Butterfli Lodge

My boyfriend and I booked a private double room at Butterfli Lodge. We told the woman on the phone we might stay two nights, but only committed to the first. I'm very glad we did. It's a backpacker-style place, and the room cost $69, cash only, if I remember right. The lake view is lovely, but the room itself was very basic, on the ground floor with the kitchen and dining area directly overhead. The walls and floor are paper thin, so there was a lot of noise. We couldn't sleep until everyone else went to bed, then woke around 6am to what sounded like stomping. We barely slept. The next morning we asked CINDY, who I think may be the owner, if we could move rooms because of the noise. She said there was nothing else available. We said that was fine, but we'd probably go elsewhere because we needed a full night's sleep. She took that badly and said we had to hand in the keys right away, since checkout was 10am and it was already 10:15. We quickly packed up, but she gave us the silent treatment while we got ready. Strange, but whatever. We'd planned to make a quick breakfast before heading out. When we tried the kitchen, she told us to leave the hostel because we weren't staying a second night. I couldn't believe it. We'd meant to get up early, but after so little sleep we were exhausted and slept in. I explained that and asked if we could make breakfast quickly. Cindy said she'd already started cleaning the kitchen, as if we couldn't clean up after ourselves. Then she said she was being generous by not charging for a second night because we were 15 minutes late leaving the room. I've never had customer service this poor at a hostel or hotel. She was incredibly rude, and I definitely wouldn't recommend staying there. Cindy is a very bad host and shouldn't be in hospitality.

Charlene is absolutely wonderful, and this place is a Queenstown gem. It's small and not suited to loud backpackers, but the kitchen facilities are excellent, with free spices to help you cook a great meal. It was spotlessly clean, and the view is incredible. Sound carries a lot between rooms, though. We'd still come back.

We booked a triple room, and there was enough clean, well-furnished space for the three of us and our luggage. The living room was amazing, with a stunning lake view from the outdoor dining area.

I wouldn't recommend this place at the price. The house is old, rooms are small, and everything feels worn, basic, and cheap. People on the street can see into the room, so there's no privacy. It's noisy, and the kitchen is too small for all the guests. The carpet is very old. The work-and-travel students managing it were very friendly, but not professional. At $85 or more, I expected more. Even in expensive Queenstown, this is overpriced.