Kamana Lakehouse: The Queenstown hotel with multimillion-dollar views — without the price tag

Sunday, 30 March 2025

Looking for a bit of Scandinavian luxury in the South Island? You’ll want to head to Kamana Lakehouse, which offers a mix of alpine cool and boutique luxury, without breaking the bank, particularly if you stay off-peak. Here’s what it’s like to stay.

The place

Kamana Lakehouse is perched high above most other hotels in Queenstown, giving you front-row seats to the snow-capped Remarkables. It almost has the feeling of a remote lodge, but best of all, you’re only five minutes from the CBD.

The space

You can’t help but smile walking in. There’s soft lighting, lots of warm timber textures, a polished stone reception desk, plenty of cosy couches to relax in, and striking suspended fireplaces dotted around the bar.

And that’s before you see the view, with floor-to-ceiling views of Lake Wakatipu and the surrounding mountains.

The room

We tried the Tahuna Lakeview Room, and it’s designed around one thing: the view. The wall of glass leads to a balcony, which was my favourite place to unwind with a cup of tea in the morning.

Back inside the room, you’ll find an uber-comfy bed, fully tiled luxe bathroom with a rainfall shower, and a 46-inch screen loaded with all the streaming platforms.

The top-level Lakeview Luxe rooms even have a private outdoor tub overlooking the lake.

The amenities

One of Kamana’s highlights is its private hot tubs, which are only accessible by in-house guests. You can book these for an hour-long session, each with stunning lake and mountain views.

The food

The hotel’s Nest Kitchen + Bar is one of Queenstown’s best-kept secrets. It feels more like a fine-dining retreat than a hotel restaurant. The menu celebrates local produce — with standouts including the braised wagyu short rib doughnut and Royalburn Station lamb loin with date-glazed kūmara.

Breakfast is just as impressive, with spicy Turkish eggs, steak and eggs, and classics like smashed avocado on wholemeal toast.

Worth stepping out for

You’re just a few minutes’ drive from central Queenstown, with the city’s new gelato shop Anita Gelato definitely worth a visit.

Worth staying in for

A massage. While the retreat doesn’t have an on-site spa, you can order Indulge Mobile Spa to your room. Owner Michelle Troon and her team deliver by far the best massage I’ve ever had. You won’t regret it.

The highlight

Waking up to a stunning sunrise over Lake Wakatipu, followed by a delicious breakfast, a day exploring Queenstown then an epic dinner at Nest Kitchen. It’s hard to find a better day.

The lowlight

The hotel has construction work underway directly in front of it, which they warn you about on their website. It’s right in front of the hot tubs. There could be a little noise during working hours if you’re staying on a weekday — and you’ll definitely see it. Prices at Kamana are quite affordable for Queenstown standards, and it seems the price has been reduced to adjust for the construction.

The verdict

Kamana Lakehouse is a place where you come for the views and stay for the calm — it’s a retreat in every sense. And make sure to get a room with a view to make the most of your stay.

The essentials:

Kamana Lakehouse from $280 per night. See: kamana.co.nz

Fact file:

Getting there: Air New Zealand has direct flights to Queenstown from Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch with connections across the domestic network. See: airnz.co.nz. Jestar has direct flights from Auckland and Wellington, see: jetstar.co.nz

Carbon footprint: Flying generates carbon emissions. To reduce your impact, consider other ways of travelling, amalgamate your trips, and when you need to fly, consider offsetting emissions.

The writer was hosted by Queenstown NZ.