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Where to Stay in Queenstown

By Santorini Dave

Our Favorite Queenstown Hotels

5-Star Hotel: Sofitel
4-Star Hotel: Heritage
3-Star Hotel: Arrowtown Motel
Apartment: The Rees
Boutique: Arrowtown Lodge
New: Sudima
Cheap: Coronation Lodge
For Family: Holiday Inn Express
Couples: Eichardt’s
Pool: Mercure
Views: Heritage
Town Center: The Spire
Holiday/Caravan Park: Driftaway
Near Airport: Holiday Inn

A small teal boat sits ashore along a lake with mountains in the background.

Our hike along Lake Wakatipu on the Harbor View Walk at the Queenstown Gardens. Across the water is the area West of Queenstown and Fernhill (to the left) in the distance.

The Best Areas to Stay in Queenstown

Impossibly beautiful and irresistibly enchanting, Queenstown has something for everyone. While mainly known as the ski capital of one of the world’s most mountainous countries, there are many reasons to come at any time of the year, whether it’s rafting or shopping, paragliding or walking, skiing, or just dining in front of a log fire. Add winery tours, lake cruises, and cycling around a historic gold-mining town to the list. Facing the expansive and calm Lake Wakatipu and surrounded by snow-capped peaks, Queenstown is remote, glitzy, popular, and expensive.

Queenstown Neighborhoods

While Central Queenstown is the focus for nightlife, restaurants, and boat trips, the choice of accommodation is limited, and the nightlife can be noisy. Most visitors stay in Outer Queenstown, the northern and eastern suburbs, within a 5-10 minute hilly and steep stroll of the lakefront. Conveniently on the bus route to the town center are the larger resorts to the West of Queenstown, including Fernhill’s upscale (and uphill) suburb.

As demand continues, more resorts, hotels, and motels squeeze into the limited space along the road between Queenstown and Frankton, the neighboring town. Frankton and, more particularly, the adjoining area of Remarkables Park are flat and convenient to the airport. Arrowtown’s charming and historic gorgeous village is only 30 minutes by bus.

The Best Places to Stay in Queenstown

Accommodations in Queenstown are expensive. During the peak periods of summer (December and January) and ski season (June to September), hotel rates are as lofty as the surrounding mountains. Depending on the snow, ski season may extend outside of those months. Boutique hotels are expensive, too, so the only moderate-priced options are a handful of motels and holiday/caravan parks. We don’t recommend hostels since they are booked out and cater to a backpacker workforce. To save money, come during off-peak times, book ahead, and look out for specials, including tours and activities.

A hotel perched on a cliff overlooks a lake and mountains.

The Point’s gorgeous views and spacious rooms and apartments on the bus route to Queenstown.

Best Areas in Queenstown for…

  • Best Area in Queenstown for First-Time Visitors: Remarkables Park
    Queenstown is often overcrowded and usually overpriced, and the steep backstreets can be tiresome. Remarkables Park is only 15 minutes by bus to the spacious, uncrowded, and flat area. Advantages include the jaw-dropping mountain views everywhere, the shopping center with reasonable prices, hotels with competitive rates, and proximity to the airport, which is just one bus stop away and rarely noisy.
  • Best Area in Queenstown for Sightseeing: Outer Queenstown
    A information center with lots of windows.

    If possible, it’s worth visiting the i-SITE Visitor Information Centre for expert and unbiased advice (and bookings) regarding tours and activities.

    The range of things to see and do around Queenstown is mind-boggling – and often overwhelming. It’s worth visiting the Queenstown i-SITE Visitor Information Centre if you have enough time, and it’s not during peak season. They provide independent advice and make no-commission bookings. Otherwise, check out what the tour agencies around town offer, stroll along the lakefront, choose a boat trip that excites you, and seek recommendations from other visitors. The other advantage of staying just out of the town center is that most tours and activities include transfers.
  • Best Area in Queenstown for Boat Trips: Central Queenstown
    A white long steamboat with a red stack and sail floats by a shore with mountains in the background.

    Enormously popular are trips on the old TSS Earnslaw steamship which leaves from the lakefront in the town center.

