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4.0
#1 of 1 hotels in Kawarau Falls
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Value
Situated directly on the shores of Lake Wakatipu, the resort boasts famous waterfront and mountain views. Each of the spacious rooms and fully-equipped residence apartments offer a gas fireplace, separate lounge area and private balcony to satisfy any travel needs. Take the water taxi into town, rejuvenate in the opulent onsite spa facility or simply relax by the 25-metre indoor heated pool with steam and sauna rooms. While the five bars and restaurants including the signature Wakatipu Grill provide sought-after dining options in magnificent settings to complete a truly memorable stay.
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Nestled by a scenic lake, the Hilton Queenstown Resort & Spa offers a tranquil setting that has garnered appreciation from guests, although some have pointed out its remoteness from the heart of Queenstown. The resort's ambiance is a blend of warm fireplaces and stunning views, despite certain areas being perceived as outdated. While the amenities like lakeview rooms are a highlight, patrons have expressed concerns over their maintenance and cleanliness.
Additionally, the value proposition is met with criticism due to high costs for extras and amenities. Service quality appears to be inconsistent, with both commendations and grievances noted.
Location
Picturesque
Atmosphere
Outdated
Rooms
Neglected
Value
Expensive
Cleanliness
Mixed
Service
Inconsistent
Amenities
Well-appointed
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Peaceful setting on the lake makes it a wonderful location for a hotel. Only 5 minutes from the airport. A water shuttle direct to Queenstown picks up in front of the hotel. I used valet parking and my car was always ready when requested.
I had two different rooms types during my stay, both were awesome. The Lake Wakatipu Suite which was quite comfortable and nice sized bath and a King room that also faced the lake. Room was clean and no noise from other rooms. Fast reliable wifi.
Wakatipu Grill in the hotel served an amazing lamb dish and nice wine choices. Cooked carrots were amazing and tender. For a hotel restaurant this was exceptionally good!
Property is a quiet wonderful base for exploring all that the Queenstown area has to offer.
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Date of stay: August 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We are staying 6 nights and enjoying it immensely. The wakatipu suite has plenty of room and soothing, peaceful lake views. The bed is comfortable (although soft) and the bathroom with separate bathtub and two types of shower heads is refreshing.
You can access excellent walking or cycling trails, there is a cycle rental place downstairs, several choices for eating, and the hourly taxi is $5 to town.
We find the staff very helpful and friendly. Today after our day out we were greeted by an origami towel elephant and handwritten note on the bed, very cute!
Previously we have stayed in Queenstown itself and we much prefer staying here.
I did not find any evidence of what other people are moaning about when reviewing this property. Today there was a lady in the lift complaining bitterly that she had to take more than one lift to get to her room. Really? Be thankful if that is the worst thing in your life.
Thank you to the staff for putting forth such great effort and making our stay nice, we will definitely return.
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Date of stay: January 2020Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from fredericmonnier1974, Manager at Hilton Queenstown Resort & Spa
Responded 11 Feb 2020
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience about your recent stay at our hotel. I am delighted to see that overall you enjoyed your stay with us. Frederic Monnier
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This is a nicely priced hotel that was my wife's favorite in New Zealand. The bed was the most comfortable, the bathroom was luxurious with large jetted tub and separate shower with dual head rainfall shower. Across bay from Queenstown, but water taxi takes you right to center of town for ten dollars (better than trying to find a parking place! Parking challenging and not included -- easiest to pay the $16 and park next door at Doubletree with easy inside access through "Lakeside Residences" Indoor pool and jacuzzi nice temps
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Date of stay: March 2020
Rooms
Cleanliness
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Chris Ehmann, General Manager at Hilton Queenstown Resort & Spa
Responded 17 Aug 2020
Thank you griswalld! So pleased that you had a good stay with us! Hope you are safe at home!
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We stayed in early January for 3 nights. We booked the delux lakeview, planned to let our feet and have a great view and time there. We encountered multiple issues during our stay. It got to the point we wanted to just leave.
1. The 'lakeview' is partial. This is not on the website, the pictures are highly misleading. We complained and they moved us stating that the view changes per room, it was slightly better but still very misleading and certainly not worth the extra cost
2. Room service, we had no access to basic cutlery without request, this happened on multiple days where we had to call up. There is no access to heating up food from outside the location, facilities to wash clothes are dry cleaned per item. We do realise the type of hotel, this is queenstown however a hiking and extreme sport destination, these sort of facilities would be recommended. Another main issue was the request of fresh towels which after over an 1hr of a half, was cancelled and yet still showed up another hr later at 11:30pm at night (when we were asleep.)
3. Parking is minimal. This was horrible. Includes free and PAID parking. Spent so much time trying to get a parking spot. absolute nightmare.
4. Main resturant was terrible. Average food with tiny portions and steep prices. Again I understand the type of resturant but if the food is average and we are stilll hungry after a main meal and one side than they need to rethink this.
