New hotels in Queenstown

Queenstown is New Zealand's alpine resort town on the shores of Lake Wakatipu, built around ski fields, bungee jumping and Central Otago wine country. We track seven hotels here, the widest pipeline of any New Zealand city in this guide, spanning three already open (ROKI Collection Queenstown, Coronet Ridge Resort and voco Queenstown) and four confirmed through 2028, including Marriott's first St. Regis in the country and a playful, design-led Radisson RED. Where to stay depends heavily on whether a trip centres on the lakefront town itself, the ski fields above Arthur's Point, or Frankton's quieter waterfront near the airport.

What to do

A weekend in Queenstown

Walk the lakefront promenade in central Queenstown, then take the Skyline Gondola above town for views over Lake Wakatipu and The Remarkables, or the TSS Earnslaw steamship for an hour on the lake itself. ROKI Collection Queenstown and St. Regis Queenstown both sit on this same central lakefront stretch, a short walk from Queenstown Gardens on its own small peninsula. In the afternoon, a short drive to Gibbston Valley or a day in historic Arrowtown, 20 minutes from central Queenstown, pairs wine tasting with gold-rush-era heritage: the original Kawarau Bridge nearby was the site of the world's first commercial bungy jump, and Shotover Jet's boats still run visitors through the Shotover River's narrow canyons close to Coronet Ridge Resort. Queenstown's restaurant and bar scene is concentrated in the compact downtown grid, an easy walk from any central hotel.

A full week

With more time, Coronet Peak and The Remarkables ski fields are both a short drive from town (Coronet Ridge Resort in Arthur's Point sits closest to Coronet Peak) and Milford Sound day trips depart regularly from central Queenstown, including from near voco Queenstown; Doubtful Sound, reached via a boat-and-coach transfer across Lake Manapouri, makes for a quieter alternative for travelers with an extra day. Queenstown's adventure operators run bungee jumping, jet boating, paragliding off Bob's Peak and whitewater rafting on the Shotover and Kawarau rivers, and Glenorchy, a scenic drive along the lake often used as a filming location for its mountain backdrops, is worth a half-day on its own. Central Otago's wine region, best known for pinot noir, spreads out through Gibbston Valley and Bannockburn on the way toward Cromwell, and the old gold-mining trails around Macetown, reachable by four-wheel-drive or on foot from Arrowtown, are worth a full day for anyone wanting to get further off the main routes.

Where to stay

Central Queenstown & the lakefront

The town's core, and the address for three of the hotels we track. ROKI Collection Queenstown, open since September 2025, is a 15-suite ultra-luxury property directly on Lake Wakatipu, a three-minute walk from the town centre, designed by Sumich Chaplin Architects with interiors by Virginia Fisher (its name comes from the Māori word for tranquil. St. Regis Queenstown, confirmed for late 2027, will bring Marriott's luxury brand to a lakefront corner site nearby) the group's first St. Regis in New Zealand, developed by PHC Queenstown and Marriott's third signing across Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific. voco Queenstown, a rebrand of the former Holiday Inn Express & Suites Queenstown, opened in July 2026 on the corner of Stanley and Sydney Streets, within walking distance of both the lakefront and Milford Sound day-trip departures.

Arthur's Point

A few minutes north of central Queenstown along the Shotover River. Coronet Ridge Resort, the five-star reinvention of the former Nugget Point Hotel, reopened in 2026 after a NZ$30 million, 16-month renovation led by G2 Studio and GCA Studio, ten minutes from central Queenstown and thirteen from Coronet Peak Ski Area: the project won Hotel of the Year for Refurbishment within months of opening.

Frankton

On Lake Wakatipu a short drive from downtown, and close to Queenstown Airport. Avani Queenstown, confirmed for September 2026, converts the former Oaks Shores Resort on Frankton Road into Minor Hotels' New Zealand flagship for the Avani brand: its second Avani property in the country, after Avani Metropolis Auckland Residences.