    The delightful lakefront extending from the Crowne Plaza hotel to the Queenstown Gardens is (over)crowded with piers, boats, and more boats. The number of possible trips across the lake may seem daunting but the choice is pleasingly varied, so take time to think about what you really want to do. Perhaps, cruise on the 100-year-old TSS Earnslaw steamship? Or maybe scream as a jet sprint boat reaches almost 100kmph and does an immediate 360-degree spin? Less scary and crowded is the sedate Million Dollar Cruise, while simply taking a water taxi (often called a ferry) to various spots to/from Queenstown provides a cheap but brief satisfying look at Lake Wakatipu.

    An orange boat with Water Taxi on the side.

    Water taxi, sometimes called ferries, travel every hour or so from the town center to places around the lake. These are ideal for those staying at remote hotels not connected by regular bus.


    A yellow and dark blue speed boat tied to a dock.

    Boat trip options available along the lake in the town center.

  • Best Area in Queenstown for History & Culture: Arrowtown
    An old plaster house with a tin panel roof.

    Intriguing (and free to enter) is the restored and recreated Chinese Settlement along the river.

    This former gold-mining town, created in the 1860s and partly settled by Chinese migrants, found a new breath of life as a tourist attraction 100 years later. The main street, where every building has been lovingly preserved, seems like a leftover set from a Wild West movie. The Lakes District Museum (also the tourist information center) proudly and impressively explains the fascinating history while detailed signs elsewhere describe the part-restored and part-recreated Chinese Settlement. While almost everyone arriving by bus and car strolls the village center, the leafy streets nearby are less busy and peppered with historic buildings and peaceful places to stay. Before you leave, rent a gold-pan from the museum and try your luck in the River Arrow.
  • Best Area in Queenstown for Vibe: Arrowtown
    Queenstown is modern, touristy, and often overcrowded. Most people are visitors, and many workers aren’t locals, so it’s fair to say that Queenstown doesn’t exude much of a genuine vibe. About 20 minutes by car (a little longer by bus) is the adorable village of Arrowtown (mentioned above). The crowds can be frustrating, but they almost always stick to the village center, so walk around the nearby streets with upper-class names like Wiltshire, Berkshire, and Hereford to explore the Mary McKillop Cottage and adorable old churches. Staying at Arrowtown allows you to stroll along the misty river before the tour buses arrive and chat with locals at the Blue Door bar after the day-trippers have gone.
  • Best Area in Queenstown for Nightlife: Central Queenstown
    The streets and lanes (some free of traffic) are a delight to wander around after dark. During ski season, the sun sets by mid-afternoon. Most visitors are content with a meal and a few drinks at an old-style or Irish pub with a roaring log fire and, sometimes, a singer/guitarist in the background. Around the corner of Camp and Ballarat streets, several terrific pubs compete with happy hours, meal specials, and live music including Brazz and Pig & Whistle. For something more Queenstown-y, maybe have a drink at Perky’s Floating Bar at the lakefront or at Queenstown Ice Bar where just about everything (including the glasses) is crafted from ice. Or maybe splash some cash at the modest SkyCity Queenstown casino or check out a movie at the Reading Cinemas.
  • Best Area in Queenstown for Restaurants: Central Queenstown
    A large building with yellow and dark blue paint.

    Pog Mahone’s Irish Pub.

    With such a gorgeous lakeside setting, it makes sense to wine and dine with a view. Places along the lakeshore are pricey and busy, so book ahead or start earlier than others might. Around Steamer Wharf are several top-class bistros where the lake views are as spectacular as the meals (and prices) such as Flame Bar & Grill and Pier. Less expensive and (almost) always guaranteed a table (and outside in summer) are the many inviting cafes and traditional pubs along the traffic-free lanes. These include Pog Mahone’s, Captains Restaurant & Bar, and The Ballarat. A classic Queenstown experience is a combination cruise on the TSS Earnslaw steamship with lunch or dinner at Walter Peak farm.
  • Best Area in Queenstown for Views: Fernhill
    From land through lush green trees is a clear royal blue lake.

    The extraordinary unobstructed views from Heritage Hotel in Fernhill.

