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Located on the Crown Range Road between Wanaka and Queenstown, the Cardrona Hotel is the perfect base from which to explore the stunning Central Otago region. Twenty minutes from Wanaka, 40 minutes from Queenstown and 30 minutes from Arrowtown, the hotel is close to many major tourist attractions in the region. It's also close to four major ski areas, including Cardrona Alpine Resort. All ensuite rooms are all equipped with Sky TV, WiFi and tea and coffee making facilities. Make use of the cosy guest lounge, beautiful cottage gardens, laundry facilities and hot tub. Rooms are a mix of queen beds, twin queen beds, twin singles and family rooms with one queen bed and two singles.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
HOTEL STYLE
Classic
Historic Hotel
Languages Spoken
English, French
Location
2312 Cardrona Valley Road, Wanaka 9382 New Zealand
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The Cardrona hotel is full of rustic charm with beautiful log fires and antiques in abundance there is so much to look at. The rooms were beautifully furnished in keeping with its period with crisp cotton sheets and fluffy towels. It may not be high-tec but everything is perfectly adequate and beautifully maintained. The restaurant is fabulous with delicious cuisine perfectly presented and a menu to suit every guest. There is a good selection of beers and local wines to accompany the meal. There is a delightful atmosphere at the hotel, with stunning cottage gardens to relax in. I will most certainly return and spend more time at the hotel, two nights wasn't enough to enjoy the hotel and all that the area offers....and it won't break the bank!
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Date of stay: December 2019
Location
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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.
After visiting for a drink or a meal many times over our NZ visits we finally stayed a night to experience all of the Cardrona Hotel.
Being school holidays and ski season the only room that was left was a Pub Petite Room but I have to say it was the best room we think. Small but very warm and newly done up inside it was a great pick. The room was at the side of the old pub and faced the main road so the only down side was a bit of noise. Being so close to the pub it was great to go and chill in the room if we needed to between drinks.
Like most places they were facing staff shortages not that you would know as all the staff were amazing and super helpful. A few days before our stay we got called from the hotel and they made a dinner booking for us as they said it was always super busy with ski people coming down off the mountain each night. It was greatly appreciated.
Both meals were very yummy (dinner and breakfast) - hopefully we will get the chance to stay again one day.
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Date of stay: July 2022
Value
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Service
Room Tip:Â If you don't like the noise of the pub or the road as for a room towards the back of the...
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 Cardrona Hotel, Owner at Cardrona Hotel
Responded 9 Aug 2022
Thank you very much for taking the time to write this review! We greatly appreciate your feedback, and are so very pleased you had a wonderful stay! Until next time!? The CH team
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After having ridden 622klm through torrential rain the cadrona hotel appeared in front of me. The staff members who welcomed me were without fault. The room (refer below) was warm and welcoming and the open fire in the bar with large leather sofas a saving grace, it felt like I was in an old homestead with a bar and atmosphere in the lounge.
Premium King Room This I understand was their best room. The bed had a fantastic mattress, the linen was of a high thread count, it was well appointed and the room was very aesthetically pleasing. Ample heating, a very large modern bathroom, good pressure in the shower and everything I needed. The room had a welcoming atmosphere.
Food. The meals were without fault and matched the menus I am fussy yet could not pick any fault as it matched what you would expect in regards to menu choices for a pub hotel. The wait staff were attentive.
My stay at the Cadrona Hotel was a memorable, relaxing one. The exceeded my expectations.
I will be retuning with friends and family in the very near future as the cha of this hotel is drawing me back.
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Date of stay: February 2020
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.
On my bucket list for approx 30 years to spend a night. Sadly have mixed feelings about it. Staff were welcoming and friendly. Very quirky pub with an enormous amount of history contained. Loved the schist and authentic fittings. Lots of areas to sit, Stand or lounge around. Lovely in front of open fire despite it being smokey at times. Check in from 2pm so sat in garden having a drink as we were early. Finally got into our room at 2.40 and they were still cleaning rooms. Room had lovely fragrance from a deodoriser. Furniture looked tired with obvious dents and staining worn. Very old "square box". TV. No fridge. Bed too firm for our liking but room was warm. Shower was dump head with single taps which took some work to get right temp. Walls paper thin so little sleep. Could hear neighbours talking and snoring into the wee hours. Sad experience considering the price. Given free breakfast to compensate for our tolerance of noise and lack of sleep. Bar meal selection had plenty of variety but evening meal very over priced. They ran out of venison and beef Wellington so made choices even more limited. Garlic loaf to start with was so heavy with garlic, even after I scraped it off, I still tasted it all night and some of the next day. My meal of the hot choice meal - 1/4 chicken, mash and spicy gravy was over priced for this - not even a vegetable. Plenty of dining space. Dessert was tasty and well presented. Outdoor garden and fire gave lovely ambience. Hot tub in the garden a real bonus and I will be holding special memories from this. Popular stop for many tourists. Glad I have done it but was disappointed.
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Date of stay: November 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 Cardrona Hotel, Owner at Cardrona Hotel
Responded 8 Nov 2020
Thank you for taking the time to post this review. We’re so pleased you enjoyed the character and atmosphere of our historic pub and had a pleasant stay. We appreciate your feedback about the rooms, some of our rooms are set for refurbishment shortly. Our evening meals are designed to be accompanied by shared plates and sides of vegetables, our apologies if this wasn’t communicated clearly by our waitstaff. It was a pleasure to have you stay with us and we do hope to see you again. Kind regards, CH.
