Kia Ora: Hilton Queenstown Resort & Spa Lake Wakatipu Suite Review

This will be our home for the next 4 nights. The main part of our time in the South Island will be based in Queenstown. As a Hilton loyalist, naturally, I am going to be staying at the Hilton. There are two Hilton properties in the area, Hilton Queenstown Resort & Spa and DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Queenstown. They are sister properties in the same Kawarau Village development. I have been looking forward to this stay for the longest time ever. It is the perfect base for me to explore the surrounding area and certainly the best option for Hilton members.

Booking Process & Pre Arrival 

I book directly with Hilton using my Citi Prestige card. I got the base-level Guest room. My nightly rate was around 250 SGD including taxes. This was brought down by utilising my Citi Prestige 4th-night free benefit to around 200 SGD. I have often found value using the 4NF. This is one of the best travel cards in my opinion. I was extended an upgrade to one of the Lake Wakatipu Suite ahead of the stay. I am surprised by the generosity as well as the elite treatment here. This was unexpected. I also got some parking information from the hotel prior. I also write in to enquire about an upgrade to the Relaxation Room that comes with an outdoor hot tub. We wanted a hot tub since it feels amazing to enjoy a soak here. If not we wanted to head to the Onsen Hot Pools nearby. I opted for an upgrade for our last night for an additional 108 NZD per night. This would usually go for around 685 NZD a night. I was hoping to score one of the suites with an outdoor tub. Kia Ora: Hilton Queenstown Resort & Spa features 220 guest rooms, residences and suites spread across 8 categories. You can find the breakdown below.

Rooms	Bathtub
Guest	Yes
Deluxe Lake View	Yes
Deluxe Plus Lake View	Yes
Lake Wakatipu Suite	Yes
Relaxation Room	Outdoor Hot Tub
One Bedroom Residence	Yes
Two Bedroom Lake View Residence	Yes
Two Bedroom Deluxe Lake View Residence	Yes

Checking In

I arrived in Queenstown rather late in the evening. We drove in from Wanaka and only managed to arrive at around 8pm. What a long day it has been. The Kawarau Development is rather isolated and located on the opposite side of the lake. There isn’t much around the area besides the hotel itself. The driveway was quite prominent and I could find it easily. As we pull up to the reception, we got the staff to come over and help us unload the bags before I went to look for parking. 

Let me share the parking arrangement here at the Hilton. There are three options that you can go for. Valet parking is available for 40 NZD a night. Self-paid parking is available at the facility for 16 NZD a night. Then you have free self-parking at the lots around the hotel by the streets as well as on the roadside before you turn into the hotel. Free parking can be a challenge to find especially if you come back late in the evening.

I am very thankful to find free parking for 3 nights of my stay. One night, I had to park at the roadside outside the hotel. That is roughly a 5 to 7 mins walk. I will just go for the free options. A very nice touch would be reserving these free parking slots near the hotel for only Diamond Members. 

Check-in was fast and easy since I had already done the online check-in, there isn’t any wait at this hour too. I was provided with all the information for my stay and soon the keys were in my hand. The staff also reconfirmed that I will be staying in the Lake Wakatipu Suite for the first 3 nights before switching over to the Relaxation Room for my last night. The staff then gave me a slight intro into how the rooms are categorised here and then usher me to the elevators. 

It is a little confusing with the room numbers and how they are being categorised here. The room numbers are 4 digits. The first one represents the building and the last three are your room number. The reception and lobby itself are on level 4. I was assigned room 1106 which meant that it is in the first building. The room number has no reference to the floor your room is on and I felt that this is very confusing. They should label the room as 1206 instead since my room is on the second floor. You can check out a map of the rooms here. 

Hotel Grounds

The hotel grounds are very beautiful. It is nice for a jog around the property and you can get a great view of Queenstown from here. Do make it a point to take a stroll here after breakfast. 

Lake Wakatipu Suite 

I was assigned a suite in the first building. It is to the left of the reception area and on the second floor. The room number makes it extremely confusing. I was assigned suite 1106. In my opinion, 1206 would be more suitable. This is the best room category here and the most spacious one. The Lake Wakatipu Suite measures a spacious 54 Sqm. Upon entering, you can find connecting doors to the left and right. This can in reality be extended to a three-bedroom suite that will be great for huge groups and families. I am surprised by the lack of a half bath here despite this being a full suite. There is plenty of space around the suite. 

