Blanket Bay is absolute perfection. Our suite was amazing, the staff was just as attentive as we wanted- present when needed but not overbearing, the food was fantastic. My husband and I had our wedding in their Great Room overlooking the lake; Judy and the rest of the staff did so much for us in the details (at no cost). Blanket Bay is truly one of the best places in the world.

One note: Blanket Bay is a 40 minute drive from Queenstown. So this is not the place for you if you plan on spending a lot of time in town. The purpose of our trip with the lodge, not to explore the resort town, so it fit our needs exactly.

My wife and I stayed there in late 2002. Upon arrival, the view from the lodge's "great room" was stunning. Our room was large with lots of nice touches. The walk-out patio was a perfect place to have coffee and take in the view of the lake and mountains. We ate all breakfast and dinners at the lodge and the food was excellent. One night, they asked us if we'd like to dine in the wine cellar which was very romantic. Prior to dinner, they offer a free happy hour. The service at all levels was professional and smart. The lodge is located a few minutes outside of Glenorchy which is a small town at the head of the Dart river. If you do go, be sure to take one of the jet boats up the Dart river; you'll see recognizable terrain from the Lord Of The Rings trilogy (and the boat picks you up from in front of the Blanket Bay lodge).

I've often wondered if there would be a property that could meet or exceed my high expectations. After spending two weeks in New Zealand and being disappointed with other luxury lodges, the perfection of Blanket Bay was a welcome surprise. The staff, accommodations, grounds, amenities, service, food, activites, etc... were all fabulous. Our suite in the main lodge was incredible. The furnishings, stone fireplace, expansive balcony and amazing views (even from the bathtub) created such a relaxing haven that it was often difficult to leave our room. The public spaces were equally as impressive and we enjoyed many of the activities offered on the property.
It is true that Blanket Bay is expensive, but after experiencing what was provided for the nightly rate, it was a great value as compared to other lodges in the area. I can't say enough wonderful things about this property and would recommend it without reservation to anyone who is considering a trip to the Queenstown/Glenorchy area.

we went to blanket bay as part of our honeymoon last year. we have stayed in more than a few high end places in our lives, both for work and leisure, just as a matter of reference. but blanket bay was truly amazing - not luxurious in the way that it's a high end wooden cottage more than a super modern hotel. but it's wonderfully authentic, with amazing views and a very isolated location. we got to know the staff quite well in our 3 days there - they arranged activities for us in queenstown, or if you don't want to go back into the city you can sky dive and land on the blanket bay lawn! i imagine the winter activities would be wonderful too though the snow may make the drive out to blanket bay from queenstown a little hairy.

in the early evening, before dinner, there's a wonderful cocktail hour that allows you to meet and chat with the other guests if you so choose. at night, when it got a bit colder outside, they gave us warm blankets in order to allow to us to dine outside under the setting sun.

incidentally, during our trip, we heard some people saying that they didn't think blanket bay lived up to its reputation. i would have to disagree wholeheartedly. it's expensive, but worth it if you like this kind of atmosphere.