Blanket Bay Lodge Review: A Remote Alpine Retreat with Unmatched Scenery

Set against the brooding backdrop of the Humboldt Mountains and perched on the edge of Lake Wakatipu, Blanket Bay is a luxury lodge that redefines seclusion in New Zealand’s South Island. The journey here, a winding 45-minute drive from Queenstown, is a prelude to the lodge’s singular sense of place: a landscape of cinematic grandeur, where the silence is broken only by the occasional call of native birds or the distant rush of water.

Arrival

There is no front desk. Instead, a staff member materializes, as if conjured by the wilderness itself, to usher guests into the Great Room. Here, vaulted ceilings, an antler chandelier, and a crackling stone fireplace set the tone. The windows stretch floor to ceiling, framing the lake like a living painting.

The absence of formalities is striking. Check-in is conducted over tea, the general manager inquiring about dinner preferences as if welcoming old friends. It’s a disarming start, one that blurs the line between luxury hotel and private home.

The Accommodations: Rustic Refinement

Blanket Bay’s rooms are studies in alpine sophistication. Ours, a Chalet Suite, stood apart from the main lodge, its seclusion amplifying the sense of retreat.

• Design: Exposed beams, local stone, and handcrafted woodwork nod to the region’s frontier heritage. Yet the details—heated floors, a steam shower, Nespresso machine—are unmistakably modern.

• The View: The chalet’s private terrace offered an unobstructed panorama of the lake, where mornings began with mist rising off the water and evenings ended with the alpenglow on the peaks.

• The Fireplace: An actual wood-burning hearth, stacked daily by staff, became the evening’s focal point.

Dining: A Culinary Expedition

The lodge’s all-inclusive model means meals are events, not afterthoughts.

• Dinner: Served in multiple venues—the fireside dining room, a candlelit wine cave, or the terrace—each course is a tribute to local ingredients.

• Breakfast: A buffet of house-made pastries and fresh fruit precedes à la carte options. 

• The Caveat: While the food is excellent, service pacing can falter when the lodge is full—a rare misstep in an otherwise seamless experience.

The Blanket Bay Experience: Between Adventure and Repose

This is a lodge that understands its guests: those who crave both adrenaline and stillness.

Adventure

• By Air: A helicopter tour to Milford Sound is the crown jewel, offering a dizzying perspective of glaciers and fjords. (Weather permitting—New Zealand’s skies are fickle.)

• On Land: Hiking trails unfurl from the property, while Jack’s Point Golf Course, with its backdrop of the Remarkables, lures players.

Stillness

• The Spa: A therapist, whispered about in guest logs as "magic," tailors each massage to the individual—no preset routines here.

• The Pool: A heated lap pool, open seasonally, is walled for privacy, its waters mirroring the lake beyond.

The Nuances

Blanket Bay is not for everyone. Its remoteness means no impromptu excursions; its design, though elegant, leans more Rocky Mountain lodge than Kiwi retreat. Some may find the handshake introductions from every staff member overly formal, others charming.

Yet these are quibbles. What lingers is the sense of place, the way the light moves across the water at dawn, the sound of kea parrots in the pines, the quiet luxury of a lodge that feels, somehow, like it has always been here.

The Bottom Line

Blanket Bay is a rarity: a luxury lodge that earns its accolades. It is not the most avant-garde, nor the most overtly "New Zealand" in style. But it is unmatched in its harmony with the land, offering a retreat where the wilderness is not just a view but a presence.

This property excels in the art of balance: between wilderness and comfort, adventure and tranquility, privacy and conviviality. For travelers seeking solitude with a side of adventure, this luxury lodge on Lake Wakatipu offers an experience that is both deeply relaxing and profoundly memorable.