Best cellar door experiences in Queenstown

Sally Scott goes in search of the perfect pinot noir in Queenstown.

Adrenalin-packed adventures aside, New Zealand’s Central Otago wine region offers all the pinot noir action you need on a visit to Queenstown. In just 15 minutes from the town centre you can be immersed in Gibbston Valley wine country. A relatively young wine region, farming land has been converted to grape growing in recent years which has seen over 75 wineries burst onto the scene.

Many Queenstown wineries have a cellar door with tastings, tours and excellent winery restaurants. Discover the Gibbston Wine Trail yourself or enlist the experts of Appellation Wine Tours for a private wine tour.

Here’s the best cellar door experiences to be had in Queenstown, all delivering their own unique expression of the mighty pinot noir.

Amisfield Winery

Amisfield Winery is known as much for its dining experience as its world-class wines. The Bistro has been serving its signature ‘Trust the Chef’ degustation menu for ions with lunch a 3 or 5 course extravaganza or a 7 course gastronomic journey for dinner with a selection of Amisfield wines. One of the largest single vineyards in the region, winemaker Stephanie Lambert crafts wines of distinction and there are plenty of varieties on tasting at the sophisticated cellar door.

Address: 10 Lake Hayes Road, Queenstown New Zealand

Wet Jacket

This boutique winery is a must-visit in Central Otago. Owner Greg Hay (of Chard Farm fame) has created a unique cellar door experience in a rustic converted woolshed. With no tours or large groups to compete with, wine tasting is a relaxed affair, either seated fireside or around a communal table talking all things wine with the engaging team. It feels more like friends gathering around the kitchen table riffing about wine than a cellar door. It’s modern, fun and the perfect presentation of new world wines.

Address: 1 Bendemeer Lane, 903 State Highway 6, Lake Hayes, New Zealand

Wet Jacket is a boutique winery in Central Otago.

Wine tastings are enjoyed fireside inside a converted woolshed at Wet Jacket’s cellar door.

Gibbston Valley

A visit to Gibbston Valley isn’t complete without a tour of the impressive wine cave. Nestled in the mountain to provide a regulated temperature, it’s New Zealand’s largest wine cave and available for tours, tastings and events. Dine in the restaurant or graze on an epic cheese and charcuterie board for the perfect pinot accompaniment.

As one of the region’s founding wineries, the estate continues to evolve, with a new luxury lodge and spa due to open in December 2019.

Address: 1820 State Highway 6, Queenstown New Zealand 9371

Gibbston Valley is one of the region’s founding wineries. Photo: Destination Queenstown

Chard Farm

Chard Farm is a picturesque hillside winery with a European feel. Established by Rob and Gerdi Hay, the family are winemaking pioneers in the area. Rob Hay studied winemaking in Germany before returning to New Zealand and this German influence is evident in the superior Riesling and Gewurztraminers available for tastings. Snap a selfie with the famous sculpture Lola by local artist Lee van der Geest for a chance to win a magnum of pinot noir.

Address: 205 Chard Road RD 1, Gibbston 9197 New Zealand

Peregrine Estate

Passionate about organic farming, the family-owned winery is now officially certified as organic from vintage 2017. Organic farming is fundamental to every aspect of Peregrine Estate with a holistic approach to crop and vineyard management. A modern winery with a spectacular architect designed cellar door whose exterior echoes the sweep of a falcon’s wing in flight and inside you’ll sip wines while viewing the vast barrel hall. This exquisite wine-only experience allows you to focus solely on the art of wine at Peregrine.

Address: 2127 Gibbston Highway, RDI Queenstown 9371 New Zealand

Peregrine Estate is a family-owned organic winery.

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Kinross

Visit Kinross and you’ll have the pleasure of tasting several award-winning Central Otago labels including Coal Pit, Domaine Thomson, Hawkshead, Kinross, Valli and Wild Irishman. More than a one-stop winery shop, this collective showcases the region’s best drops delivered by a passionate and educated team who are well versed in each winemaker’s journey to provide a quality tasting experience. Kinross also offers an onsite bistro and cosy cottages for the ultimate vineyard experience.

Address: 2300 Gibbston Highway RD1, Queenstown 9371 New Zealand

The Winery

If you’re time poor from a day of adventure in Queenstown, The Winery right in the heart of town is your saviour. At The Winery, you can taste over 80 New Zealand wines in one place via their nifty Enomatic Wine Serving System, allowing you to curate your own wine flight. You can self-serve a taste, half or full glass of wine from their premium selection, which boasts 24 New Zealand pinot noir’s on tasting. You can also purchase a bottle from their extensive range of 900 wines and savour in the cosy wine lounge with a cheese platter. Watch this space for an Arrowtown outpost of The Winery coming soon.

Address: 14 Beach Street, Queenstown New Zealand

Planning a trip to New Zealand? Read more of the best travel tips in our Ultimate Travel Guide to New Zealand.

Wellbeing means different things to different travellers. Here’s how to pick a hotel that gets it right for you.

The best wellness holidays aren’t necessarily spent wrapped in a spa robe. Sometimes they’re found around a dinner table in Cambodia, on a hiking trail in New Zealand or after finally beating jet lag on the other side of the world. The hotel you choose is what makes them happen.