5. location is away from everything, expected this but it was further than expected. Would be great if the water taxi was free, however it is cheap so no real complaint there.
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Date of stay: February 2020
Location
Cleanliness
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from fredericmonnier1974, Manager at Hilton Queenstown Resort & Spa
Responded 27 Feb 2020
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience about your recent stay at our hotel. We sincerely appreciate your feedback and we are very sorry we did not exceed your expectations. Seems that you would have prefer to stayed in our residence which will have provide you with full equip kitchen & washing machine Frederic Monnier
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Not the best of the hotels to stay in. Quite confusing as the hotel layout is quite different, neither it is properly labelled properly.
I stayed at 7th floor & only 1 lift comes to this floor, I had to find it for myself with no proper signages. The way to the restaurant which serves breakfast is also very haphazard & we have to keep walking in the passage one after another.
They charge you $16 per day for parking but its below an adjacent building & has a long walk to this building & again without proper signages. Moreover inspite of selling the parking to me, One night the parking ticket machine showed as parking full & I had a harrowing time to find the solution & at last had to go to reception & tell them to park.
Rooms view is horrible with road just in front. Even if somebody walks from the other side of the road everything’s visible inside. Had to close the curtains at all times. Once the curtains are closed, the room lights are insufficient & the rooms looks dull.
The hotel is little away from main queenstown area & its slightly time consuming to travel back & forth
I put in a request for upgrade of the room as my travel agent told me it will be a lake view room, they earlier told me by mail that if rooms are available it would be upgraded but while checkin the receptionist was charging me for the upgrade as well.
Some more negatives but not mentioning here for now.
Positives: Water boat transfers to Queenstown is good Breakfast menu was superb
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Date of stay: February 2020Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from fredericmonnier1974, Manager at Hilton Queenstown Resort & Spa
Responded 18 Feb 2020
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience about your recent stay at our hotel. We sincerely appreciate your feedback and we are very sorry we did not exceed your expectations. Frederic Monnier
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We booked a Lakeview deluxe king room. The good: friendly staff, nice fireplace in room and good indoor pool. The bad. Hygiene: we had to ask for the cleaning staff to come clean our room multiple times every day as no one came to the room while we were out and had the service sign on the door. When raised with reception the guy said it’s anytime between 9-6 and you need to be out then for it to happen. On days when the room was ‘cleaned’ the tables were left dirty along with the carpet and glasses. We had to request again for someone to come back. It got so bad that my wife just asked for a spray and wipe and said she’d do it herself.
The drain in the toilet reeked of sewage. In fact after a couple of days the whole room stunk of it and Upon inspection there was visibile matter in the drain.
We raised this and the reply was to move us to either the same room with twin beds or to level 7 where the view was gravel and he said he would remove the view upgrade charge. For this health and safety hazard in a top hotel you would expect an upgrade at least. The answer was no.
Cleanliness is basic guys. We just wanted a room with a view that was cleaned daily and that didn’t smell of sewage. That’s not a lot and it’s embarising for a top hotel. What’s more embarrassing is your staff apologised but refused to upgrade us or even give us a like for like. There’s a sign that says if you don’t like something tell us and we will fix it. Unfortunately you didn’t and the room continued to only have s sheets changed while your staff ignored everything around the bed when cleaning. Definitely wouldnt stay here again you should be ashamed team!Very very poor hygene.
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Date of stay: September 2020Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Chris Ehmann, General Manager at Hilton Queenstown Resort & Spa
Responded 28 Sept 2020
Dear Freestyla365 It would be great if I could speak to you regarding the above. If you have time I would appreciate you reaching out as you have time.
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We got the 2 bedroom suite because 4 of us were traveling from overseas and the washer/dryer were NECESSARY and did the job. The views were great and we were so grateful to get what I consider the best views possible.
The grounds are pretty and we walked the neighborhood and enjoyed the scenery. We loved supporting the few shops "on campus" and tried a few NZ wineries. The breakfast is fantastic and they took great care of us.
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Date of stay: March 2020
Location
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Chris Ehmann, General Manager at Hilton Queenstown Resort & Spa
Responded 17 Aug 2020
Thank you for your review. I am sure this stay seems years ago with all that has happened. I hope you are keeping safe
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We stayed 6 nights and whilst it's out of the hustle and bustle of Central Queenstown, it's got a great location and is absolute waterfront with wonderful views of the lake and mountains. The Remarkables are just around the corner. Very close to the airport too. We more or less caught the regular water taxi into Queensland every night for just $10 each return and a really nice way to start and end your evening. Good for socialising if you are into that. We had a waterfront suite with large balcony which was large and quiet and had a fire, separate lounge area etc. Very nice although the room servicing was often quite late in the day which was inconvenient. Suites seem to have adjoining doors for related families. Reasonably clean. We didn’t eat at the restaurant or drink at the bar as it was overpriced in our view. $18 of glass of wine is too much when you get the same in town for $11. Reception is very slow even with just few in the line. Everyone was friendly enough though. Parking is available at about $16/night as I recall but we managed to park on the road every night for free. We didn't like the spa or pool, strong chlorine smells which indicated the presence of chloramines (these cause eye, nose and ears irritations) and the water was pretty cloudy. As an aquatic engineer, I wouldn't go in water like this. Fortunately we are not big pool/spa users. It’s a nice modern hotel and we would stay here again.
