55 Best Hotels in New Zealand

This 100-year-old kauri farmhouse and its buildings are a sophisticated and relaxing place to stay in the northern end of the North Island. Room decoration ranges from modern to rustic, but all come with plenty of space, natural light, and balconies or patios that look out over beautiful gardens to the Waipoua Forest in the distance. Meals are served from an à la carte menu with a focus on high-quality produce. You can stroll through the native bush on the property, or enjoy star-gazing while listening to the native morepork owl in the background. This lodge has a strong eco-friendly ethos and the hosts are extremely helpful. You can even take a self-paced cooking class that covers everything from how to choose knives to aging meat.

A working sheep station meets bygone-era elegance at this unique coastal getaway, 90 minutes from Wellington; the 3,200-acre estate comes complete with an Edwardian-style main lodge surrounded by 16 guest cottages, each with a king-size bed, small patio, and open fireplace. Wharekauhau began as a sheep-farming station in 1840 and continues to house sheep and cattle today—only now the grazing herds are joined by world travelers roaming the property. On-site activities range including relaxing in private courtyards, gardens, or the spa, chatting with the chefs around the open kitchen, and swimming, tennis, and croquet. Hiking and farm tours can also be arranged, as can vineyard visits and excursions around the gloriously remote coastline. The dining room menu highlights the best local ingredients—especially lamb and fish—which can be paired with fine Martinborough wines.

The renovation of an historic villa on the sea facing Marine Parade has created a luxurious yet low-key place to stay. You'll find the rooms meet any taste test with excellent furnishings that speak to comfort without being fussy. The hosts will make you a cooked or continental breakfast and can put you in touch with tours. It's proved to be very popular and it pays to book well in advance.

Surrounded by spectacular peaks, beech forests, and serene lakes, this sophisticated back-to-nature lodge shares 4,000 acres with its own high-country merino sheep station and nature reserve in a valley called Te Ko Awa a Aniwaniwa (Valley of the Mother of Rainbows). Rooms have balcony views of this incredible area. Full-day guided trips can take you to limestone caves, a tranquil lake, a glacier basin, or to spots where you might glimpse rare alpine plants and kea (native mountain parrot); you'll soon share the owners' passion for preserving this environment. There is a sister lodge at Lake Moeraki on the West Coast. 

If you feel like staying in a "lighthouse" without being responsible for the ships, the two-story turret suite at The Boatshed may be the place for you, though there are other equally luxurious options, and dinner can be a well-earned add-on. Up a spiral staircase, glass doors open to a wraparound deck with views to Oneroa Bay. A long central room leads to a sail-covered deck and opens onto a cozy sunken lounge. In the Bridge Room, bi-fold windows frame a view of the bay. There's also the Owner's Cottage for a special stay. Helicopter transport to and from the Boatshed can be arranged, and it's possible to order spa, massage, and yoga sessions. A Jeep is available for a small charge, but it has unlimited miles and fuel.

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.

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.

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.

Standing on the end of Princes Wharf, the Hilton resembles the cruise ships that dock alongside it, with white walls and neutral furnishings in chic rooms that allow your eyes to drift to the great views. The hotel's restaurant is good, while the cocktail bar is the best place to relax after a day of sightseeing. The Viaduct Basin with its raft of restaurants is five minutes away on foot.

Set on 17 blissful acres, this riverfront lodge is one of the country's finest and has seen its fair share of prominent guests over the years, many are repeat customers. Large, lavish suites have a rustic-chic decor and open to a view across lawns to the river. Two separate, multisuite cottages are the height of luxury. Predinner drinks, a five-course dinner, and a hearty country breakfast are included in the rate. The lodge can arrange almost anything under the sun and, despite the level of sophistication, welcomes families traveling with children; the team will organize age-appropriate activities and even line up babysitters if parents want to spend some time alone. Although it is expensive, Huka Lodge offers a range of packages—so it's worth checking well ahead to see what's available. You might get four nights for the price of three.

Several holes of a par-72 championship golf course sweep past this luxurious cliff-top lodge, which is truly outstanding and (for a price) offers space and excellent food for an all-inclusive rate. Ocean views reach to the Cavalli Islands; you also look over three private beaches—one shimmering pink. The lodge is popular with families, and there are many options on the property for parents and children to spend time together (or apart). Staff are trained to deal with families traveling together with children of all ages.

This lodge on 6 acres of manicured gardens and vineyards is an outstanding example of the boutique home-hosted properties in this region. There are two suites, the Merlot Room (private balcony, en suite with double shower) and the Cabernet Suite (large patio with hot tub, en suite with double shower). Both have a complimentary minibar, big windows, and grand views. You could putter on the driving range, work-out in the gym, enjoy the hot tub, or order up a massage. Breakfast is included, while an optional dinner is worth staying in for; don't forget to take advantage of the excellent wine cellar.