    Thankfully, no high-rise hotels (or other buildings) in the town center block views of the lake and mountains. Hotels in the town center which offer wide – but partially obstructed – lake views are the Novotel and Crowne Plaza. Considerably more impressive are the unblocked panoramas of the lake and mountains from hotels in the elevated suburb of Fernhill, particularly the Heritage and Mercure. Indeed, it’s worth driving or catching bus #1 (but not walking) to one of these hotels for a drink or meal to relish the gorgeous views.
  • Best Area in Queenstown for Peace and Quiet: Arrowtown
    Arrowtown is rightly a major attraction. The crowds can be overwhelming at times from 10 am onwards, so head for the hills or go upriver on a walk or bike ride – or join a winery tour. Then, come back after 4 pm (ish) and savor a frothy cappuccino at a historic coffee house or an ice-cold lager in the iconic Blue Door bar. Probably 95% of visitors at any time stick to the village center, completely ignoring the tree-lined streets only a few hundred meters away, where there are more old buildings to explore and a handful of enticing hotels to stay in.
  • Best Areas in Queenstown for Walking and Hiking: Central Queenstown and Frankton
    Local authorities created and promoted an incredible array of 30 walking and hiking trails in the area. The Sunshine Bay Track (4 km) alongside the western lakefront starting from the Crowne Plaza Hotel is popular, flat, and convenient, perfect for a brisk early-morning stroll. Also great fun is the Frankton Arm Walkway (10kms one-way) between Queenstown and Frankton via Queenstown Gardens where another path (3kms) passes shaded lawns, incredible viewpoints, and the botanic gardens. Serious hikers may be interested in half/full-day hikes, including to the top of Queenstown Hill and Ben Lomond (the highest point in the area). Walkers can pick up the Pocket Trails Map from hotel foyers and the Visitor Information Centre and hikers should get the Wakatipu Trails Map from the Department of Conservation office in the town center.
  • Best Area in Queenstown for Cycling: Central Queenstown
    Cyclists stop and view the lake.

    The path along the lake at Frankton leads to Queenstown and is popular with cyclists.

    Most walking paths (see above) are also suitable for bikes, such as the Sunshine Bay Track, which is flat, wide, and ideal for e-scooters (operated by the app-based company Beam). However, hiking paths are only suitable for mountain bikes and those with enough stamina to navigate the hilly terrain. Places around the town center offer mountain bike and e-bike rentals (much easier going uphill!), including Vertigo Bikes and Better By Bike (also at Arrowtown). Around the Basin offers guided cycling tours. All cyclists should pick up the Queenstown Mountain Bike Trails Map from the Visitor Information Centre or if you are a serious trailblazer, visit the Department of Conservation in town.

  • Best Area in Queenstown for Skiing: Outer Queenstown
    Queenstown is primarily about mountains and all the snow packed on them. Deep within the Southern Alps and just a short drive by car (or, better, special bus) are several world-class slopes for beginners, families, and those who know what “off-piste” really means. The season starts in early June and lasts until the end of September –longer if snow continues falling. Gear rental is available at places in Queenstown or, better, at the ski fields, and book lessons and bus connections (which must be pre-booked) online. Others may prefer tobogganing or even dog-sledding – it’s all possible. And there is plenty of après-ski fun in the evenings or when the weather turns nasty. It’s easy to make arrangements, rent gear, and organize transfers from hotels around the outskirts of central Queenstown.
  • Best Area in Queenstown for Parks and Gardens: Central Queenstown
    There is really only one park in the Queenstown area – and it’s beautiful. Queenstown Gardens occupy a substantial headland in the town center, and crisscrosses shaded paths ideal for walking, jogging, and cycling. Lawns blanket the hilly areas, and there’s a botanic garden to explore. For winter-style fun all year without the blizzards and hassle/cost of going to the ski slopes, the Ice Arena in the gardens offers ice skating, ice hockey, and ice bumper cars.
  • Best Area in Queenstown for Outdoor Activities: Outer Queenstown
    Three para-gliders float in the sky.

    Para-gliders (tandem with a paying guest) sail from the top of the gondola ride, soar across town, and then land at the oval.

