Condé Nast gold for NZ luxury resorts
14 Jan 2010
New Zealand’s Blanket Bay luxury resort near Queenstown has been rated the second best place to stay in the world according to Condé Nast Traveler 2010 Gold List.
The rating comes hard on the heels of being named the world’s third greatest accommodation property in Condé Nast Readers’ Choice 2009 Top 100.
Condé Nast lists Blanket Bay as the second-highest scoring property in the world, and the top-scoring hotel in Asia, Australia and Pacific nations.
Perfect scores
The January 2010 edition of the prestigious magazine features in-depth ratings of the world’s best places to stay. Blanket Bay received perfect scores of 100 out of 100 in three categories - rooms, service and location.
Food and property design scored 95.8 and 95.7 respectively to achieve an overall score of 98.3 - the second highest score of any property in the world.
The magazine describes Blanket Bay as an "upscale lodge in a perfect-scoring location between the Southern Alps and Lake Wakatipu ... with perfect-scoring rooms that have stone fireplaces, recycled timber, floor-to-ceiling arched windows, antler chandeliers, and very welcoming hot tubs.
"The menu at the restaurant ... emphasises local meats like Canterbury duck leg and Angus beef. Perfect-scoring staff never miss a thing."
Phenomenal achievement
Tourism New Zealand regional manager for North America Annie Dundas says the Blanket Bay achievement is phenomenal.
"To be listed yet again as Gold Standard in this magazine shows a huge commitment to the highest possible standards. It’s tantamount to saying this property is consistently one of the world’s best," said Dundas.
Blanket Bay was one of only two properties in New Zealand to have made the 2010 Gold List. Huka Lodge also features with an overall score of 90.8.
Important rating
Ms Dundas says ratings are vitally important for promoting New Zealand to high end travellers, particularly as New Zealand doesn’t have the big brand hotel properties often favoured by high end American travellers.
"Blanket Bay and Huka Lodge are demonstrating to the world that New Zealand does luxury very well, only the scale is smaller. These ratings tell consumers that we have properties that are easily the equivalent of the big brand hotels such as Four Seasons.
"To consistently see our properties listed alongside and above the best builds consumer confidence. It certainly makes our job of promotion easier and more credible," Dundas said.
Blanket Bay awards
In the 10 years since opening in December 1999, Blanket Bay has risen quickly into the ranks of the world’s best properties with a number of awards ranging from building honours through to hotel management.
The resort’s culinary team have won several individual awards, and Blanket Bay regularly appears on lists of the world’s best accommodation properties.
The lodge is located on the northern end of Lake Wakatipu just 40 minutes from Queenstown.
It is an expansive lakeside property on a 65,000 high country farm and combines the sophistication of the world's finest alpine lodges with the unique characteristics of New Zealand.
There are just 13 rooms - six intimate en suite lakeside rooms with private balconies, three 700-square foot suites and four chalet suites.
The surrounding scenery - the location for the Lord of the Rings saga with dramatic jagged mountains and glass-like lake - also gets special mention in award reviews.
More information:
Blanket Bay gets Condé Nast Readers Choice
New Zealand luxury lodges featured among world's best
New Zealand’s 2009 awards
Blanket Bay story
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