The gardens at this historic mansion, high on Napier Hill, have panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean and the splendid Kaweka Ranges. Guest rooms have native timber floors, American king-size beds, and elaborate bathrooms. Large verandas open onto landscaped grounds, where you can relax by the heated swimming pool; there's also a lovely fireplace in the lounge. Dinners must be booked 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 five-star, luxurious waterside hotel is in the heart of Wynyard Quarter with its many eateries and the city's home of theater, the Auckland Theatre Company, and it's also just outside the fray so it can be a little less noisy. The gorgeous minimalist, modern guest rooms, many with balconies, look over water toward the harbor, and the hotel's amenities include a 25-meter (82-foot) pool and an up-to-the minute fitness center. There are also four restaurants, from a café to fine dining. If you enjoy walking, the hotel is close to a great coastline walk that can take you to the underside of the Auckland Harbor Bridge.

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.

This waterfront hotel presents guests with both luxury and a friendly environment, as well as views of the ever-changing Viaduct Basin from some rooms. Guest rooms are expertly appointed, with spacious bathrooms, and some rooms have balconies. The Harbour View corner rooms with their floor-to-ceiling windows are in particularly high demand. Lava Dining serves a great breakfast, lunch, and dinner, while the casual 21 Viaduct Cafe offers waterside dining. If you don't want to dine in the hotel, you're just a short stroll from the Viaduct Basin or the Wynyard Quarter park and restaurant area.

Nestled in native bush on a private peninsula, the luxurious Solitaire Lodge commands extensive views over Lake Tarawera and the legendary mountain. Check out the volcanoes from the library-bar, or settle down in a shaded garden nook and sip a drink. If you're feeling active, the surroundings are perfect for hiking, boating, and fishing; use of lodge dinghies, kayaks, and fishing gear is included in the full-board rate. The rate also includes predinner drinks and canapés followed by a five-course evening meal, a full breakfast, a light lunch, and an extensive in-room minibar stocked with alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages, snacks, and fruit.

This lodge offers the ultimate in a getaway with its location in a private forest of 2,500 acres with 35 miles of hiking trails a short drive from Rotorua. It was built using native timber from the property, which is also to home to deer, goats, turkeys, and water buffalo. There is also trout fishing and game hunting on the property but if you prefer less activity there is a spa and wild food on offer. The suites are beautifully appointed and all meals are included. If you want to wander farther helicopter transport or guides can be organized.

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. 

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.

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 gem set on a private farm at Pigeon Bay is made up of four secluded villas, including an ultramodern waterfront home and a magnificent Victorian homestead surrounded by expansive heritage gardens with an impressive pool and spa facilities. You can customize packages to suit couples, families, or larger groups, adding extras like helicopter transfers from Christchurch, private gourmet meals, and wildlife boating tours.

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.

A contemporary luxury waterfront lodge built to complement the surrounding native bush and seascape, the property's spacious suites and apartments are built into the hillside. Cuisine, featuring the best local produce, is served in the stylish Foredeck Restaurant and Kumatage Lounge or the casual Bight Café on the jetty. Getting there is part of the treat: you can catch a water taxi from Picton, helicopter in, or walk in on the Queen Charlotte Track (the Lodge is a two-hour detour). Dolphin and bird-watching cruises, bushwalks, kayaking, and fishing charters are all at your door. Booking options include a bed-and-breakfast option, or a dinner, bed, and breakfast. 

Within walking distance to Akaroa township sits an historic Victorian house, which now stands as a bed-and-breakfast. Nestled among well-kept gardens, a petite vineyard and an avocado orchard, the birdsong here is a delight, especially from the native bellbird. Well-known for its outstanding hospitality, hosts Noel and Sharon will put on drinks and homemade hors d'oeuvres for all guests at 6 pm. Breakfast is a delight with both hot-cooked and continental fare. All six rooms are elegantly decorated; the architecture and the setting are superb, and the owner's passion for collecting has transformed the home into a living heritage museum.

This lakeside hotel with its immaculate gardens, tennis court, and beach offers luxury accommodation with convenience. You could spend the whole day here but it's also an excellent base for making the most of the geothermal region. The rooms and suites are beautifully appointed with either lake or garden views. The restaurant offers gourmet modern New Zealand cuisine and a picnic basket is available if you take a sightseeing drive.

This lakeside motel offers comfortable rooms with great views. Two-story units, which sleep up to six, have a lounge, bedroom, kitchen, and dining room on the ground floor and glass doors leading to a large patio, plus a second bedroom and bathroom on the upper floor; studios have one bedroom.