The Central Hotel Queenstown, A Naumi Chapter

We spent a significant wedding anniversary here and would happily recommend the hotel. It's close to central Queenstown but far enough away to stay really quiet. The rooms were spacious and comfortable, and the staff were very helpful. All the included extras and little touches made it feel special. Every afternoon there was a happy hour with drinks and snacks, a nice chance to chat with guests from around the world.

For what we paid, I expected much better, especially from a place calling itself a five-star hotel. Our semi-basement room looked onto a wall, and it was next to the laundry room, whose door was left open all the time. It didn't feel cosy at all. I barely noticed any staff during our stay, maybe I saw one person. Breakfast was underwhelming too. Compared with everywhere else we've stayed in NZ, this wasn't worth the splurge.

The free extras really stood out: a big lounge and bar, a fully catered evening happy hour, and a breakfast buffet all covered in the room price. There was plenty more complimentary stuff too. The rooms were great and the views beautiful, and every staff member I met was friendly and helpful. Things were above and beyond. My one gripe was that there was no bacon! I'd thought the booking price was a bit higher than other central Queenstown hotels I'd used, though I put that down to booking at the last minute. After arriving, I was genuinely blown away. I'll definitely be back.

Doug and the team looked after our group so well. It felt more like staying at a friend's place than a hotel, really cozy, and in a perfect spot.