Mt Cook Lakeside Retreat
86 Mount Cook Rd Lake Pukaki, Pukaki 7944 New Zealand
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US$894
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Travellers' Choice
We provide four luxury villa accommodation options: Each villa is 165 sq m with 2 bedrooms, a central drawing room, and private hot tub. The Villas are private and romantic and set in one of the world's most picturesque locations. A garden to plate 3 course meal prepared by our chefs is included each night and fresh breakfast provisions each day. Stargazing in our onsite wine cellar observatory is available and we offer massage, yoga, and cooking demonstrations with chef. The Retreat is spread over 66ha of rural land next to Lake Pukaki, and overlooking Aoraki Mt Cook, NZ's highest mountain. Experience the best in warm kiwi hospitality.
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Property amenities
Free parking
Free High Speed Internet (WiFi)
Hot bath
Fitness Centre with Gym / Workout Room
Free breakfast
Bicycle rental
Hiking
Car hire
Electric vehicle charging station
Secured parking
Yoga classes
Sauna
Breakfast available
Breakfast in the room
Complimentary tea
Complimentary welcome drink
Outdoor dining area
Snack bar
Special diet menus
Wine / champagne
Ski rentals
Skiing
Tennis court
Bicycle tours
Fishing
Patio
Board games / puzzles
Conference facilities
Banquet room
Foot massage
Full body massage
Hand massage
Head massage
Light therapy
Massage
Neck massage
Open-air bath
Baggage storage
Non-smoking hotel
Outdoor furniture
Sun loungers / beach chairs
Sun terrace
First aid kit
Private check-in / check-out
Dry cleaning
Laundry service
Ironing service
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Room features
Soundproof rooms
Bathrobes
Dining area
Fireplace
Coffee / tea maker
iPod docking station
Electric blanket
Walk-in shower
Housekeeping
Seating area
Sofa
Wardrobe / wardrobe
Iron
Private bathrooms
Tile / marble floor
Minibar
Electric kettle
Kitchenware
Bath / shower
Complimentary toiletries
Hair dryer
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Room types
Mountain view
Landmark view
Bridal suite
Non-smoking rooms
Suites
Good to know
HOTEL CLASS
HOTEL STYLE
Family
Languages Spoken
English
Location
Full view
Contact
86 Mount Cook Rd Lake Pukaki, Pukaki 7944 New Zealand
Getting there
Car HireSee all Pukaki car hire
235Reviews0Q+A51Room tips
Reviews
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I am not sure how exclusive this place is but for us it was fantastic. Beware, it is not readily found using normal GPS. We had a fantastic room overlooking the lake and mountains. Fantastic sunrises. Very spacious Villa with personal Gym, Sauna, and Spa. Nice fireplace and the staff are very attentive. Very personalised service. Excellent meals and catering for all tastes catered for. Although you need to make your own breakfast, all the ingredients are provided and replenished each day. There is even an observatory with a powerful telescope for star gazing. Overall fantastic experience and will go again if opportunities arise.
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Date of stay: July 2022
Location
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Sleep Quality
Room Tip: Mackenzie Villa is where we stayed.
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
1 Helpful vote
Helpful
This retreat deserves its five star status. The location of our villa was stunning and the setting was peaceful and idyllic. It was the perfect place to escape and relax for a long weekend. We really appreciated the special touches like the marshmallows waiting to be roasted by the fireplace and the complimentary chocolate. The underfloor heating made the villa toasty and the beautiful bathrooms have to be seen to be believed. The friendly and knowledgeable staff were the icing on the cake and ensured that we had everything we needed during our stay. Nothing was ever a problem. The head chef Tom introduced us to some great cooking tips during a live demonstration and he made everything look effortless. Each meal he created was delicious and insta-worthy. Tom even packed a luxurious picnic lunch for us when we set out for the Huka Valley. One of the highlights was using the outdoor hot tub at night to enjoy a breathtaking view of the stars. Thank-you for a memorable stay and we hope to visit again soon.…
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Date of stay: April 2022
Rooms
Cleanliness
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Response from Kaye and Luke Paardekooper, Owner at Mt Cook Lakeside Retreat
Responded 26 Jun 2022
Wow, thank you for your wonderful review. We are so pleased that you were able to relax at the Retreat and spend some time to enjoy the cooking demonstration, stargazing and the warmth of the villas. And we agree the hot tub under the star splattered sky is amazing! We hope you will return again one day, thank you. Nga Mihi Kaye and Luke and the Team
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Had a most idyllic 3 night stay here with family. The villas are absolutely stunning and love the open fireplace and hot spa outside under the stars. The food was brilliant under the competent chef Rafa. Also had a cooking demonstration and learnt so much, a delicious venison meal with panda cotta to follow,To top it off, it was our birthday and Rafa made a beautiful birthday cake to celebrate. Luke was a most gracious host and full of enthusiasm. We loved the astronomy evening with him with a glass of port. A true delight and 5 star experience.If you have any special requests they will try their best to accomodate. A perfect place for a wedding!!
