About this hotel
General information
Eichardt’s Private Hotel stands on Marine Parade, on the shore of Lake Wakatipu in the centre of Queenstown, and has been receiving travellers since 1861. Its story begins with the woolshed of pioneer settler William Rees, the first building in what became the town: when gold was found in the Shotover River in 1862, the shed was turned into a hotel, the Queen’s Arms. It later passed to Albert Eichardt and his wife Julia, who ran it on her own after his death and made it the first building in Queenstown with electricity.
The white stone building is listed as a historic place by Heritage New Zealand. Next door, on the site of the old stables, a contemporary wing holds the penthouse, some of the suites and The Grille restaurant. The hotel is genuinely small — seven suites and the penthouse, plus two separate homes nearby, the Earl St apartment and The Residence. Eichardt’s is a member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World and Luxury Lodges of New Zealand.
Location
Queenstown’s lakefront, with the town’s shops and restaurants a few steps away and views over Lake Wakatipu to Cecil Peak and The Remarkables. Valet parking is provided for suite guests, while Penthouse guests are met at the airport by a private driver and have private transfers throughout their stay.
Spa
The Well Spa has four private treatment rooms, including a dedicated couples’ room. Treatments use New Zealand-made products with mānuka honey and cover massages, facials, scrubs and wraps, combination packages and rituals for two, with particular care for guests fresh off a long-haul flight.
Sports & leisure
Queenstown is a natural base for the outdoors, and the concierge team plans the days:
- scenic helicopter flights over the Southern Alps and into remote corners of Fiordland
- golf on three of the country’s most prestigious courses, all within 20 minutes, with club hire and private or group lessons
- private half- or full-day tours for up to four people to Gibbston Valley wineries, historic Arrowtown, Glenorchy or Cardrona Distillery
- private yacht cruises and gourmet experiences prepared by the hotel kitchen
For children
Families are best suited to the Earl St apartment and The Residence, where a cot can be provided on request.
Restaurants & bars
Eichardt’s Bar has been pouring since 1871 on the spot where Rees’s woolshed once stood: a fireplace, deep sofas, cocktails built on spirits infused in-house, and tapas-style plates using produce from local farmers; there are no reservations. The Grille, behind floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the lake and the town’s main streets, serves modern New Zealand cooking from local, seasonal produce, from seafood chowder to steaks. A heritage parlour and private rooms are set aside for private dining.
Rooms
Seven suites across the heritage building and the new wing — Lake View, Heritage and The Gold Vault, once a gold vault — a 240 m² rooftop penthouse, and two private homes nearby: the two-bedroom Earl St apartment and the three-bedroom Residence.
Stays include an à la carte breakfast, a pre-dinner drink with canapés, nightly turndown, Wi-Fi and valet parking, with Sans[ceuticals] toiletries in the bathrooms.
The Penthouse
A rooftop penthouse with interiors by Nina Bell: two king bedrooms with ensuites and wardrobes, a living room, indoor and outdoor kitchens with Gaggenau and Sub-Zero appliances, dining for 12, a sauna and a cedar hot tub. It has Queenstown’s largest private waterfront terrace with a jacuzzi, a private lift, a personal concierge and private transfers.
Lake View Suite
A suite with wide views over Lake Wakatipu and the mountains, sleek modern furnishings and a king bed or twins. Sleeps two.
Heritage Suite
A suite in the oldest part of the building, looking over Queenstown, where period character meets a contemporary finish; king bed or twins. Sleeps two.
The Gold Vault
A private suite in the town’s former nineteenth-century bank gold vault, with views of the tree-lined hills and laneways rather than the lake. King bed or twins; sleeps two.
Earl St by Eichardt’s
A self-contained two-bedroom apartment a three-minute walk from the hotel, with a lounge warmed by a gas fire, dining room and kitchen, floor-to-ceiling windows opening to a balcony with lake and mountain views, a walk-in wardrobe and a laundry. Suited to small families or groups.
The Residence by Eichardt’s
A private three-level house a 10-minute walk from the hotel, looking over Queenstown Bay, Queenstown Gardens and The Remarkables, with three bedrooms (king or twin beds), generous living and dining rooms, a cinema room and a double garage. The top-floor master has a gas fire and a private balcony.
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.