    Queenstown is the epicenter for outdoor fun in New Zealand and one of the most appealing places for al fresco activities. In winter, it’s all about going down a slope on skis, in a sled, or any other way imaginable, but the range of other fun things to do is more impressive – and the choice can be overwhelming. As well as boat trips described earlier, why not try jet-skiing on the lake, river rafting, or kayaking. To truly appreciate the extraordinary landscape, there are helicopter rides, scenic flights, and hot air ballooning – or the brave can skydive. Research thoroughly online, ask fellow tourists for recommendations, and seek independent advice (and bookings) with the Visitor Information Centre. Arranging pickups is far easier from a centrally located hotel with a wide front street.
  • Best Area in Queenstown to Organize Tours: Outer Queenstown
    Even if you have a private/rented vehicle, it’s still worth joining an organized tour because you’ll appreciate the scenery more if you’re not driving along windy and narrow roads. For breath-taking views and heart-pumping walks, two places are high on the list of must-dos: (1) Mt Cook by bus, and (2) Milford Sound by plane and/or boat. Don’t forget what is labeled the area’s “best kept secret” (and with a name we love): Doubtful Sound. Otherwise, tours around more local areas involve less travel and more oohing and aahing at the extraordinary landscapes, e.g., Appellation Wine Tours and Altitude Tours which run small-group “best of Queenstown” trips.
  • Best Area in Queenstown for Shopping Centres: Remarkables Park
    Shops to test your credit card limit cram the streets and lanes in central Queenstown, but there’s no space for larger malls. These are in two areas just past Frankton. The Remarkables Park Shopping Centre is a 20-minute bus trip from Queenstown and home to a sizable supermarket, a terrific bakery, and several restaurants. Even more shops and eateries are at the Five Mile Shopping Centre just north of the airport, but it’s not as well connected by bus.
  • Best Area in Queenstown for Boutiques & Markets: Arrowtown
    Necklaces sit on a table at a market along the lake.

    A market is usually held on Saturday mornings around the park along the lakefront.

    The center of this charismatic and historic village (mentioned earlier) is wall-to-wall boutiques and restaurants. Most sell touristy items (as expected) at touristy prices. Still, the choice is impressive, and spending a lazy hour or two window-shopping among the clothes stores and art galleries is thoroughly enjoyable and may not even cost you a cent. Some of the finest places to pick up a souvenir or two are The Jade & Opal Factory, The WoolPress, and The Gold Nugget. Terrific markets are held at the lakefront in Queenstown and Remarkables Park on Saturday mornings.
  • Best Area in Queenstown for Transport: Central Queenstown
    The excellent Orbus bus service is frequent and cheap with a transport card (see later). While designed for locals, some routes are helpful for visitors going to Arrowtown, Frankton, the airport, Remarkables Park shopping center, and those staying in hotels at Fernhill and along the road between Queenstown and Frankton. (There are also special bus services to remote hotels and ski slopes in winter.) The water taxi (sometimes referred to as a ferry) is handy for some hotels around the harbor. It travels between the lakefront in Queenstown, the Frankton marina, and the Hilton/DoubleTree hotels near Frankton. E-scooters are ideal for the hilly backstreets operated by the app-based company Beam.
  • Best Area in Queenstown for the Airport: Remarkables Park
    A plane flies over a lake.

    The airport is close to Frankton or Remarkables Park but infrequent schedules keep the plane noise down.

    Watching jets soar across the lake and center of Queenstown as they approach the airport is fantastic. Utilizing a precious stretch of flat earth in this mountainous region, the airport is alongside several hotels and a shopping center at Remarkables Park (technically part of Frankton). This area is not that affected by jet noise, perhaps more so by helicopters and small planes on sightseeing trips. The Sudima, Ramada, Wyndham, Quest, and Holiday Inn hotels are within a 30-minute walk of the airport. Better still, all (except the Sudima) are only one bus stop from the airport on route #1.
  • Best Area in Queenstown for Families: Remarkables Park
    A bright green playground slide goes down a sandy hill.

    The Driftaway holiday/caravan park provides terrific facilities, including a playground, games room, and restaurant with million-dollar views.