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Date of stay: May 2022
Value
Rooms
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Response from Kaye and Luke Paardekooper, Owner at Mt Cook Lakeside Retreat
Responded 26 Jun 2022
Thank you for your superb review, we agree the Retreat is the perfect place for a wedding. It is wonderful to get feedback on the passion that the Retreat team brings to each stay, from astronomy, to delicious food and special treats. Thank you for staying and congratulations on your wedding. Nga mihi, Kaye and Luke and the team
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Had the most amazing stay for 3 nights with my family. We were a group of 8 and had the two Villas. The accommodation was stunning and spacious. The food was delicious and the service professional and warm. Standouts were the star gazing with Luke, and a cooking experience with Rafa. Particularly delightful were the extra unexpected touches, such as the complimentary gin and tonics, welcome cake, marsh mellows by the fire, and many more. This was all topped off by the spa overlooking the valley.
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Date of stay: May 2022
Rooms
Cleanliness
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Response from Kaye and Luke Paardekooper, Owner at Mt Cook Lakeside Retreat
Responded 26 Jun 2022
Thank you so much for your lovely review, we loved having you all to stay. The villas are a perfect set up for a family get away, making memories together over marshmellows and delicious food. We are so pleased you enjoyed your time here. Nga Mihi, Kaye and Luke and the team
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As promised, I was back again this time for 3 nights with my parents and siblings. They were all blown away. This time we did the star gazing with Luke and the cooking lesson with Rafa. Love the passion and hospitality shown by them both and Tatiana and Winston were so helpful.Thank you, thank you, thank you again for providing all of us with such a wonderful experience and allowing us to create magical memories that will last with us forever.
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Date of stay: May 2022
Rooms
Location
Service
Room Tip: Both 2 bedroom villas are idential. You can't go wrong with either!
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Response from Kaye and Luke Paardekooper, Owner at Mt Cook Lakeside Retreat
Responded 26 Jun 2022
Thank you for a superb review Michele. We are pleased you all loved your time here creating memories with family. We hope to see you back here again soon. Nga Mihi Kaye and Luke and the team.
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This retreat is such an idyllic location. Great to get away and recharge. Stunning food that is garden to plate. Stunning views of Mount Cook and Lake Pukaki. Great hosts and a very special weekend getaway. Would highly, highly recommend! ❤️
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Date of stay: February 2022Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip: The Ashley McKenzie villa looks out over Lake Pukaki and up to Mount Cook.
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Response from Kaye and Luke Paardekooper, Owner at Mt Cook Lakeside Retreat
Responded 9 Feb 2022
Thank you for your lovely review and recommendation Jane. The Retreat is only 2 1/2 hours from the Queenstown airport making a long weekend escape here the perfect option to relax and rejuvenate. We hope to see you back again, Warm wishes, Kaye and Luke and the team.
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We had a brief stay (one night) and thoroughly enjoyed it. The accomodation is absolutely first class with many thoughtful touches to make you feel at home. Dinner and breakfast was scrummy and generous served at our own table in our villa. A highlight was stargazing with Luke at his private observatory. We were able to use our own DSLR camera to get stunning shots of the galaxy just like you see in magazines. We would thoroughly recommend Mt Cook Lakeside retreat and we'll be going back for longer next time.
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Date of stay: January 2022
Value
Cleanliness
Service
Room Tip: Pukaki Room - best view
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Response from Kaye and Luke Paardekooper, Owner at Mt Cook Lakeside Retreat
Responded 9 Feb 2022
What a great review, thanks Mark. We agree the wine cellar observatory experience is quite unique and the ability to see right into and capture deep space objects with your camera is awe inspiring. We appreciate you enjoying our cuisine served in the privacy of your own villa. Chefs Tom and Rafa produce exceptional cuisine and aim to source produce from our gardens or locally. We are looking forward to seeing you again, Warm wishes, Kaye, Luke and team
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We went with another couple and had 2 x 2 bedroom villas (they blocked off one of the rooms). We could have shared one villa between us but the retreat was nice enough to offer us separate villas. Nothing was a problem for the staff, We were so well fed, The food is incredible and the chef cooked whatever we wanted, We decided one night we wanted asian fusion so the chef created us a surprise menu. It was devine. You will not starve and they even provided a small tasting of whiskey which my husband loved. he highlight of this place would have to be sitting in the spa watching the sun set and the spacious rooms/villas. Everything was of the highest quality. We loved it so much that we are coming back again to stay. You should definitely take advantage of the international tourists not being able to come here as we would never have known about this place otherwise. It's the perfect location to visit Mt Cook and Twizel. …
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Date of stay: May 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Response from Kaye and Luke Paardekooper, Owner at Mt Cook Lakeside Retreat
Responded 9 Feb 2022
Wow, thank you for your review Michele, we agree the chefs are very talented and can produce the most delicious menu across most cuisines. Each of our private villas has their own hot tub and we are pleased you found the hot tub experience a highlight of your trip. The villas are 165 sq metre plus so there is plenty of room to relax and enjoy your time here. We are looking forward to your return Nga Mihi, Kaye, Luke and team
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Great overall stay. We stayed two nights in one of the villa’s which was very spacious, great attention to detail and fantastic bathroom with floor to ceiling window (one way glass of course!) with great views to the mountains whilst having a shower. Outdoor in-ground spa/hot tub again looking out to the mountains. The food was also top notch along with a cooking lesson. Excellent attention to detail with some nice touches. Staff were great. Many thanks to Luke, Kaye and the team
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Date of stay: November 2021
Value
Cleanliness
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Response from Kaye and Luke Paardekooper, Owner at Mt Cook Lakeside Retreat
Responded 22 Dec 2021
Thank you for your lovely review Richard, we loved having you to stay with us. We agree that the private outdoor hot tub and bathroom both have amazing views of the mountains. We aim to make you feel luxuriously pampered during your stay, thanks for coming and we hope to see you back again soon. Nga mihi, from the whole team.