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Over the years I had passed the Cardrona Hotel a number of times but it wasn’t until 2018 I’d stopped for a drink. For the first time this month (January 2022), I was able to stay one night at this historic establishment as part of a South Island sojourn instead of a more customary international trip during pre-Covid-19 times. It didn’t disappoint. The overnight stay was enjoyable. By staying at the hotel I had the opportunity to drive to the base of Cardrona ski field, some 1,670 metres above sea level. Accommodation at the Cardrona Hotel has an almost boutique feel, pleasantly so. Travelling alone I had a standard king room (named the Roaring Meg, with next door being named the Gentle Annie). The room, exuding rustic panache, was spotless with towels and other traveller niceties generously provided. I enjoyed my restaurant dinner, the serving proportion being sufficiently plentiful that breakfast wasn’t required the following morning. It is easy to relax at the Cardrona Hotel whether inside in the yesteryear bar or in outside garden areas. I recommend Cardrona Hotel as a destination with the ski field and distilleries nearby – the hotel is very much an integral part of the overall Cardrona experience.
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Date of stay: January 2022
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 Cardrona Hotel, Owner at Cardrona Hotel
Responded 17 Feb 2022
Thank you kindly for this thorough review! We are so pleased that you had a wonderful stay with us, enjoying our amenities as well as location! We thank you very much for choosing to stay with us, and hope to be able to host you again some time :) All the very best, CH
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My husband and I stayed a night recently at the Cardrona Hotel, we stayed in The Captains Room and it was lovely. The bed was super comfortable and I loved the thickness of the duvet. The room was superbly appointed with rustic finishing touches that suited the decor of the hotel - the attention to detail in choosing the furniture and fittings was obvious. The bathroom was large and again the fittings suited the character of the room and the hotel. We dined at the restaurant for both dinner and breakfast - the food was delicious and the service was very good
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Date of stay: October 2021
Value
Rooms
Service
Room Tip:Â The Captains Room was lovely - highly recommended.
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 Cardrona Hotel, Owner at Cardrona Hotel
The historic Cardrona Hotel built during the Goldrush days in 1863, is situated in the middle of nowhere between Queenstown and Wanaka. We drove over the Crown range from Queenstown to get to it, but it is more easily reached from Wanaka.
The hotel has a picturesque and charming exterior, appearing much as it would have done in the 19th century. It is an iconic hotel and the interior does not disappoint, it has an inviting, warm and cosy decor, in keeping with its 19th century origins.
There is beer on tap available at the bar, and patrons have the option of taking their drinks into the attractive beer garden if they wish.
Meals are available at the Hotel, but we are unable to comment as we did not eat there, or stay in the accommodation available.
This would be one of the rare historic Hotels ( pubs ) in New Zealand, that appears virtually unchanged since the day it was built. It is worth just stopping for a look, even if not having a drink.
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Date of stay: December 2019
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 spent a fabulous night in the hotel, and wouldn’t hesitate to come back again. The whole place is great, and the rooms are lovely. The beer garden is peaceful, and there’s a good selection of drinks. We also had an evening meal and breakfast - both fantastic! As a vegetarian I was reassured by the staff’s knowledge of ingredients and willingness to adapt meals.
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Date of stay: December 2019Trip type: Travelled with family
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.
I stayed at Cardrona hotel for 4 days. I have visited the restaurant in the summer before and always wanted to stay a winter. It was just a perfect place to explore ski fields around Wanaka. The rooms are simple but have character, the beds are super comfortable and the staff are lovely. There is an outdoor hot tup where you can take a drink to and relax your legs after a day on the slopes. It is definitely the place to be for Apres drinks and snacks. I was a bit worried that it would be a noisy location to get some rest but it quietens after 9 pm. I would recommend the rooms on the higher level that said I don't think you can really go wrong in this quaint setting.
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Date of stay: July 2021
Value
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 Cardrona Hotel, Owner at Cardrona Hotel
Responded 2 Aug 2021
Thank you so much for this delightful review. We are so pleased you had a great stay with us, and were able to do some exploring around our area! Until next time! Best wishes from us, CH
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We stayed a night here as we absolutely love the hotel and it lived up to our expectations. We stayed in the Captains Room and the bed was so incredibly comfortable with a number of pillows to choose from which is always great. The bathroom was large and well appointed with great water pressure in the shower. It was a little chilly on the evening we stayed but the radiators worked so well that once the room was warm we could turn them off and it stayed cosy. It is also great to be able to just walk to the bar/restaurant for a meal and drink before bed. Thanks for living up to our expectations, Cardrona Hotel!
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Date of stay: September 2023
Value
Location
Trip 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.
Wanaka, New Zealand63 contributions2 helpful votes
Good morning. There are shuttles available but they must be booked beforehand as they do not stop here as a matter of course. The best people to contact are either Alpine Shuttles or Yello out of Wanaka.
Wanaka, New Zealand63 contributions2 helpful votes
Hi there,
Firstly, my apologies for the late reply. We have 16 rooms, some of which are upstairs but others that are at ground level. Our showers are all walk in (except one) and some of our rooms open on to the garden with no steps required so I think you would definitely find it suitable for your wife.
If you decide to book please phone us rather than booking online so we can make sure we give you the most appropriate room.
Best wishes,
Alexis
Cardrona Hotel
There are more places to choose from in the Wanaka area.
PRICE RANGE
$158 - $219 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
cardrona hotel south island
LOCATION
New ZealandSouth IslandOtago RegionWanaka
NUMBER OF ROOMS
17
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