The lake shoreline beyond downtown

Radisson RED Queenstown, confirmed for early 2028 at the corner of Hylton Place and Gorge Road, is about a seven-minute walk from the town centre, developed by Queenstown-based Redwood Group in an emerging precinct with views toward Coronet Peak. NOCTIS by Kamana, confirmed for late 2027, is a ten-villa, 37-key ultra-luxury resort on an elevated Lake Wakatipu shoreline site five minutes from the CBD, next to the existing Kamana Lakehouse and designed around a night-sky theme by Hallion Architects and Y-6 Design.

Which hotel for your trip

Ultra-luxury & privacy-focused travelers

ROKI Collection Queenstown, already open with just 15 suites and a 550-square-metre flagship suite with its own lift and rooftop plunge pool, and NOCTIS by Kamana, confirmed for late 2027 with ten villas ranging up to a 1,200-square-metre presidential penthouse with a private pool and home theatre, are both aimed at travelers wanting the town's smallest, most private addresses rather than a full-service hotel.

Ski & alpine adventure travelers

Coronet Ridge Resort's Arthur's Point address puts Coronet Peak Ski Area within thirteen minutes, while voco Queenstown's central location keeps both Coronet Peak and The Remarkables within easy reach, alongside Milford Sound day-trip departures.

Business & conference travelers

voco Queenstown's full refurbishment included upgraded meeting spaces alongside its 227 guest rooms, making it the more practical choice among the hotels we track for a trip built around work as much as the mountains.

Travelers wanting a design-led, lifestyle stay

Radisson RED Queenstown, confirmed for early 2028, brings the brand's playful positioning and a rooftop bar to a site pitched at Queenstown's four-season adventure crowd, joined by four deluxe rooms and five suites among its 221 keys.

Families & longer stays

Avani Queenstown converts a serviced-apartment resort into a full-service lakefront hotel with an all-day restaurant close to the airport (a format that started life built for longer, self-contained stays) while St. Regis Queenstown, confirmed for late 2027, will pair butler service with hydrothermal spa facilities on the lakefront for a more formal family trip.

Frequently asked questions

What is the newest hotel to open in Queenstown?

voco Queenstown, which opened in July 2026 as a rebrand of the former Holiday Inn Express & Suites Queenstown.

What ultra-luxury hotels are coming to Queenstown?

Two are confirmed: St. Regis Queenstown (late 2027), Marriott's first in New Zealand, and NOCTIS by Kamana (late 2027), a ten-villa resort on the Lake Wakatipu shoreline.

Which Queenstown hotel is closest to the ski fields?

Coronet Ridge Resort, in Arthur's Point, is about thirteen minutes from Coronet Peak Ski Area; voco Queenstown's central address also keeps Coronet Peak and The Remarkables within easy reach.

Which Queenstown hotel has the most exclusive rooms?

ROKI Collection Queenstown, whose 550-square-metre, four-bedroom flagship suite has been reported at rates as high as NZD 32,000 a night.

What happened to the Holiday Inn Express & Suites Queenstown?

IHG and owner Pro-invest Group repositioned it into the group's premium voco brand, reopening as voco Queenstown in July 2026 after a full refurbishment of all 227 rooms.

Which Queenstown hotel is closest to the airport?

Avani Queenstown, on Frankton Road, sits in Frankton, the suburb that also holds Queenstown Airport, a short drive from the airport terminal.

Is central Queenstown walkable?

Yes: the lakefront, gondola and restaurant strip are all within a few minutes of each other on foot; Frankton and Arthur's Point are a short drive or bus ride from the centre.

Is Queenstown a good base for Milford Sound?

Yes: day trips run regularly from central Queenstown, departing close to voco Queenstown, though the drive is long enough that some travelers prefer an overnight stay in Te Anau instead.

What is Arrowtown, near Queenstown?

A preserved gold-rush-era town about 20 minutes from central Queenstown, with historic miners' cottages, autumn foliage and access to the old mining trails around Macetown.

Is Queenstown busy year-round?

Yes: it runs on two peak seasons, a winter ski season built around Coronet Peak and The Remarkables and a summer season for lake, hiking and adventure-sport travelers, which is part of why so many hotels we track are opening or expanding here at once.