Eichardt's Private Hotel

Eichardt's Private Hotel in Queenstown, New Zealand, a Michelin Key One-Key property, consistently garners exceptional reviews, establishing itself as a pinnacle of luxury and hospitality in the region.

1. Overall Rating & Sentiment

The general consensus for Eichardt's Private Hotel is overwhelmingly positive, with guests frequently describing their stays as "perfect," "superb," "excellent luxurious," and "memorable". It is often cited as one of the best quality hotels in New Zealand and even among the top 10 worldwide by some guests. The hotel boasts an exceptional guest score, with many reviews highlighting it as a true gem.

2. Key Highlights

Guests consistently laud several aspects of Eichardt's:

• Service & Hospitality: The staff's exceptional training, friendliness, and flawless, attentive service are frequently praised, making guests feel incredibly welcome.
• Location: The hotel's prime, central location directly on the shores of Lake Wakatipu, with astonishing views of the lake and surrounding mountains, is a major highlight. It offers immediate access to Queenstown's shops, restaurants, and attractions while maintaining a serene atmosphere.
• Design & Ambiance: Eichardt's is described as "painfully stylish" and "chic," blending its historic 1860s origins with modern luxury and elegant, comfortable decor. Features like wood-burning fireplaces contribute to a warm and inviting ambiance.
• Amenities: Guests appreciate amenities such as complimentary valet parking, a daily refreshed fruit platter, non-alcoholic mini-bar items, and a nightly pre-dinner parlor hour with wine and canapés. The hotel also offers spa services, a gym, ski storage, and can arrange various activities like helicopter tours, wine tours, and boat trips on its private yacht, the Pacific Jemm.

3. Room Quality

The rooms at Eichardt's are consistently described as richly decorated, luxuriously appointed, spacious, and comfortable. They feature super-king beds, often with possum-skin throws, and many boast wood-burning fireplaces. Guests report rooms being well noise-insulated. The decor combines classic, antique-style wooden furniture with contemporary notes, often in palettes of chocolate and cream. Suites typically include a living room, a large bedroom, a dressing area, and a sizable bathroom, often with skylights. Amenities across accommodations include free Wi-Fi, satellite TV, sofas, dining areas, tea/coffee making facilities, and bathrooms with baths and showers. The Penthouse and The Residence offer ultimate luxury with features like spa-like marble bathrooms, private pool terraces, and personal chef services.

4. Dining Experience

The hotel's dining options receive positive feedback:

• Eichardt's Bar: This chic cocktail bar is a Queenstown institution, renowned for its comfortable sofas, cozy fireplace, gracious service, premium cocktails, and an outstanding wine list paired with an ever-changing tapas menu.
• The Grille: The main restaurant, The Grille, serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner, focusing on local, seasonal, home-grown, and free-range produce. Guests often enjoy breakfast with breathtaking lake views from window tables.
• Breakfast: Complimentary breakfast is provided to all guests, typically including a continental buffet (croissants, muesli, yogurt, juices, fruit) and a choice from an à-la-carte menu for a main course and non-alcoholic beverage. While some found the continental buffet modest for an upscale hotel, the made-to-order dishes were enjoyable.
• Other Dining: A $100 NZD dining credit is often included in the nightly rate. An evening pre-dinner hour with complimentary drinks and chef-prepared canapés is a highlight.

5. Service & Staff

The service at Eichardt's is frequently highlighted as immaculate, absolutely flawless, and incredibly attentive. Staff are described as well-trained, professional, friendly, helpful, and sociable, going out of their way to make guests feel welcome and special. The concierge team is readily available to assist with requests and recommendations, and turndown service is highly recommended by guests.

6. Location & Accessibility

Eichardt's Private Hotel boasts a "fantastic" and "spectacular" central location right on Marine Parade, overlooking Lake Wakatipu. This prime spot places guests within easy walking distance of Queenstown's vibrant city center, including shops, restaurants, boat docks, and the Skyline Gondola. The Queenstown Gardens, with a beautiful lakefront path, are also nearby. Queenstown Airport is approximately a 10-minute drive away, and the hotel is about a 20-minute drive from major attractions like The Hills Golf Course and Coronet Peak Ski Fields. The hotel offers complimentary valet parking and provides a ski shuttle. Despite its central location, the hotel is well-insulated from the city's hustle and bustle.

7. Value & Pricing

Eichardt's Private Hotel is a luxury property, and its pricing reflects this exclusivity. Nightly rates can range upwards of $1,256 to over $1,500 USD per night for a mountain view suite, with some reported prices significantly higher for longer stays or specific dates. While the cash price is considered high, guests who utilize points (e.g., Hilton Honors, previously Hyatt points) often find it to be an excellent value due to the comprehensive inclusions like outstanding service, complimentary valet parking, daily fruit platter, non-alcoholic mini-bar, dining credit, full breakfast, and pre-dinner parlor hour. Some guests consider it "really good value when traveling with others" for larger accommodations like The Residence.

8. Common Complaints

While overwhelmingly positive, a few minor issues have been noted by guests:

• Noise: Despite good insulation, some guests have experienced slightly audible thumping bass sounds at night from nearby bars, though this generally did not prevent sleep.
• Room Cooling: During unusually hot weather, some rooms were slow to cool down, especially if housekeepers occasionally turned off the air conditioning.
• Dining Inconsistency: While generally positive, some guests have reported inconsistent food quality and service in the restaurant, particularly during peak times, citing overcooked omelets or slow service when the kitchen was overwhelmed.
• "Mountain View" Suites: Some guests felt that "Mountain View" suites did not offer significant views from inside the room, requiring guests to step onto the balcony for a better vista.
• Bathroom Layout: The open toilet area in some bathrooms was considered awkward for privacy when sharing the space.

Sources

1. michelin.com
2. booking.com
3. frequentmiler.com
4. agoda.com
5. businessdesk.co.nz
6. princeoftravel.com
7. tablethotels.com
8. thehotelguru.com
9. hotels.com
10. slh.com
11. expedia.com
12. kayak.com