Although Queenstown is generally known for its extreme sports and adventurous activities, it also has its fair share of more relaxing pursuits. For Ben’s birthday this year, I decided to treat us to a soak and spa treatment at Onsen Hot Pools followed by a stay at the Kamana Lakehouse. If you’re looking to have a (relatively affordable) Queenstown luxury spa getaway, read on for my honest review of both places!
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Queenstown luxury spa getaway: Onsen Hot Pools
We tried the Serenity Soak & Spa at Onsen Hot Pools. This package includes a 45-minute soak, 1-hour spa treatment, and refreshments for afterward. There are several different treatment options, but we went with the Pure Fiji Bespoke Massage. The building is located in Arthurs Point, right next to the Shotover River.
Hot tub soak
The package we chose included a 45-minute soak in an oval tub. Our view was amazing — the room opened up completely with sweeping views of the mountains, canyon, and river below. The Shotover Jet comes down this way, so we got to watch a few of them zoom around the river bends.
When we first came into the room, there was a tray near the tub that held some drinks and snacks that we had picked in the lobby. The drink options included several different types of champagne, beer, juice, or Nespresso coffee. You could also choose between chocolate, ice cream, or chips for your snack. A worker poured in the nice-smelling bath oils that we had chosen earlier and left us to enjoy our soak.
Once your allotted soaking time is up, the water automatically starts to drain from the tub. There’s a waterfall shower in the room that you can use to freshen up before your massage. Once we stepped out of the door, our massage therapists were already waiting to lead us to our next room.
Massage
When you first get to the Onsen, you’re given a detailed form where you can specify what areas you want focused on or avoided during your massage. You choose between relaxation or deep tissue massage and how deep you want the pressure to be. You also choose between three different scents for your massage oil.
The Onsen gives you a robe and slippers to wear on your way down. The whole atmosphere in the building is relaxed and inviting. Our massage therapists were friendly and very professional. They went over the forms we filled out earlier and let us know to tell them if we wanted them to change anything. The massage itself was absolutely wonderful and seemed to go by very quickly.
Refreshments
In addition to the hot tub refreshments, the Onsen also provides post-massage refreshments. We received a pot of peppermint tea, a Chia drink, a bottle of sparkling water, and two lemony bars. There’s a nice lounge area past the reception desk where you can sit, eat, and enjoy the view after your spa treatment.
Overall thoughts on Onsen Hot Pools
I loved every second at Onsen Hot Pools. From the second we stepped inside, the staff were kind, helpful, and extremely professional. The hot tub soak was lovely and the massage felt really luxurious. I loved that we were offered refreshments throughout the whole process as well.
The whole package cost NZ$235 (US$166) per person, which I feel was quite reasonable for how lavish everything was. I definitely felt very bougie and pampered here. If you don’t want to spend as much money, they also offer a package that includes just the hot tub soak without the massage.
Queenstown luxury spa getaway: Kamana Lakehouse
We stayed at the Kamana Lakehouse. I chose the Lakeview Luxe room for the two (2!!) bathtubs and the unobstructed (you guessed it) lake view. The hotel is located in the Fernhill neighborhood, about a 5-minute drive from Queenstown city center.
The Lakeview Luxe room is the swankiest room the hotel offers, costing NZ$460 (US$326) a night. If you’re looking for a more affordable option, they also offer rooms starting at NZ$156 (US$110) a night. Getting a cheaper room and purchasing an hour in their Kamana Soak tubs is a great way to get the luxury treatment on a budget.
The room
The bedroom included a super king bed, a comfortable chair and ottoman, and a wrap-around balcony. The bed was extremely comfortable (I slept like a rock). There are a few outlets and USB ports near both sides of the bed as well. The unit by the bed had all of your basic hotel amenities: clothes hangers, safe, mini-fridge, and kettle.
The bathroom is where you’ll find bathtub #1. The large window has a glorious view of Lake Wakatipu and the nearby mountains, with a shade if you want some more privacy. There is also a waterfall shower, ample counter space, a hairdryer, and lovely-smelling toiletries.
Bathtub #2 is located on the wrap-around porch. It is legitimately massive and took us almost 45 minutes to fill up all the way. There are towels, robes, and a shelf located conveniently next to the tub.
The main draw of the Lakeview Luxe room, of course, is the incredible view of Queenstown from above. Sunset is a wonderful time to take a nice, long soak in the outdoor tub and have a glass of wine. The water in the tub gets very hot, which makes it easy to stay in it for a while once the sun goes down.
Queenstown luxury spa getaway: Amenities
Our room package included:
- Waffle robes
- Slippers
- Free wifi
- Free first minibar set-up: 2 bottles of water, 2 Steinlager beers, 1 bottle of white wine, 2 Cokes
- Bathroom amenity kits: shaving kit, sewing kit, dental kit
- Buy one get one free breakfast
- Free parking
- T2 teas
- Nespresso coffee maker and pods
- Full-sized Real World products: hand soap, body wash, shampoo, conditioner, body lotion
- Scented bath salts
- Free drop-off and pick-up to Queenstown city center
- 46″ TV
Nest restaurant
Despite the hotel offering free transportation to the city center, we decided to stay and have dinner at the hotel restaurant. Nest Kitchen & Bar is an art-deco style restaurant specializing in gin & tonics and Kiwi-Mediterranean cuisine. We opted to get the 3-course meal (starter, main, and dessert) for NZ$60 (US$42) each.
I’m no food critic, nor am I fancy enough to even know what half of what I ate actually was — all I know was that it was delicious. The flavors were so interesting and strange (but in a good way). The portions seemed a bit small coming out, but I was definitely full at the end of the meal because each dish was so rich and flavorful. The drinks were incredible and quite strong as well.
Overall thoughts on Kamana Lakehouse
My experience at Kamana Lakehouse was wonderful. It was such a nice change of pace to have such plush amenities and gourmet food (we’re big on #vanlife). It definitely was an expensive experience, but I’d highly recommend it to anyone looking for a really nice hotel in Queenstown. The suite we booked would be great for any couple celebrating a special occasion or anniversary in particular.
I ended up spending exactly NZ$666 (US$473) at Kamana Lakehouse — this covered one night in the Lakeview Luxe room and dinner for two at Nest. Despite the disconcerting final total, I feel like this was a fair price. The aesthetic beauty of the surroundings, the amenities, and the beautiful presentation at the restaurant all made it more than worth it.
Book a tour in Queenstown
If you’re looking to have a luxury spa getaway in Queenstown, look no further than Onsen Hot Pools and Kamana Lakehouse. Both places left us feeling relaxed, recharged, and pleasantly surprised.
xoxo Niki
