Kinloch Wilderness Retreat — Hotel in South Island

Our recent stay at Kinloch Lodge was nothing short of magical - an unforgettable escape that perfectly blended breathtaking natural beauty, cozy comfort, and warm, genuine hospitality.

We stayed in one of the Heritage Lodge Rooms, which was full of character and charm. The room had a rustic, historic feel while still providing all the modern comforts we needed. The bed was incredibly comfortable, with high-quality linen that made it hard to get up in the mornings. After long days exploring the outdoors, it was such a luxury to return to the warm and beautifully clean shared luxury bathrooms—spacious, well-lit, and spotlessly maintained. Everything about the room and facilities made us feel right at home.

Kinloch also offers Wilderness Rooms, which we had a look at during our stay. These come with access to a communal kitchen and lounge area, which was impressively spacious and immaculately clean. If you're planning to self-cater, it's a fantastic setup, with everything you need to cook and enjoy your meals surrounded by some of the most stunning views in New Zealand.

On our second evening, we treated ourselves to dinner at the on-site restaurant, and it was a highlight. The atmosphere was warm and welcoming, with a relaxed vibe.

After tramping the Greenstone–Caples Track, the real cherry on top of our stay was getting to enjoy their brand new infrared sauna and hot tub. Soaking in the hot tub while surrounded by mountains and looking out over Lake Wakatipu was an unforgettable experience. It was the perfect way to ease tired muscles and completely unwind in the heart of nature. The addition of the sauna is a brilliant touch—modern, peaceful, and a rare luxury in such a remote setting.

We wish we could have stayed longer than two nights. There's so much more to see and do in the area, and Kinloch Lodge is the ideal base—whether you're there for hiking, kayaking, or simply to relax and disconnect. It’s a peaceful haven that feels worlds away from the bustle of daily life.

We’re already dreaming of our...

TLDR: Hostel experience for hotel prices, poor communication

Communication: challenging communication by email with staff prior to arrival— not due to promptness, but due to cryptic communication style, where I felt I had to pry out information, such as why we were being asked to pay $50 extra on top of our existing credit, and not being informed that our room type had been changed.

Arrival: While we knew there would be a letter/key waiting for us on arrival, that didn’t make it any easier to find in the dark with no lighting on. For people who’d never visited Kinloch lodge before, arriving in the dark, we did need to use torches and ask for help from painters in order to find our letter/key and also where our room was.

Under construction: Work was still being done on the place in early September; the building we were staying in was under full scaffolding, and beds and mattresses were strewn about the yard. We had not been alerted in advance nor were we offered any discount on our stay. While the lodge “upgraded” us to a different room, we weren’t informed of this in advance, and it didn’t feel like an upgrade (see next point).

Heritage rooms: Rooms are tiny and cramped, historic building with no soundproofing means you can hear everything from neighbouring rooms. Door to heritage rooms building is very challenging to open from the inside, presenting a fire hazard as well as a nuisance. Also wifi in this building went out one of the nights, though it still worked in the kitchen.

Location: Great proximity to trails, but the lodge itself loses light early in the day — the campsite across the street gets far more sun.

Generally an eerie, strange, and disappointing experience — especially...

We were trying to escape the bustle from Queenstown and drove into to Glenorchy and Paradise. We decided to venture further into Kinloch, despite the warning signs at the junction where you turn into Mount Aspiring park. We were driving a self-contained 4-berth campervan and decided to just go ahead till we can't. What we drove into was a magical place that is Kinloch. The lake is set against the picturesque southern alps with impressive views. In the midst of this secluded location, Kinloch lodge stood out. It provides warm comforting food and coffee. Duck inside the cabin to enjoy the comfortable sofas to just have some peace and quiet to read. It was such a relaxing space that we decided to camp here over night and it was just as well as there was a campsite outside the lodge. We went back into the lodge for their coffee in the morning and just sat there basking and soaking in the morning sun before our drive back to Queenstown. The lodge does looks like a well run and established boutique accommodation and if we ever have the privilege to be back in New Zealand, we would definitely remember this place and stay at this...