About this hotel
General information
The Lindis rests almost invisibly on the floor of the Ahuriri Valley, a glacial basin in the heart of the South Island edged by the Southern Alps. The lodge stands on Ben Avon Station, more than 6,500 acres bordering the Ahuriri Conservation Park, whose 49,000-plus hectares take in mountains, tussock grassland, wetlands and beech forest. The station is still worked, with some 3,000 merino sheep and a hundred Angus cattle on the hills, a wool shed from the 1870s by the gate and an original homestead completed in 1883.
There are only eight places to stay: five suites in the main lodge, named after the valley’s historic stations, and three separate glass pods. Nights are an event in themselves — the valley borders the Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve and the Milky Way is plain to the naked eye. Stays include breakfast, lunch or a packed lunch, pre-dinner drinks with canapés, a multi-course dinner and a complimentary minibar.
Location
In the Ahuriri Valley near Omarama, roughly in the middle of the South Island. The drive takes about 1.5 hours from Wanaka, 2 hours 15 minutes from Queenstown and 4.5 hours from Christchurch, the last stretch on gravel Birchwood Road, where a 4WD is recommended. Queenstown is the nearest airport; the lodge has its own helipad and arranges private road or helicopter transfers from Queenstown, Wanaka and Christchurch.
Spa
There is no spa as such: massages are given in a private treatment room by appointment, while the outdoor hot tub and the gym are free for guests to use.
Sports & leisure
Guests have the gym and the estate walking trails to themselves; everything else is arranged by the lodge:
- fly fishing on the Ahuriri River, counted among the world’s great trout waters, from a first lesson to a full guided day (in season)
- privately guided horse treks across the station for riders of every level
- guided stargazing and astrophotography, and 4WD tours through the valley’s history and geology
- guided hikes or independent walks on the lodge’s own tracks, with the national Te Araroa trail crossing the station
- buggy tours, e-biking, archery, clay target shooting and seasonal rafting
- beyond the valley, gliding at Omarama, helicopter flights to Aoraki/Mount Cook with a landing on the Tasman Glacier, waterfall picnics and whisky tastings in alpine huts
For children
Guests must be 12 or older; younger children can come only with an exclusive buyout of the whole lodge.
Restaurants & bars
The kitchen cooks contemporary, seasonal New Zealand food: spear-caught kingfish from Tasman Bay, hand-harvested Fiordland crayfish, and herbs and greens from the lodge garden. Breakfast is à la carte, lunch is either a light menu at the lodge or a packed lunch for the day out, and dinner, after drinks and canapés in the Great Hall, is a multi-course set menu with optional wine pairings. The bar is open through the day, and private experiences include a chef-cooked barbecue at the Black Diamond, caviar and Champagne somewhere remote in the valley, alpine picnics and mulled wine by the fire in winter.
Skiing
In winter the lodge arranges heli-skiing and private skiing around Aoraki/Mount Cook.
Pets
Pets are not allowed, with the exception of certified guide and service dogs.
Rooms
Two Master Suites and three Lodge Suites sit in the main lodge and carry the names of the valley’s historic stations — Ben Avon, Longslip, Dalrachney, Ribbonwood and Birchwood — while three Pods stand apart, out of sight of the lodge. Every room has floor-to-ceiling glass facing the valley.
Each room has a king or super king bed, a private outdoor seating area, an ensuite, heating and air conditioning, fine linen and toiletries, a complimentary minibar, Wi-Fi and nightly turndown.
Master Suite
The most spacious suites in the main lodge, with a super king bed, a double-sided gas fireplace, a deep bath and seating inside and out; the windows look over the river and valley. For two guests, with a rollaway for a third at extra cost.
Lodge Suite
A main-lodge suite with floor-to-ceiling valley views, a super king bed, a lounge with a gas fireplace, an ensuite with a bath and a private outdoor seating area. For two guests, with a rollaway for a third at extra cost.
Pod
A standalone pod close to the lodge, with mirrored glass on three sides, a king bed (or twins), a shower ensuite, a private deck and an outdoor bath facing the valley. For two guests, with an optional golf-cart ride to the main lodge.
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.