Room check
Melissa Nightingale spends a night at the Wyndham Garden in Queenstown
Location: At the base of the Remarkables and just a hop, skip and a jump from the Remarkables Park town centre.
Style: Wyndham Garden is simple and comfortable, catering mainly for business travellers.
Price: Rooms range from $150-200 per night.
Perfect for: Anyone needing a base for further travel around the South Island and wants to stick closer to the airport.
Check-in experience: It took only moments and the staff member on reception was friendly and helpful.
The room: Having come to Queenstown on a frigid and windy May weekend, stepping into my room was a welcome break from the cold. With the heat pump already blasting a steady stream of warm air into the comfortably-sized living area and kitchenette, I could already feel my hands thawing. The view of the mountains from the large windows is absolutely gorgeous and definitely the highlight of this hotel.
There’s a two-seater couch, dining table, kitchenette and wall-mounted television that can also be watched from the bedroom, which is separated from the lounge by sliding doors. The bedroom in Wyndham Garden’s one-bedroom apartment is small with a high-set window behind it giving yet another view of snow-topped mountains.
The bathroom: There is a small en suite attached to the bedroom with a toilet, vanity and shower, plus a dryer and washer combo, which I made the most of to avoid lugging home a load of laundry.
Food and drink: Wyndham Garden doesn’t have room service but is set in a group of shops with cafes such as Eatery by Frank’s (I can highly recommend the Spanish eggs for breakfast). There are plenty of places to grab a bite, otherwise there’s a supermarket within walking distance. There is also a cafe on the ground level of the hotel.
Facilities: The hotel has a gym, plus somewhere to store snow gear for anybody planning to hit the slopes on their trip. Conference rooms are available to book.
In the neighbourhood: It’s only a 15-minute walk from the airport for those who don’t have too much luggage, otherwise it’s just a couple of minutes’ drive. Queenstown’s city centre is about 15 minutes’ drive away. There’s also the shopping centre nearby and a library.
An Uber ride into town is at least $30, but buses service the area.
Accessibility: The hotel is fully accessible.
Contact: wyndhamhotels.com