The living room is almost entirely squarish. It is a very spacious layout. You can see the entire living room in one view. There is a cabinet or chest on the right along the wall which gives you some additional storage area. I would love for them to have some hooks by the entrance. This will come in handy for your outerwear or raincoats. This will come in handy, especially in this part of the world. 

The living room can fit 3 to 4 people comfortably. It comes with a spacious sofa set around a coffee table. The living room is my favourite part of the area. The huge TV is mounted on the wall and below that there is a cosy fireplace which is great for warming up the place. How idyllic the setting is. The fireplace adds up a sense of homely vibes to the suite. 

Left on the coffee table, you can find a generous welcome amenity consisting of a bottle of white wine as well as a bar of chocolate. A personalised note can be found alongside. I appreciated the gesture. It seems that they have replaced the drink vouchers with the bottle of wine. Weirdly, the label was from Australia. I would feel that something local from the region be more applicable.

Next to the television, this is where you can find the minibar area. It is pretty well stocked. It comes with an actual proper coffee machine which I appreciated and plenty of instant tea bags and hot chocolate. A kettle is provided but there are no outlets by the minibar area which makes it kinda inconvenient. Below you can also find a mini fridge that is left empty for your use. Complimentary bottles of drinking water are provided and replenished during daily housekeeping. 

On the right, you can find a large working desk. It is of a good size and outlets are within reach. The Wi-Fi is easy to connect to and the speed is fast. It comes equipped with an armchair that offers great back support. 

Now let’s come to the main highlight of this suite and the main spot. The suite comes with a super spacious and gorgeous terrace that has a jaw-dropping view of Lake Wakatipu. You have a sprawling view of the hotel grounds and the lake. You can even see the approach of flights coming in to land at Queenstown airport. There are sittings for four people outside. This is perfect for a cosy gathering over some wine. 

The bedroom is separated from the living room by an actual door. That is my ideal layout as it allows you to prevent your partner from resting in the bedroom. The bedroom is a good size. It looks a little dated, to be honest, but well maintained. It comes with a plush king-size mattress in the middle and is flanked by nightstands on both sides. The pillows provided really good neck support but sadly this is where all the good things ended. The mattress is way way too soft for my liking. It literally must turn to mush and you can even feel the bedframe. 

Controls are within reach on both sides of the bed but sadly there are no power outlets to be found. The only socket is behind the nightstand and this is extremely inconvenient in my opinion. 

Next to the bed, you can find a wardrobe. It comes with everything that you might need for the stay from plenty of hangers to an ironing kit and a safe. Extra pillows and blankets can be found too as well as bath slippers. Opposite the bed, you can also find a bench along the wall that offers you some additional storage. 

There is another huge high-quality smart screen television in the room. It is great for a movie night. It comes with a good number of both local and cable TV channels. From the bedroom, you can also get a view of Lake Wakatipu. 

The bathroom is nicely designed and spacious. It looks like it needs a redesign soon as some spots are falling off. It comes with double sinks as well as a separate bathtub and standing shower. Amenities provided are from Crabtree and Evelyn and are located in large pump-sized bottles. I love that they have a power socket by the side of the sink so that you can connect your hairdryer. There is also a cosmetic mirror at the side. 

The bathtub is spacious and could fit two people comfortably. Taking a soak in this weather is an amazing way to wind down after a long travelling day. The lack of a handle around the bathtub might make it a little dangerous and challenging to get out from. It would be nice if they can provide some bath salt. 

The shower room is spacious and located behind a fully enclosed glass door which prevents water from getting all over the place. It comes with both a handheld shower head as well as a rainforest one. Water pressure and temperature control are pretty good but can be improved. 

Turn-down services are not offered automatically but I have to say that the staff are pretty good whenever you request additional items like bottles of water or towels. Housekeeping seems to be a mixed bag. There are some leftover items on the terrace from the previous guests when I first check-in. The suite could do with some additional lighting too. 

Fitness Centre 

The fitness centre is open 24 / 7. It is quite a small space and comes with the usual gym equipment for your use. Towels are provided. You can find some bikes, treadmills and weights. Great for getting a workout while on your vacation. 