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We booked a year in advance for Dec. 2021 travel to NZ believing COVID travel restrictions would be lifted by then. Sadly, we had no choice but to cancel this long-awaited trip due the continuing NZ border closure to USA travelers. This lodge was the ONLY accommodation that refused a refund of our booking deposit 60 days in advance of our scheduled arrival date. They retained our $2,500 one night confirmation deposit, only offering to apply it to a future stay. While "no refunds" may be their stated policy, it seems highly unreasonable under the circumstance of our not being able to physically get into the country...not by our own choice. Be aware that your deposit will be kept whether or not you can get into the country. Unfortunately for us, there is no predicting a future December we will be able to plan a family trip to NZ, so this establishment will retain our sizable deposit in perpetuity. ALL the other hotel and five star lodge establishments we booked were 100% understanding of the situation and built goodwill by cheerfully/immediately refunding our deposits, kindly welcoming us again in the future when the border re-opens. By all accounts Mt. Cook Lakeside appears to be a lovely place to stay. Just reason out in advance if you can afford/are comfortable with the substantial deposit risk, or book when you know the border is sure to be open to you..…
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Date of stay: November 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Response from Kaye and Luke Paardekooper, Owner at Mt Cook Lakeside Retreat
Responded 22 Dec 2021
Thank you for your review, we do appreciate all the feedback we get. Our non-refundable deposit policy is clearly placed in the Terms and Conditions of booking so people can see this policy before booking. However, COVID continues to be a challenging time for all of us and as part of our COVID planning we decided that anyone that could not get to us because of COVID restriction would receive a credit for their deposit and this could be used any time in the future for their stay with us. The guests that have booked and that have needed to postpone their visit to us due to COVID have been more than understanding and happy to take up their stay with us at a later date, knowing that they have not lost their deposit. As you said Mt Cook Lakeside Retreat is a wonderful part of the world to spend time at and our policies have been developed to ensure guests can continue to experience the Retreat and surrounds. We look forward to our borders opening during 2022 and we look forward to welcoming you with open arms when you can get here. Nga Mihi, Kaye and Luke
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PRICE RANGE
US$774 - US$876 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
FORMERLY KNOWN AS
Mt Cook Lakeside Retreat, High Country Estate and Luxury Villa Collection
LOCATION
New ZealandSouth IslandCanterbury RegionMackenzie DistrictPukaki
NUMBER OF ROOMS
4
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Claim Your Listing Frequently Asked Questions about Mt Cook Lakeside Retreat
Which popular attractions are close to Mt Cook Lakeside Retreat?
Nearby attractions include Mt. Cook Alpine Salmon Shop (2.0 km), New Zealand Alpine Lavender Farm (5.2 km), and New Zealand Alpine Lavender (4.7 km).
What are some of the property amenities at Mt Cook Lakeside Retreat?
Some of the more popular amenities offered include free wifi, free breakfast, and a fitness centre.
Which room amenities are available at Mt Cook Lakeside Retreat?
Top room amenities include a minibar, a dining area, and a fireplace.
What food & drink options are available at Mt Cook Lakeside Retreat?
Guests can enjoy free breakfast, complimentary tea, and a free welcome drink during their stay.
Is parking available at Mt Cook Lakeside Retreat?
Yes, free parking and secured parking are available to guests.
Are there opportunities to exercise at Mt Cook Lakeside Retreat?
Yes, guests have access to a fitness centre, a sauna, and yoga classes during their stay.
Are any cleaning services offered at Mt Cook Lakeside Retreat?
Yes, dry cleaning and laundry service are offered to guests.
Does Mt Cook Lakeside Retreat offer any business services?
Yes, guests have access to a banquet room and conference facilities during their stay.
Does Mt Cook Lakeside Retreat have any great views?
Yes, guests often enjoy the mountain view available here.
Is Mt Cook Lakeside Retreat accessible?
Yes, it offers wheelchair access. For specific enquiries, we recommend calling ahead to confirm.