Where to stayBy Clever Tourists · Published
For a first visit, stay in central Queenstown, within a few blocks of the lakefront and the Steamer Wharf. Restaurants, the Skyline gondola, the lake cruises and most tour pickups are on foot, and you never need to drive in the evening. Choose Fernhill if a lake view from the room matters more than a flat walk to dinner, Frankton if you have a hire car, an early flight or a ski pass for the Remarkables, and Arrowtown if you want a quiet old gold-mining village with wineries nearby. We spent a night in Queenstown in March 2023, and 2 nights at the head of the lake in Glenorchy a week earlier, so this guide covers that end of the lake as well.
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• First visit, 2 to 4 nights, no car: central Queenstown. Everything that matters is a short walk from the lake.
• Lake views and a quieter street: Fernhill, on the hillside just west of the centre.
• Hire car, road trip or early flight: Frankton, by the airport and on the roads to Arrowtown, Cromwell and Wanaka.
• Skiers: Frankton for the Remarkables, central Queenstown or Arrowtown for Coronet Peak, with a car or a ski shuttle either way.
• Couples, wine and slow evenings: Arrowtown, about 20 km north-east of town.
• Mountains at dawn and nothing else: Glenorchy, about 45 minutes along the lake road. One or two nights, not a base for the whole stay.
• Budget: hostels and older motels in central Queenstown, or holiday rentals in Frankton and the newer suburbs, which tend to cost less for the space.
What it's like: a small, steep grid of streets running down to Lake Wakatipu, with the Steamer Wharf, the beach and the lakefront promenade at the bottom and the Skyline gondola base on Brecon Street at the top. Bars, bakeries, adventure-booking offices and restaurants fill the few blocks in between, and the Remarkables fill the view across the water.
Who it suits: almost everyone on a first trip, especially without a car. Bungy, jet boat and Milford Sound coach pickups mostly start here, and you can walk home after dinner. Our Milford Sound cruise guide compares the coach from Queenstown with driving yourself.
Downside: it is the most expensive and the busiest part of the region, the streets above the lake are steep, and late-night noise on the bar streets carries. Parking is limited and paid, so if you have a car, check that the hotel has a space before you book. Our Queenstown safety guide covers car break-ins at trailheads and lookouts.
What it's like: a residential hillside along Fernhill Road, west of the centre, made up of apartments, lodges and holiday homes. Many rooms look straight down the lake to the Remarkables, which is the main reason to stay here.
Who it suits: couples and families who want a kitchen, a balcony and a view, and who do not mind a hill. Orbus route 1 starts at Sunshine Bay, just beyond Fernhill, and runs through town to Frankton and the Remarkables shops.
Downside: the walk back up from dinner is steep, and in winter the road can be icy. Check the exact street before you book: the lower end of Fernhill is a pleasant walk to town, the upper end is not.
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What it's like: the flat land at the eastern end of the Frankton Arm, about 8 km from town, with the airport, the Remarkables Park and Five Mile shopping areas, supermarkets, chain hotels and apartment blocks. It is the junction for the roads to Arrowtown, Cromwell, Wanaka and the Remarkables ski field.
Who it suits: road trippers, skiers on the Remarkables, families who want space and a big supermarket, and anyone with a dawn flight. If you arrive late, our Queenstown Airport to town guide explains the bus, shuttles and taxis, and why staying in Frankton can save the transfer altogether.
Downside: it is a commercial area rather than a town. Evenings are quieter, and you will take the bus or drive into Queenstown for most restaurants. The Frankton bus hub helps: route 2 runs from there to Arrowtown, and route 1 into central Queenstown.
What it's like: a 19th-century gold-rush village about 20 km north-east of Queenstown, with a tree-lined main street of old stone and timber buildings, the restored Chinese miners' settlement by the Arrow River, and good restaurants for its size. The Gibbston wine valley is a short drive away.
Who it suits: couples, return visitors and anyone who would rather do the day trips from a calm street. It is also handy for Coronet Peak in winter. Orbus routes 2 and 4 connect it with Frankton and Queenstown.
Downside: you need a car, the bus or taxis for almost everything in Queenstown itself, and rooms in the village are limited, so they go early in summer and in autumn, when the trees turn.
Glenorchy is a small settlement at the head of Lake Wakatipu, about 45 minutes from Queenstown along a road our New Zealand guide calls one of the country's most scenic. Its red boatshed and wooden wharf, backed by snow-capped peaks, are the shot most people come for, and they are at their best at sunrise, when the water is still.
We spent 2 nights here in late February 2023, between Lake Pukaki and Te Anau, and that is the reason to stay rather than visit: you are at the wharf at first light without a 45-minute drive in the dark. Accommodation is a handful of modest lodges and campgrounds, so book ahead in summer. There are almost no restaurants, so buy food in Queenstown first.
It is not a base for the whole stay. For bungy, cruises and dinner choices, go back to Queenstown or Frankton.
Seasons. Queenstown has two peaks: summer from December to February, and the ski season in July and August. School holidays and long weekends fill the town as well. Book central rooms well ahead for those weeks; shoulder months such as March, April and November are easier and often cheaper. Our best time to visit New Zealand guide has the month-by-month picture, and our New Zealand trip cost guide puts typical room prices in a full budget.
Cars. Ask about parking before you book in the centre and Fernhill. In Frankton and Arrowtown it is usually free and easy. If you are driving in winter, read our driving in New Zealand guide for chains and ice.
Buses. Orbus runs five Queenstown routes. Otago's public transport fares and zones have recently changed, so check the current Orbus fare before relying on older figures.
How many nights. Two or three nights cover the gondola, a lake cruise and one big activity; add one for a Milford Sound day and one for Glenorchy or Arrowtown. Many road trips continue to Wanaka, about an hour over the Crown Range; see where to stay in Wanaka and our 10-day South Island itinerary.
Central Queenstown, near the lakefront. Restaurants, the Skyline gondola, lake cruises and most tour pickups are a short walk away, and you do not need a car.
Queenstown if you want to walk to dinner and tour pickups. Frankton if you have a hire car, an early flight or a Remarkables ski pass, since it is by the airport and the main roads out of town.
Yes, if you have a car and want quiet. It is a gold-rush village about 20 km from Queenstown with good restaurants, but rooms are limited and most activities start in Queenstown.
For one or two nights, if you want the wharf and the mountains at sunrise without driving 45 minutes in the dark. We stayed 2 nights. Bring food from Queenstown; there are few restaurants.
In summer from December to February, in the July and August ski season, and on school holidays and long weekends. Book central rooms well ahead for those weeks.
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