Recently we spent ten days exploring New Zealand‘s beautiful South Island. As part of our trip, we spent a few nights staying in Queenstown, a place bustling with people, great food and incredible scenery around every corner. We stayed at The Spire for two nights and from the moment we walked into the room it became one of the most memorable and enjoyable hotel stays I’ve had. Here’s why…
But first, watch this…
Location
Queenstown is a small place but it’s packed with lots of places to stay, eat and play. The Spire is located down Church Lane, a very cool little laneway that is walking distance to everything in Queenstown but is just out of the way enough that you feel like you have your own haven. If you have a car you can park in the very close-by secure parking lot for a daily rate, just stop in at the hotel first and they’ll tell you where to park and how to pay.
Because of its location, some of the hotel’s ten boutique suites offer pretty spectacular views of the breathtaking Southern Alps. Our room was one of these with an insanely good view and it made leaving the room difficult, all I wanted to do was stay inside rugged up next to the fire soaking in how amazing New Zealand is. I can’t think of a better place to stay if you’re planning on just exploring Queenstown or if you plan on heading up to the mountain each day, to come back to this little slice of paradise each day is really enjoyable.
There is some sort of small club or bar on the opposite side of the laneway from The Spire and I read some reviews on TripAdvisor of people having issues with noise. Our room was on the top floor, we stayed for two nights and didn’t experience any trouble with noise. Early on in the evening, I heard a few ‘woohoos’ come from that direction, but when I got into bed to go to sleep I didn’t hear any noise.
The Rooms
Rooms aren’t the right word here… at The Spire, they really are luxury suites. I’ve never enjoyed using those words before because they sound a bit over-the-top, but the truth is the rooms really are so wonderful there’s no other way to describe them other than luxury boutique suites. We were shown to our room by Leila, the very warm and welcoming lady from the front desk. As soon as we stepped through the door to our room, we were both totally and completely blown away.
The room is a very generous size, with a lot of space to walk around, spread out, sit down and relax. At no point do you feel like you’re in a hotel room, you feel more like you’re in a luxury apartment. The furnishings are all modern but still functional, which makes the room really comfortable and welcoming. The styling is very clever, giving the space a cosy, inviting feel and putting you at ease immediately. I guess what I’m trying to say is that even though it’s luxury and modern it’s still really, really comfortable.
Aside from how insanely beautiful the room is, like something out of an interior design magazine, it’s also pretty cool too. There’s a huge TV perfect for watching movies while snuggled up in bed after a big day on the ski fields. There’s also a fireplace which comes on at the push of a button. The bathroom is a great size with a big bath for relaxing with a glass of wine, you can even see the fire and tv from the bath. The bed is really, really comfortable and the hotel offers a pillow menu, giving you a list of pillows to choose from if the pillow on the bed isn’t to your liking.
In addition to ALL of this, the room has its own balcony with a canopy that can be retracted and extended at the press of a button. Everything is cleverly thought out to maximise your comfort and make you feel like a King or Queen. Or maybe both combined together in some sort of King/Queen super-luxury royal hybrid. The mini bar is stocked with goodies that are replenished daily and everything, except for alcohol, is included in your room cost.
It’s the small touches that make the difference here, like returning to your room in the evening to find the bed turned down, a piece of chocolate fudge on the bedside table accompanied by a dreamy affirmation and a bottle of water. It just makes you feel good!
Dining and Entertainment
The on-site restaurant, No 5 Church Lane, is a must-try whether you’re staying at The Spire or not. The breakfast menu makes it hard to choose just one thing to have and as Leila explained to us, guests are encouraged to try more than just one thing! In fact, ordering the eggs and bacon with a side of pancakes may just get you a few brownie points with head chef Will Eaglesfield.
What’s great about the on-site restaurant is you can choose to eat your breakfast downstairs or have it brought to your room. This may sound a little over-the-top but when a room is as beautiful as the ones at The Spire, having your delicious breakfast there just takes things to the next level. It is just one of the many small touches that make your time there and transform it from a great stay to a completely memorable one.
In the evening, the restaurant also serves fantastic meals and makes some pretty mean cocktails too. Like I said, it’s worth stopping by just to eat here. The menu is bursting with flavours that reflect the Otago region, prepared in a Mediterranean/European style. Prepare yourself for mezze plates, stone-baked pizzas, decadent desserts and main meals too good to share (even though you really should share).
There is also a bevvy of great places to eat nearby, ranging from burger joints and bars to restaurants and cafes. If you’re staying here, there’s no shortage of things to do nearby, places to eat or things to look at.
The Verdict
Both Matt and I really enjoyed our stay at The Spire Hotel. It is a frontrunner for our favourite hotel stay of the year and is definitely in my most memorable hotel stays of all time.
The stay was made so enjoyable by the wonderful staff who work there, they’re attentive and kind and make you feel really welcome. They’re able to help you out with ideas for places to eat, things to do, how to get around and where to go.
Of course, the most memorable thing about The Spire is its overall vibe of luxury and relaxation. Queenstown is known for its party scene and young crowd, somewhere The Spire manages to carve out a quiet space, a luxurious retreat for people who want to experience this beautiful destination as a place of relaxation and rejuvenation. I honestly found it hard to leave the room because it was so enjoyable and offered me everything I was after from Queenstown; comfort, great food, incredible views and a sense of escape.
I would recommend The Spire as the ideal place to stay for a honeymoon or romantic getaway for couples, it’s the perfect destination to celebrate something special, like an anniversary, or just spoil yourself. There’s just something about it that makes you feel really special.
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