Pool

The pool is open from 6am to 10pm and it is an indoor heated pool. They have a long lap pool and a jacuzzi by the side. Good for getting a lap and some exercise but not one to laze on. The place is quite nice and having a heated one allows the pool to be used any time of the year. The place comes with a nice view of the greenery outside. You can find some daybeds by the side of the pool. 

Wakatipu Grill

Wakatipu Grill is the hotel’s signature restaurant. It is located on the 1st floor and one floor below the lobby. It offers dinner from 6.30pm daily till 10pm. They also serve lunch. Breakfast is also offered here. I will share more on this later on. The restaurant is warm and cosy. It comes with a good view of the lake. I got dinner here during the first night of my stay. We decided to just get dinner here since it has been a long day of drive and we are all tired. You can check out the restaurant menu here. Prices are very fair. Do note that the Hilton 25% dining discount for Gold and Diamond members is not applicable here. We were warmly welcomed in by the host and shown to a seat.

We got the Pork Belly which came with Truffle white bean purée, mushroom XO sauce, apple and crackling. It was really good! 

Then we had the Bostock Roasted Chicken. It was paired with a spiced kumara purée, quinoa, kale, charred yams and homemade BBQ glaze. The chicken was perfectly cooked and I love the skin. 

We also got the Pappardelle which came with Baby spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, alfredo sauce, olive oil and pine nuts. The pasta was excellent. By comparison, the dish was the simplest and most not worth it but it tasted so good. I love the pine nuts.

I will definitely recommend this place if you are staying here. The portion is good and the price is fair. It is easy and convenient, especially after a long day. The whole meal comes up to about NZ$97 which is similar to what I will spend at a restaurant in the city. I do hope that they can expand the menu a little. 

Breakfast at Wakatipu Grill

Breakfast is served at Wakatipu Grill Restaurant which is located on the ground floor. Breakfast is served from 6.30am to 10.30am on weekdays and until 11am on weekends as well as public holidays. Similarly to my other experience in Christchurch, only continental breakfast is offered to Gold and Diamond members as part of elite benefits. You have to top up an additional 10 NZD for the full breakfast. In reality, it is not a huge amount but still feel kinda stingy given what we are used to in other parts of Asia as well as Europe. Breakfast would have normally cost 39 NZD for a full breakfast and 29 NZD for a continental breakfast. Barista coffee drinks are also not included. I had the full breakfast since my rate includes breakfast. 

The restaurant was rather busy throughout my stay but thankfully given how huge the place is there isn’t much of a wait. Do come early if you want to snag one of the tables with a view. Enjoying breakfast with the view of the lake is an amazing way to start the day. Everything is self served and buffet style, this includes drinks and there are tea and filtered coffee stations at various spots around the restaurant. The brew is pretty good and I am satisfied with just drinking filtered black coffee. 

Let me first share what is included in the continental breakfast offering. Right in the middle you have some granola, cereals, juices, pastries, fruits and cheese. Everything is very good and delicious. I especially love their pastries and juices. The apple juice is very good. The pastries were fresh and flaky. 

And then for the full breakfast, you have selections from Asian-cooked food as well as Western food. In addition to this, you can also order freshly made pancakes and eggs. The options are alright. I did wish that they have a little change to the offering and mix things up slightly from day to day. 

Conclusion

I enjoyed my stay at this property. It is cosy and feels like a ski resort or at least it had the vibes. The hotel is a nice base to explore the surrounding area and Queenstown. It is about a 10 mins drive from Queenstown or you have the option of taking the ferry as well. While free parking may not come easy, it is not impossible. Parking is quite limited and to be honest, should be done free of charge in this kind of place. This is the best option for Hilton Elite members. Elite treatment is excellent here. The DoubleTree will offer a cheaper alternative. They do share the same common facilities and breakfast restaurants. Housekeeping could be polished and the room is a little dated. I hope that they have plans to touch up or renovate the rooms soon. I enjoy the cosy suite, especially the fireplace and terrace. They should switch to a firmer mattress. It’s way too soft. Next up, I will be sharing the Relaxation Room with the outdoor tub that I stayed on our last night.