It's cute, it's small, and it's luxurious: and it's in one of the most visitable spots on the planet. We're talking the Queenstown, New Zealand Eichardt's Private Hotel, which is the place where all the locals want to stay. Queenstown is the capital of fun in New Zealand, whether you're talking snow in the ski season or other kinds of adventure during the rest of the year, from hot air ballooning through to jet boat riding.
If you hit Queenstown in winter (remember that's the same time as the northern hemisphere summer) then there is basically everything you'll need on offer--Eichardt's can point you towards night skiing, cross country skiing and even heli-skiing. The dedicated concierge can organize things like an in-room massage after a hard day on the slopes, or whatever your whim demands, and with only five suites making up the entire hotel, that makes him practically a personal concierge.
Standard suite rates start at NZ$1,375 (about US$1,050) with an extra NZ$250 ($190) charge for an extra bed for a child. Interestingly, this includes an American breakfast, rather than a New Zealand one, whatever that might entail.
The Nita Lake Lodge is set to open this December as Whistler's first boutique hotel just steps from the site of the 2010 Winter Olympics.
The Nita Lake Lodge sits at the base of Whistler Mountain on the quiet shores of Nita Lake. Here you can breathe in the fresh alpine air, conquer the ski slopes or simply relax in the restaurant or spa. Each of the resort's 77 luxurious suites has state-of-the-art facilities: most offer spectacular views of Whistler Mountain and Nita Lake.
The lodge will also feature a Station Spa, a retro-themed restaurant and residences. But sadly, there is little other information on the hotel's website and nothing but stock photos of Whistler. However, through the flash gallery we were able to screen-cap this rendering of the place.
The only other info we could find is that Boutique Hotels & Resorts of BC is managing the place and they have a whole bunch of properties they will manage in the area next year. And although Nita Lake hasn't opened yet, the place is already a member of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World group. Just remember this hotel is different from the Nita Lake in Vancouver.
One of our favorite bedtime flip-throughs is the Small Luxury Hotels of the World directory. We have been known to drift off to the Land of Nod with visions of the collection's 400-plus hotels, from nearly 70 countries, in our head. So we note with interest that the latest U.S. property to join the portfolio is The Lodge at Woodloch.
The 58-room property is located in what used to be commonly referred to as the Poconos but has more recently been recast as Pennsylvania's lake region. So, no borscht belt offerings at this stop. The Lodge is isolated, on 75 woodland acres. Judging from the photos on its website, the décor is understated sumptuous. Reviews on TripAdvisor are highly favorable, with one kvetch about an inferior treatment and another about a less-than-helpful reservationist. MORE
There is some good news about traveling to Europe for Americans. Several Small Luxury Hotels of the World (SLH) are offering "Guaranteed US Dollar Rates" which can give American travelers savings up to 20 percent.
Participating hotels offering special guaranteed US dollar rates or fixed conversions include: The Stafford Hotel, London; Dorset square, London; Devonshire Arms, England; Chateau La Cheneviere, Normandy; Hotel Vernet, Pavillon de la Reine, Relais Christine and Hotel san Regis in Paris and Hotel Art and Empire Palace in Rome.
Some examples: the Stafford Hotel in London is offering guests a fixed exchange rate of 1.7 throughout the rest of the year. Rates begin at 260 GBP. The Empire Palace has rates starting at $262, including breakfast. Reservations can be booked through the Small Luxury Hotels website but blackout dates may apply.
Where: Marine Parade, Queenstown
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by amandak
