Last month, on our way to Wanaka after a couple of nights in Queenstown, we happened to drive past this super chic looking winery at Gibbston Valley. We also noticed these gorgeous little cabins nestled into the hillside, so did an immediate u-turn and headed back for a better look.
Once we pulled up at Gibbston Valley Lodge we knew we needed to stay a night! It’s a fairly new luxury lodge (opened just last year), with exquisite interiors, architecture and facilities. Truly, it’s an absolute hidden gem of Central Otago, and I wanted to share a bit from our overnight stay.
In my personal opinion, Gibbston Valley Lodge rivals some of New Zealand’s top luxury lodges (including nearby Matakauri Lodge which we stayed at in 2014). From the interiors and architecture, outstanding service, luxuriously appointed accommodation, food and amenities.
The only difference between those other luxury lodges and Gibbston Valley was it doesn’t have quite the same commanding views or extraordinary outlook (when compared to places like Huka Lodge, Matakauri, Cape Kidnappers etc), However, you’re just a 15 minute drive to Queenstown (10 minutes to Arrowtown and Millbook Golf Club), surrounded by beautiful mountains and a captivating valley setting, in a very private and peaceful location, and the prices are way more reasonable than some of New Zealand’s top luxury lodges!
The wood flooring in the cabins is from Forté, who have an incredibly extensive range of engineered timber flooring. We almost chose one of their engineered products for our new renovation (which you can read more about here), but it was sadly out of our budget.
The luxurious cabins are interconnected (2 rooms per cabin) so can be an individual suite. Or if you’re staying as a family, you can have one whole cabin to yourself with an interconnecting door between.
They don’t allow children to dine in the restaurant at night, which personally I like, as if i’m at a place like this I’d like to enjoy it without kids around. However the staff were amazing and set the kids up in the private movie theatre downstairs, with freshly made popcorn and snacks, while we dined privately upstairs. Older kids could easily enjoy room service back in the cabin, but ours are too young for this.
Unfortunately I didn’t take any photos at dinner (even though it was my birthday) because I was just excited Chris and I were having a dinner by ourselves for a change! But I can absolutely say the food & wine was NEXT level amazing. Some of the most delicious food I’ve ever eaten in New Zealand. Certainly made for a very memorable and special birthday dinner.
After dinner, we took the kids up for a late night spa in one of the open air hot tubs. Sitting in a hot tub, surrounded by snowy mountains and millions of stars was breathtaking. A very special end to the evening, and so much fun for the kids too.
Thank you Gibbston Valley Lodge for having us. Chris and I can’t wait to go back, by ourselves, for a night or two in the near future.
If you’re planning a trip to New Zealand or Queenstown in 2022, put Gibbston Valley Lodge & Spa on your list. You won’t regret it!
Nicki xo
* we received Media Rates for our stay, but all opinions are our own.
Absolutely beautiful. Lovely furnishings as they do in all the Lodges in NZ. I share your tastes Nikki, I am a Kiwi living in Australia and grew up with the black houses , but in my time, 50’s and 60’s they were painted with Creosate and I painted my house in Bowral Black, a timeless look for cool climates.
Love your blogs and Instagram and so happy you have moved back to south island, most beautiful place in the world, scenery, people, wines etc
Thanks Virginia. Loved this comment as I will now have to google Creosate! Have never heard of that! There’s just something about black houses that I have loved for so long. And yes couldn’t agree more about the interiors of all the lodges in NZ – something they seem to do better over here than almost anywhere else. 🙂