Best Design Hotels in New Zealand

On Auckland’s Waiheke Island, Delamore Lodge is just over half an hour by ferry (transfers are included in rates) or a quick heli-hop from the capital. The lodge’s architecture takes the form of a Maori fish hook, shaped into the hillside and overlooking Owhanake Bay. It has a Mediterranean feel but contains lots of indigenous crafts and artworks. Guests are accommodated in two-bedroom apartments, villas or four suites with views of the Hauraki Gulf. Partake in a winemaker’s dinner, dine at the chef’s table and feast on dishes created from produce grown in the lodge’s garden and served in the main restaurant. Treatments in the spa use organic products from Nellie Tier (100% New Zealand owned).

This 10-storey hotel strikes the balance between maintaining excellent eco-cred and cosseting its guests in the lap of local luxury (the bed linen is organic, the slippers compostable and the food is sustainably sourced). Indigenous materials such as reclaimed Kauri timbers, driftwood and volcanic black sand are woven into the decor along with materials by artisans, such as decorative boulders by stonemasons and exterior handmade brickwork. Designer Emily Priest is responsible for much of the look, which creates a calming and enveloping feel. Guests can also gain a taste of New Zealand, at Britomart’s restaurant, Kingi.

Less than a 10-minute drive from Queenstown, but surrounded by forest, breathtaking mountains and Lake Wakatipu, the Matakauri Lodge is an exclusive boutique retreat. 11 style-forward rooms have memorable views, an iPod dock, minibar, fireplaces, terraces and Evolu toiletries. It’s homely, but up-market, with high-quality gastronomy utilising produce grown onsite as well as native meats and fish, to create a daily changing menu. And you don’t have to eat in the dining room; the lodge will accommodate romantic meals in your suite or other suitable nooks across the grounds. There’s also a bar, and a spa which incorporates indigenous ingredients into treatments.

At the centre of town, surrounded by amenities, the Sofitel offers a taste of European elegance. Step inside and you may think you’d arrived on a rue in France; there’s a public area including shops, a cafe, a grand piano and the velvet-curtained access to the in-house speakeasy. The Parisian-style Left Bank Cafe and Restaurant continues this French theme, as does its 1789 Wine & Jazz bar, with frequent live sets. The spa, with a hammam and unique Maori massage treatments, has won awards. The hotel’s six-storeys accommodate bedrooms, suites and penthouses; the latter providing lake views, patios and jacuzzis.

Azur Lodge Queenstown, New Zealand provides a unique getaway for travellers who wish to experience luxury amidst unbeatable scenery. There are nine private one-bedroom villas fitted with expansive floor-to-ceiling windows and a private sun deck to soak up the lush landscape that surrounds you. Guests can enjoy the views from a relaxing bath which can be found in the bay windows to give a new perspective to the stunning surroundings. A range of dishes and drinks can be delivered straight to your door or savoured in the main lodge for dinner while a stay in this hotel includes breakfast and pre-dinner drinks and canapés. There is also a shuttle service to the nearby town of Queensland for those wishing to explore and experience something new outside of the hotel. A host of activities are offer and specialist staff are on hand to arrange something to suit individual desires.

The result of a collaboration with the fashion house WORLD, SO/ offers pops of the bright, bold, sassy and sexy. Its design is subtly reflective of the city’s relationship with the local volcanoes, notably in the accents of black and gold. Bedrooms come with Bose speakers, Hermès toiletries and Nespresso machines and the lobby features a full-height chandelier. This is not the place for the understated. Take the lift up to the 16th floor and you’ll find the HI-SO bar, aka party central, with panoramic harbour views. Above this is the extravagant Harbour Society restaurant. Plus there’s a MIXO bar at ground level.

QT Queenstown is a luxurious boutique hotel in the lively remarkable New Zealand landscape and offers spacious and luminous guestrooms with spectacular views, some overlooking the lake. Guests can opt to dine with a view at the Bazaar restaurant which serves a range of delicious delicacies. Reds bar invites guests in for a cosy après-ski or a simple tipple in a welcoming atmosphere. For added comfort, guests can also order from the extensive room service menu and enjoy restaurant-quality food from the comfort on their own rooms. This hotel boasts an array of event spaces for any occasion – these spaces present breath-taking views of mountains and lakes. Simple business meetings are made more stylish while dream wedding celebrations are ready to be had.

Sleep in one of 70 bedrooms (king and queen sized, or suites with separate living areas) within this 1928 Heritage Listed building, one of the city’s original skyscrapers. Set on a precinct in a lively pocket of the Downtown area, Fable highlights the building’s period elements, while maintaining a contemporary feel through grounding tones of grey, earthy brown and deep plum. Guests can feast on an array of nutritious international dishes packed with wholefoods, or hunker down in the lounge with a drink, at its Cookes Restaurant and Bar. Fable became a five-star hotel in 2017.