About this hotel
General information
Blanket Bay is an alpine lodge at the northern end of Lake Wakatipu, near the village of Glenorchy, where the snow-capped peaks of the Southern Alps rise straight from the water. It stands on Wyuna, a working high-country station of some 60,000 acres that runs sheep, cattle and deer. The name goes back to 1861, when sheep were shorn on this shore and blankets were used to make the shed and the shelters for the men and the wool.
The building is a grand lodge of stone and native timber, with beamed ceilings and open log fires and plenty of quiet corners beside them. Rooms and suites are spread between the main lodge and the chalets, with a four-suite villa above them and a separate owner’s residence. A member of Relais & Châteaux, the lodge includes breakfast, pre-dinner cocktails, dinner and the use of all its facilities.
Location
Glenorchy, Otago, in the South Island, at the head of Lake Wakatipu, with Fiordland and Mount Aspiring National Parks close by. Central Queenstown is around 40 minutes away by a scenic sealed road along the lake, Queenstown Airport about 55 minutes; guests can also arrive by helicopter or by Glenorchy Air light aircraft to the Glenorchy airstrip, two minutes from the lodge. Guest services arrange all transfers.
Spa
Blanket Bay Spa and Wellness has a treatment suite on the ground floor, an indoor jacuzzi, separate men’s and women’s steam rooms with changing rooms, and a gym looking out over the lake and mountains. Massages range from relaxation and deep tissue to pregnancy, and the signature facial pairs an organic manuka honey mask with a honey exfoliation. Organic massage oils and pure essential oils are used, and private yoga, breathwork and meditation sessions are available.
Sports & leisure
The lodge has a gym, a games room with a pool table, shuffleboard, darts and a big screen, a film library, pétanque, garden chess and mölkky, six bikes, a jetty and two lakeside walking trails. Outings further afield include:
- the Dart River Jet on the Dart River
- excursions to Milford Sound
- fly fishing, including heli-fishing on remote rivers
- hiking and horse riding
- golf
- a wine, food and arts trail through the region
- other adventure activities
For children
Children under 10 cannot be accommodated. The four-suite villa and the Owner’s Residence suit multi-generational families and groups.
Restaurants & bars
The kitchen cooks in a Euro Pacific style, with European technique, Asian spice and fresh New Zealand produce from local growers. Dinner is a five-course degustation that changes every day.
- Dining Room — the main room, with an open fire
- Grand Terrace — outdoor tables facing the lake and mountains
- The Den — cocktails and canapés before dinner
- Wine Cave — intimate dinners in the cellar for up to four
- Tasting Room — tastings for up to six
- outdoor fireplace — dinners around the fire
Swimming
The heated outdoor pool is open in the summer months and the indoor jacuzzi all year. A private jetty gives access to Lake Wakatipu.
Skiing
The lodge arranges heli-skiing in the surrounding mountains.
Rooms
Seven categories, from rooms and suites in the main lodge to stone chalet suites, the four suites of the villa and a separate owner’s residence. Interiors are alpine in feel, with stone, timber and stone fireplaces, and most windows face Lake Wakatipu and the Humboldt Mountains.
Every room has a super king bed, a bathroom with granite-topped double vanities and a separate shower and bath, air conditioning, a telephone, complimentary Wi-Fi, satellite TV and Apple TV and a Bluetooth soundbar.
Lodge Room
A room with a super king bed, a sitting area and a private balcony or terrace looking over Lake Wakatipu to the Humboldt Mountains; the bathroom has a separate shower and bath.
Lodge Suite
A suite with a living area around a stone fireplace, a super king bed, walk-in wardrobes and a bathroom with a steam shower; the large private balcony faces the lake and the Humboldt Mountains.
Premium Lodge Suite
A suite with a generous living room, a grand stone fireplace and a balcony facing the Southern Alps, a super king bedroom and a bathroom with a steam shower and bath.
Chalet Suite
A suite in the chalets, a short walk from the main lodge, with a super king bed, a sitting area with a stone fireplace, walk-in wardrobes, a steam shower and a private courtyard.
Chalet Stateroom
A chalet suite with a separate living room, two stone fireplaces, two private courtyards, two televisions and tea and coffee facilities.
The Villa
A villa set above the lodge and chalets with four King Suites (bedroom, bathroom and sitting area with a fireplace and kitchenette), a grand lounge and bar, a commercial kitchen, terraces, a fire pit and hot tubs, facing the lake and the Humboldt and Thomson ranges. Booked whole or by one or two suites, for up to eight guests.
Owner's Residence
Stone and timber buildings among established gardens: the main house has two bedrooms, a lounge with a large stone fireplace and lake views and a country kitchen, and a studio across a stone courtyard adds two more, all with en-suite bathrooms. For multi-generational families or groups.
Photos are for illustrative purposes only. Actual room layout, furnishings, décor, views and amenities may differ from those shown and may vary between rooms of the same category. Hotel and room descriptions are based on information provided by the property and are believed to be accurate at the time of publication, but are not guaranteed. The hotel may renovate or change its rooms, facilities, restaurants and services at any time without notice. The final details of your stay are confirmed at the time of booking. See our Terms of Use.