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Date of stay: December 2019
Location
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip:Â Get a waterfront suite if you can streach to that. It's worth it.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from fredericmonnier1974, Manager at Hilton Queenstown Resort & Spa
Responded 11 Feb 2020
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience about your recent stay at our hotel. I am delighted to see that overall you enjoyed your stay with us Have make note of your comments and will discuss with my team. Frederic Monnier
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Had a wonderful 3 night stay in a Relaxation Room (Room 138), location of room was great, looking out onto the Lake, located on level 1 right next to the Wakatipu Grill and easy access to outside and to the water taxi. Had a lovely spa on the deck which we used every night, room was spacious but a little dated. Bed very comfortable.
Breakfast was nice, had lots of choice on the buffet. Staff were very helpful.
The Hilton is a little out of town but there is a water taxi that takes you into town for $10 each return (pay by eftpos).
There is free parking around the streets if you are lucky enough to get a spot, otherwise parking will cost you $16 a day or $40 valet.
The hotel has a spa and a swimming pool, I cant comment as we didn't use these facilities (being as we had our own spa), however, they looked nice when viewing. A sauna and steam room are located in each of the male/female changing rooms.
There were some other restaurants nearby and a shop, but the shop was closed during our stay.
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Date of stay: September 2020
Rooms
Location
Service
Room Tip:Â Relaxation Rooms on Level 1 facing the lake have their own spas.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Chris Ehmann, General Manager at Hilton Queenstown Resort & Spa
Responded 26 Oct 2020
Thank you for your feedback. So pleased that you had a good stay with us and look forward to the opportunity to welcome you back!
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I have mixed feelings about our stay at the Hilton. We took the decision not to stay in the centre of Queenstown and utilise the boat taxi to travel between shores which was enjoyable and efficient.
We arrived after the official check in time but our rooms were not yet ready. We were asked to wait so we decided to grab a late lunch at the hotel bar/restaurant while we did. During this time we did not hear from anyone regarding the status of our room so after finishing lunch (a good hour later) we went back to reception to check. At that point we were told that the room was ready. There could have been a little more proactiveness.
I thoroughly enjoyed the location on the shores of Lake Wakatipu. The hotel shared parking space with the nearby Doubletree. There are footpaths along the lake and spectacular views. I also liked the overall feel of the resort. It did have a bit of a ski resort feel but the stone finish works well in both winter and summer.
Our room was spacious, with a partial view of the lake and a balcony. There was a living space separated by steps from the bed area behind which was the bathroom with a separate shower and bathtub! Room servicing during the day was a bit sporadic time-wise. One day it was early in the morning, the other late afternoon, but otherwise the room was in very good condition and very clean.
As a Hilton Diamond member, we had Continental Breakfast included. Any hot options incurred an extra charge. Breakfast was ample, with plenty of options, mostly catering to a westernised pallet.
Overall, we had a good stay and would consider returning but it definitely feels like a cookie-cutter property of a major chain.
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Date of stay: March 2020Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Chris Ehmann, General Manager at Hilton Queenstown Resort & Spa
Responded 28 Dec 2020
Dear PhillipP, Thank you for taking the time to provide some feedback about your stay. I do apologize the room was not prepared for your arrival. We do make every effort to ensure rooms are ready on time however at times this is not the case. I would agree by your experience we should have been more proactive in alerting you when the room was ready. I am glad you enjoyed the rest of your stay with us. Many of the points you highlight, the lake location, larger rooms, walking trails directly out the front door provide us a point of difference from being in town, and only a short boat ride into the town center is also quite unique. I would be happy to learn of any recommendations that you feel would add to your experience please do reach out to us. Thank you for your loyalty to the Hilton Brand. Kind regards
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The answer to both questions is "No". There is a city bus, with a fare to be paid, that stops about 500 meters from the hotel. The water taxi comes by hourly (except for a couple of 2-hour gaps in the daily schedule).
There are more places to choose from in the Kawarau Falls area.
PRICE RANGE
$279 - $457 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
hilton queenstown hotel queenstown
LOCATION
New ZealandSouth IslandOtago RegionKawarau Falls
NUMBER OF ROOMS
220
Prices are provided by our partners, and reflect total costs of the stay, including all taxes and fees known to our partners. Please see our partners for more details.
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