    While most understandably want to stay in Queenstown for the shopping, transport, restaurants, and lakefront, it is worth noting a few factors: crowds can be overwhelming, hotel rates are sky-high in the town center, and most streets in the northern and eastern areas of Queenstown are unpleasantly steep. (Paths are also narrow and hopeless for strollers.) At Remarkables Park, hotels offer easy parking, distance from crowds, and mountain views. Moreover, the footpaths are wide and flat, the shopping center is compact and inviting, and there are useful facilities like playgrounds and a library. Remarkables Park is a 15-minute bus trip from Queenstown via the airport and Frankton.
  • Best Area in Queenstown for a Romantic Holiday: Arrowtown
    Arrowtown was mentioned earlier as the best area for boutiques, vibe, history and culture, and peace and quiet. So, it is naturally perfect for a romantic holiday, especially during autumn when all the leaves turn golden brown. The crowds can be avoided by shopping and eating around the village center before 10 am and after 4 pm. Otherwise, visit some wineries (including by tour) or soak up the fresh air and mountainside tranquility on walks or bikes along the numerous well-signed paths (mentioned earlier). Accommodations, which include the adorable boutique hotels of Arrowtown Lodge and Arrowtown House, is pleasantly located on the leafy streets about a 10-minute walk from the tour-bus hubbub.
  • Best Place to Stay in Queenstown on a Budget: Central Queenstown
    If you are on a strict budget, you may wish to stay entirely clear of Queenstown and all surrounding areas. Far better value can be found in Christchurch, Wellington, Rotorua, and smaller towns further north if you have a vehicle or don’t mind buses. Otherwise, a few motels on the outskirts of central Queenstown are more affordable, and the holiday/caravan parks are always cheaper. Hostels mainly catering to the essential backpacker workforce rarely rate highly online and are often permanently booked out anyway. Otherwise, come in the off-season periods of April, May, October and November.
  • (Un)Safest Area in Queenstown
    There are no particular areas that are more safe or unsafe than others. Queenstown doesn’t attract the same number of people experiencing homelessness or those in vulnerable situations as other cities, partly because the cold weather makes it challenging to sleep outside and the cost of living is high. A few bars in the town center may get a little rowdy late at night in peak season, so take the usual precautions. The main possible dangers will be out of town and during daylight – particularly while skiing.
A calm water lake reflects the sky and clouds.

Almost the entire lakeshore at Frankton is parklands and paths.

The 6 Best Areas in Queenstown for Tourists: Ordered from the City Centre out.

1. Central Queenstown

Vendors stand next to their table of jewelry and clothes on a sidewalk next to a lake.

Our trip to the Saturday morning market held around the park along the lakefront.

Most people want to stay in the central part of Queenstown. It’s the scenic and happening part of town, especially after dark. The town center is flat (except in the eastern section). The downtown streets offer an (over)abundance of places to spend money on food, drinks, tours, activities, clothes, and souvenirs. The gorgeous lakeshore and the soothing Queenstown Gardens are within a minute’s walk.

There is limited space in central Queenstown for big 5-star branded resorts. Most luxury hotels and resorts are in the hilly suburbs—however, for those shocked by rates charged elsewhere, there are several high-end boutique hotels and motels on the outskirts.

A view from a balcony of a lake and downtown storefronts.

The view of the lake and waterfront from our room at the Crowne Plaza.

2. Outer Queenstown

A row of gondolas come down a mountain.

The Skyline gondola offers breath-taking views, but book online first to avoid extended lines at the ticket counter.

Most accommodations in Queenstown are in the northern and eastern suburbs. They’re within a 5-10 minute stroll of the incredible range of bars, restaurants, boutiques, and the lakeshore where boats cruise across the water. These areas are hilly and often very steep. The backstreets are full of sweating, panting tourists who wish they had booked a room elsewhere.

One advantage, however, is that it’s easier to arrange transfers for a tour/activity/ski trip at a hotel with wide streets (unlike some hotels in the town center). The boutique hotels are exceptionally delightful, and there are plenty of apartments for those staying a while, including families. Accommodations in the northern area are close to the Skyline gondola and the hive of activities and facilities clustered nearby. Places in the eastern section are near the tranquil Queenstown Gardens.

A hotel room with a view of the lake.

Many rooms and apartments at the Copthorne Hotel and Resort offer views of the lake and mountains.

3. West of Queenstown

People in light coats walk on a path by the lake.

From the lakeshore area packed with piers and boats, a lovely path (part of the Sunshine Bay Walk) extends past the Crowne Plaza hotel.

As demand exceeds supply, more hotels and resorts are finding space further west of Queenstown. Some (i.e., Rydges, Peppers, Lakeside, and Haka) are within a 5-10 minute walk along the lakeside path to the incredible attractions and amenities in the town center. Others uphill in the suburb of Fernhill (i.e., St Moritz, Heritage, Mercure, and Kamana Lakehouse) can offer lake and mountain views, space for gardens, and a pool rarely possible in the town center. Some hotels in Fernhill may feel a little isolated, but all places listed below are within a short (but sometimes steep) walk of bus #1 to downtown Queenstown and the airport.

Windows at a restaurant have a clear view of a lake.

Our wonderful views at the Mercure.

4. Road between Queenstown and Frankton

A gravel path through grass and trees leads to a lake at sunset.

The Frankton Arm Walkway which follows the lake between Queenstown and Frankton can be joined at various points along the main road.

The road between Queenstown and Frankton, the neighboring town (virtually a suburb today), is about 7 km. Posh homes and upscale hotels sit on every available scrap of land, hugging the lake on both sides of the road.

