Hidden Lodge Queenstown

Claudia and the team contribute to make this a gem in Queenstown. We only stayed the weekend but the friendly welcome and superb quality of the accommodation made us wish we had stayed longer. this is a 5* plus location.

I booked this picturesque location for my solo holiday and ended up spending the whole holiday in hospital or in bed with a broken foot due to an accident that happened due to the negligence of the hotel. The stairs to my hotel room were unlit on my second night and I fell down the last few stairs and broke my foot. Not only that, the only staff member on duty was drinking a beer and making banana bread in the kitchen rather than ensuring that the hotel was adequately lit for the evening and ensuring the safety of guests. I wanted so much to give this hotel a great rating, but I cannot, as not only did this happen to ruin the holiday, but the hotel management refused to take any responsibility for their negligence. If this were a bigger hotel chain, this would have been handled immediately. Instead I have been out of pockets thousands of dollars in medical expenses and didn't have a holiday at all. This is a good lesson to not book a small private hotel, because the after-care is just not professional.

The name of the property says it all. It feels like you are in the middle of nowhere on a mountain lake, but you are only minutes from the town center.

I had the most amazing experience. Outstanding customer service from Claudia, Chris, Laura, Lisa, and Kristen. From the time I booked to my arrival was first class. Its the little things and attention to detail that make a stay memorable and I will definitely return and bring friends next time. Hot towel rack in the bathroom, electric blankets, complimentary snacks and drinks in your room, hot breakfast with eggs cooked to order. Fresh made yogurt with granola, fresh fruit was awesome as well. The view from my room could have been mistaken for a postcard. I'll be back!!!

My husband and I stayed here for our honeymoon and we were welcomed with prolonged talking on arrival. We just wanted to get our rooms but instead got an extended tour/talk. We enjoyed elements of our stay such as the wonderful Lisa who always had a smile on her face and seemed genuinely keen to help. The beautiful brownies, antipasto platters, stocked mini bar fridge (except one of the bottles of beer was expired - yes I double checked to make sure I wasn't looking at the manufacturing date) and yummy breakfasts. There is a key problem with the business model of Hidden Lodge. Having the single staff member that is rostered on (or at times 2) be the front office, chef, gardener,cleaner etc. The look of being completely worn out was written all over their faces, and it made it hard for us to fully relax and ask for things we needed. This would not be a problem at other hotels, as the staff would be there 24/7 to assist. The second issue we had was the lack of basic amenities you expect in any accommodation, i.e. a microwave. You cannot heat any food up by yourself without the help of the staff. They also lock the microwave at night, so on my honeymoon, while paying prices reflective of a 5 star service, I had to use the oven to heat up my food myself. Additionally, the assistant manager Chris while friendly and mostly willing to help, sometimes had a tone which was not always professional, and it appeared the standard of service at the start of our stay quickly dwindled.

Everything ....................... ................................

Such a great place with just four rooms. Claudia was an amazing host.

The personalized service was excellent. Facilities were well maintained.

Had a fantastic stay here during April! The staff were fantastic and willing to go that extra mile for you (they left a small Easter egg hunt in our room!), the facilities immaculate, including a sauna, wood fire hot tub and gym. Easily the best place we stayed in NZ

Very good and professionally managed .maybe an upgrade to the breakfasts choice would help.