1. Easy access to good food

meals from Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20 — Taste delicious meals at Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20.

One of the quickest ways to derail healthy habits on holiday is to spend half of it working out where to eat instead of digging into the culture around you. Thankfully, Novotel has done much of the hard work already, with chefs building menus that lean into the flavours, ingredients and traditions of each destination.

In Sihanoukville, Cambodia, Korkor soup – often dubbed ‘Cambodian ratatouille’ – sits alongside raw blue crab dressed with lime and chilli, best enjoyed with views across the Gulf of Thailand.

In the lovingly chaotic city of Bangkok, the presence of food cranks up the sociability. At Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20, you can settle in with mango sticky rice and stranger-turned-friends beside the pool at Sky on 20 rooftop bar, or bring them along to tackle river prawns and stir-fried crab with holy basil at the buzzing Crab Paradise Dinner Buffet.

Then Novotel Dubai Al Barsha welcomes you with a laidback twist on the level of indulgence the Middle Eastern city is best known for up on Deck Se7en. Looking towards Burj Al Arab, the rooftop lounge has everything from Mediterranean-style dishes like seabass ceviche to Italian prosecco sundowners.

At the other end of the scale, in the hills that surround the Novotel Bali Ubud Resort, calm comes from nature. At Siralada restaurant, Balinese traditions shape the menu while thunder rumbles over the surrounding jungle – proving the setting is as nourishing as the food itself.

While at Novotel Nha Trang, chef Kieu Thi My Hanh and her team showcase Vietnam’s knack for balancing freshness, texture and fragrant herbs. Pho remains a favourite, while seafood salad with pomelo and mango brings those flavours together in one bright dish.

It’s all an approach backed by partnerships with expert food creators such as Alfie Steiner, whose plant-forward recipes prove healthy food should never taste plain.

2. Better sleep options

Novotel Bali Ubud Resort room — Sleep deeply with Novotel.

There are few travel experiences more disappointing than arriving in a new country, determined to seize the day, only to fall asleep fully clothed by 3pm.

For Australian travellers, jet lag is often an unavoidable part of the journey. That’s one reason Novotel runs sleep-focused initiatives that help guests adjust quickly without compromising on health. We’re talking partnerships with Sydney-based sleep specialist Olivia Arezzolo, known for her advice on everything from better sleep habits to beating jet lag, alongside features like pillow menus, in-room yoga content and tailored sleep guidance.

The sooner you’re operating on local time, the sooner you can get back to more pressing matters – like deciding which spa treatment to book.

3. More ways to move

woman hiking around queenstown new zealand — Stay at Novotel Queenstown Lakeside and explore local hiking trails. (Credit: GettyI mages/ naruedom)

Every place in the world has its own way of getting you moving: whether that’s hiking up ice-bitten mountains before a sauna or gentle stretching by the pool before a facial. From fitness centres to spas, Novotel recognises that wellbeing rarely looks the same.

At Novotel Queenstown Lakeside, activity is inescapable. Here, hiking trails, ski fields, bungee jumps, and white-water rafting have made the region famous. The hotel’s location on the shores of Lake Wakatipu means less time spent organising yourself and more time out there experiencing them. To top it all off, you can book a private hot tub for the evening before heading back into the wilderness tomorrow.

Bali, of course, takes a softer approach. At Novotel Bali Ubud Resort or Novotel Bali Nusa Dua, movement is less about conquering a mountain and more about a dance class between the tropical gardens and lagoon pools. Afterwards, the spa takes over, with traditional treatments like a Lulur body scrub: a combination of rice, turmeric, sandalwood, ginger and jasmine that’ll soothe muscles already relaxed by the Balinese heat.

4. Better connections

Kids will love a stay at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh.

One of the best things about travel is that it gives your family stories you’ll be telling for years. Novotel helps create them with activities that bring everyone together, whether that’s trying something new, learning a local skill, or simply spending more time together.

Go for a distinctly Thai twist at Novotel Phuket Vintage Park, where many of the family activities draw on local culture. Kids can try everything from beginner Thai boxing and language lessons to umbrella painting and – a pastime beloved by children the world over – pool foam parties. Everyone is welcome to join in, whether that’s getting splashed, covered in paint, or simply watching their children discover a new side of Thailand during the dedicated Family & Kids Day.

A different adventure awaits at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh. Kids could be perfectly content with discos, drawing classes and new holiday friends, but the Red Sea has other ideas. Sitting on the edge of Naama Bay, days here might involve snorkelling colourful reefs, taking a boat trip to Ras Mohammed National Park or heading into the desert by quad bike or camel for a Bedouin-style dinner beneath the stars.

5. Location is everything

Surin Beach, Choeng Thale, Thalang District, Phuket, Thaiföld — Explore Phuket’s gorgeous beaches. (Credit: Bence Biczo)

Everyone’s idea of wellness looks a little different. With more than 600 hotels across 65 countries, Novotel gives guests the freedom to choose the destination that suits them best. Whether that’s a beachside escape in Phuket, an alpine expedition in Queenstown or a city break in Bangkok, there’s a good chance a Novotel isn’t far away.

All that’s left? Choosing your version of wellbeing.

Discover stays to inspire your everyday at novotel.accor.com.