A bes sits with open doors by a curb.

All hotels along the road between Queenstown and Frankton are easily connected to either town by regular bus.

This area offers some of the finest possible views of the lake directly in front and mountains in all directions. It’s accessible by regular Queenstown-Frankton bus services that continues to Remarkables Park and the airport. Staying here allows guests quick and easy access to Queenstown’s incredible attractions and amenities, facilities at Remarkables Park (like the shopping centers), and the airport.

A living room with a sofa and chairs overlooks a lake.

The apartments in The The Rees Hotel are spacious and stylish, and many provide faultless views of the lake. We rate this as the Best 5-Star apartment in the Queenstown area.

A restaurant with lake views.

It’s worth visiting the bar/restaurant at the Holiday Inn Queenstown Frankton Road hotel just for the lake views.

5. Frankton and Remarkables Park

Snow-capped jagged mountains tower over a street lined with shops.

The spectacular mountain views at Five Mile Shopping Centre.

About a 10-minute drive along the coastal road from Queenstown is the outlying town of Frankton. It’s more like a suburb. The central part of Frankton has little to offer visitors except for a lovely lakeside walking trail (see earlier) and a fantastic holiday/caravan park called Driftaway. The adjoining area called Remarkables Park is far more enticing – and ideal for first-time visitors and families. Named after the nearby mountain ranges, this area is home to the airport, a compact shopping center, and a row of comfortable and affordable 4-star hotels. A few other hotels – namely the Hilton, DoubleTree, and Village Apartments – are across the bridge from Frankton and less convenient. The Sudima is part of the Five Mile Shopping Centre just north of the airport and not as handy. Bus #1 links Remarkables Park and Frankton with Queenstown via the airport.

Across a smooth blue lake are white hotels at the base of a mountain.

Across an inlet and accessible by pedestrian bridge from Frankton are the Hilton, DoubleTree and Village Apartments. They feel a little isolated, but are connected to Queenstown by bus and water taxi.

6. Arrowtown

Old store fronts line a road by a mountain.

The village centre has been beautifully restored and preserved as a gold-mining town from the 1860s. Each building is now occupied by a store, restaurant, or boutique.

Queenstown is modern and flashy. In contrast, Arrowtown is teeming with history and heaving with charm. A prosperous gold-mining village in the 1860s partially settled by Chinese immigrants, Arrowtown has a loveable vibe and is now firmly on the tourist trail. Packed with boutiques and restaurants, the village center appears like something from a Wild West movie – except for all the day-trippers. Outdoor enthusiasts will relish the walking/cycling trails – some gentle, a few for the hardy – while wine-buffs and those on a romantic getaway can visit world-class vineyards by private car or tour. Although limited, accommodations are, thankfully, in the leafy, tranquil streets less than a 10-minute walk from the crowds in the village center. Bus #2 connects Queenstown and Arrowtown via Frankton every hour.

Patios with red maple trees and green bush planters.

The unfussy Arrowtown Motel and Apartments offers comfortable and spacious rooms with kitchen facilities. Rates are affordable, and it’s in a quiet street distant from the tourist crowds.

Queenstown Travel Tips

  • The bus service is excellent. bus #1 links Queenstown with Remarkables Park via Frankton and the airport (and continues to Fernhill) every 15 minutes. If you take more than two trips by bus (or one trip by water taxi) – buy a Bee transport card (NZ$5). Available at the airport, tourist office, and bus drivers (with cash), Bee card users get a 50% discount on each fare. With the card, you can save NZ$8 on a one-way trip to/from the airport.
  • For whatever reason, it often seems far hotter outside than the temperature gauge indicates. Wear a hat and apply sunscreen, especially in the winter when the sun’s rays bounce off the snow.
  • Queenstown is remote, touristy, and, therefore, expensive. Groceries aren’t too overpriced, and gasoline is a little high, but accommodations and tour/activity costs are often high. So, consider coming during the off-peak times (April, May, October, and November).

About Santorini Dave

Santorini Dave I'm Santorini Dave. I started this site in 2011 with a short article on tips for visiting Santorini with kids. We're now a small team of writers and researchers dedicated to providing the best travel content on the internet. We focus on Santorini, Mykonos, Athens, and Greece, offering recommendations for top hotels, neighborhoods, and family-friendly hotels worldwide. I can be contacted at dave@santorinidave.com.