the Humboldt Mountains. Each room has its own private balcony or terrace, a super-king bed, sitting area, and an ensuite with granite-topped double vanities, separate shower, and bathtub. Stone fireplaces run through the public areas just outside your door.
Super KingLodge Suite
A significant step up in space — 700 sq ft of room plus a 400 sq ft private balcony. The grand stone fireplace, walk-in closets, and a bathroom with separate steam shower and bathtub make this feel properly luxurious. Views face Lake Wakatipu and the Humboldt range. This is the room type used in both the Luxury Escape and Ultimate Honeymoon packages.
KingOwner's Residence
Stone and timber buildings set among established gardens, designed for multi-generational families or groups who want to stay together while maintaining some independence. Accommodates 4 to 10+ guests. Pricing is on application only — contact the lodge directly.
Multiple configurationsPremium Lodge Suite
The top tier of the main lodge building. Larger than the standard Lodge Suite with elevated finishes. Winter single rates start at NZD $3,420, double from NZD $3,850 — sitting between the Lodge Suite and the Chalet options price-wise.
KingThe Villa
Perched above the main lodge, this architecturally designed standalone property is on a different level entirely. The 1,000 sqm footprint holds four king suites — each with its own bedroom, bathroom, sitting area, kitchenette, and stone fireplace. Shared spaces include a grand lounge, bar, commercial kitchen, outdoor lounge areas with a fire pit, and hot tubs. The floor plan is designed to capture both morning and afternoon sun. Staff quarters are included for seamless service. Can be booked as 1-2, 2-4, or 4-8 guests. Winter rates for 4-8 guests start at NZD $18,900/night.
King · 1000 sqmThe Property
Eat & Drink
4 venues on property
Restaurant
Spa & Wellness
Treatment Menu
On Property
How you'll actually spend your days.
Bungy jumping, whitewater rafting, jet boating remote rivers, mountain biking, zip-lining, and canyon swinging — all accessible from the lodge via Queenstown's adventure operators.
Jet boat deep into Mt Aspiring National Park along the Dart River — through braided channels and glacier-carved valleys.
Take a helicopter from the lodge lawns to remote South Island rivers for some of New Zealand's best wild brown and rainbow trout fly-fishing. Lake Wakatipu itself also holds trout and salmon. The lodge is well-regarded as a fishing destination.
Five golf courses within an hour's drive, operating year-round in the Southern Lakes region.
An à la carte heli-skiing menu covering a range of skiing and snowboarding abilities. Access to untracked powder fields in the Southern Alps, launched from the lodge's own helipad.
The Routeburn Track — one of New Zealand's Nine Great Walks — starts nearby, straddling Aspiring and Fiordland National Parks. The lodge is also the staging post for four other Great Walks.
Horseback adventures through the Glenorchy landscape — one of New Zealand's most celebrated horse trekking destinations. Suitable for first-time riders through to experienced riders.
The lodge's private helipad sits just kilometres from Fiordland National Park — a World Heritage Area. Helicopter day trips to Milford Sound are a signature experience here.
Pétanque (bocce ball), giant garden chess, and molkky on the lodge grounds. Six Specialized bikes available at no charge. Two lakefront walks accessible from the lodge jetty.
A curated day out visiting the homes and studios of prominent New Zealand artists, paired with tastings at Central Otago wineries. Think Amisfield and Gibbston Valley.
Amenities & Practical Info
The details that matter for planning.
The dramatic centrepiece of the main lodge — 30-foot bridge beam trussed ceilings over enormous windows framing the lake and mountains. Comfortable lounge seating, a roaring open fire in cooler months, and good books. The kind of room you lose three hours in without noticing.
Well-equipped fitness facility next to the spa therapy suite. Life Fitness cardio equipment (treadmill, step machine, exercise bike), multi-station gym, and free weights. Views of the lake and mountains.
A jetty on the lake shore from which two short lakefront walks can be accessed.
An 18m x 6m heated outdoor pool beside the lodge with open air lake views to the south. Summer-only — it's covered and closed during winter months.
Pool table, shuffle board, darts board, big screen TV, and a self-serve bar stocked with beer and soft drinks (always open). Also has backgammon, chess, cards, and an extensive movie library.
Located on the lodge lawns — the launch point for helicopter transfers, heli-fishing, heli-skiing, and scenic Milford Sound flights.
Private hot tubs and outdoor fire pit for Villa guests, set on the terraces above the lodge with panoramic lake and mountain views.
Separate male and female steam rooms and locker rooms adjoining the jacuzzi area on the ground floor.
Renovated indoor jacuzzi available to guests at all times (no reservation needed), located on the first floor of the lodge.
BUILD YOUR BLANKET BAY PLAN
Rooms, dining, spa, and resort experiences — organized into one trip plan.
Start Planning