ABOUT TOWN
How does FQ do Queenstown? Editor Sally-Ann Mullin and fashion assistant Jess Thomson share their favourite finds from a 48-hour stay
hours in Queenstown
Get a buzz on with Glacier Southern Lakes Helicopters
glaciersouthernlakes.co.nz
Hands down the best way to see Queenstown’s amazing landscape is from above, and although the price of Glacier Southern Lakes Helicopters’ Alpine Scenic flight ($330 per adult for 30 minutes) might take your breath away, trust us, so will the experience. We think it’s worth every cent, and a must-do if you’re looking to make unforgettable memories. Glacier Southern Lakes Helicopters offers several flights, but this one takes in some epic mountain scenery — and gives you the chance to land in the snow on one of the peaks.
Seek midday sustenance at Madam Woo
madamwoo.co.nz
We were on cloud nine after our flight, so a relaxed lunch was required. Make like us and order deep while you debrief and compare the photos you took from the air. We made a meal of tasty shared plates piled with modern but authentic Malaysian hawker food; don’t miss the kum heong-style soft-shell crab and the pork and prawn sui mai. Wash it all down with a lychee caipirinha — or hey, you’re on holiday, have two.
Wander across to the mall to flex your credit card
angeldivine.co.nz
A Queenstown fashion-retail institution since 1999, Angel Divine is one of New Zealand’s top offerings when it comes to championing local designers. With the ever-stylish Natalie Newlands curating the selection of 40-plus brands, you’ll want to make time to trawl this store. We’re such fans we just had to delve deeper — turn to page 112 for more.
Live the luxury at the Louis Vuitton store
eu.louisvuitton.com
Located in a premium lakeside position, the Louis Vuitton store carries leatherwear and accessories. It also features commissioned furniture designed by local designer Ed Cruikshank, made from beautiful native kauri and South Island mountain beech.
Do dinner and drinks at The Bunker
thebunker.co.nz
Hidden down a dark alleyway, a heavy wooden door ushers you into this nightspot. A fire-warmed room hosts rustic fine dining with a focus on game, red meat and other local specialities, and we recommend heading upstairs to sample the flaming cocktails at the bar, once a run-down apartment but now an after-hours cocktail lounge.
Overnight at Sherwood
sherwoodqueenstown.nz
Set on an alpine hillside overlooking Lake Wakatipu and the Remarkables range, the recently renovated Sherwood has an eco-resort-slash-wellness-centre feel about it — it’s “humble luxury” at its best. Here you have access to everything you need and nothing you don’t, which keeps the room rates pleasingly affordable. While you can forget about room service or a gym, you will find beautifully appointed accommodation, from bunk rooms to apartments; yoga and Pilates classes; and a
sheltered garden perfect for breakfast in the sun or an evening by the fire. A bike track and teepee provide snap-worthy spots in which to play, and the chefs specialise in seasonal, ethical, sustainable soul food made with produce from the on-site kitchen gardens and orchards and surrounding farms.
Spa like a star at Millbrook
millbrook.co.nz
After breakfast, we took a 20-minute drive to Arrowtown to visit the spa at Millbrook, voted New Zealand’s Best Resort Spa in last year’s World Luxury Hotel Awards. The treatment list is lengthy, but we finally decided on the two-hour Absolute Spa Ritual, which is described as the ultimate introduction to all of the resort’s spa therapies. Prepare yourself for a full-body massage with a facial designed to suit your skin’s needs. It’s nothing short of blissful.
Make like us and order deep while you debrief and
compare the photos you took
from the air
End on a high with a long lunch Amisfield Vineyard
amisfield.co.nz
Everyone will tell you this is an essential inclusion on the itinerary for any weekend in this neck of the woods. Choose the Trust the Chef option and settle in for a menu made from foraged and farm-to-table ingredients that’s tweaked according to what’s fresh. Stay all afternoon — and on your way out, be sure to take a selfie on the tractor.