Staying at the QT Queenstown

QT Queenstown. Photo / Supplied

Stephanie Holmes checks into the QT Queenstown.

Location: Along Lake Esplanade, only a 10-minute walk to the centre of town.

Getting there: It's going to take you about 20 minutes, from the airport, give or take a bit of a town traffic jam, which is more and more common these days.

What's so good about this place? The QT brand prides itself on being "quirky" and that's on full display in this new property — 69 rooms on top of the Rydges Hotel. You'll find a lot of stylish and alpine-inspired design touches, from the snow bunny murals in the lifts, to the snowflake pattern in the carpets. You're also getting some of the best views in town, out to the lake, the Remarkables and the various peaks and hills.

And the bad? Leaving to go home.

Check-in experience: Fast and friendly.

Room: A Remarkable King room on the 10th floor with epic views. The decor was classy, a palette of white and grey, with pops of colour from the plush velvet cushions on the comfortable couch, and the copper and chrome lampshades. Clever design touches are everywhere, from the salmon pink ceramic tui to the leather saddle bags either side of the bedhead, for phones, reading glasses and the like.

Free Wi-Fi: Yes, unlimited and free.

Bed: As comfortable and supportive as a strong hug. The cushiony mattress topper, top quality pillows and crisp linen made this one bed I didn't want to leave.

View: Just breathtaking. I could have sat for hours on the small balcony that seemed to catch all-day sun, watching the comings and goings along the lake pathway, the jetboats and parasailing on the water, and the Earnslaw tootling back and forth. Bliss.

Bathroom: Sleek and spacious, with good natural light as we were in a corner room. The rainhead shower was lovely, but the shower box leaked. To be honest, I've never met a hotel shower that doesn't. Why is that? The deep bathtub looked amazing, underneath a cool mural on the wall, but took more than half an hour to fill. Don't be in a rush to have a soak.

Toiletries: New York brand Malin + Goetz.

Food and drink: The onsite "interactive marketplace" restaurant, Bazaar, was excellent.

Essentially a buffet, it's packed with high-quality local produce and talented chefs ready to create something special for you. Reds cocktail bar is a great spot for pre- or post-dinner drinks (or both). Both have stunning views out to the lake.

Facilities: The outdoor pool on the Rydges rooftop is available to QT guests.

Entertainment: The ever-changing light on the mountains; and you're walking distance to everything Queenstown has to offer.

Extras: You can purchase pretty much everything in the room, from the vases, to the ceramics, to the cocktail spoon and glasses. Plus the mini-bar has some cute touches, like "snow in a can", merino socks, Queenstown chocolate, and pocket hand warmers.

Perfect for: A luxurious mini break, with views to stay in for and a location to easily get you out and about.