Sunshine Bay Queenstown, New Zealand
Renovated
2026
Price
$$
Rated for
Design Wellness LocalOutside the door
Upcycled alpine oasis
Reclaimed brick courtyards with open fireplaces and live music bring an easygoing community spirit to the alpine hillside.
“Taking inspiration from the place where alternative and rock ’n’ roll lifestyles meet, the new owners of a 1980s motel have created a laidback retreat.”
What it’s good at
Notable
Upcycled alpine interiors feature Italian wool army blanket curtains, cork paneling, and recycled kilim cushions.
Notable
A timber yoga studio overlooks the vegetable garden alongside an on-site sauna and seasonal wholefoods dining.
Notable
Dining centers on a seven-hundred-square-metre organic garden, native paua, and independent Central Otago natural wines.
What they say
Michelin Selected
Michelin
Also in Wallpaper*.
a one-time motor lodge that’s been recycled, upcycled, and upgraded into a charmingly retro boutique hotel.
Somewhere quiet
Away from the crowds. Getting around takes intention.
Set along Frankton Road above Lake Wakatipu, the hotel sits five minutes by car from central Queenstown.
The rooms
Upcycled cork walls, pure merino wool blankets, and kilim cushions frame sweeping views of Lake Wakatipu and the Remarkables.
Studio, sauna and massage
Daily movement classes run in the cork-ceilinged studio, and guests can book massage treatments and the private sauna.
Sherwood Restaurant
Michelin-starred dining centers on wood-fired flatbreads and in-house ferments gathered straight from the on-site vegetable beds.
At the table
The timber bar serves cocktails mixed with Antipodean spirits, local craft beers, and natural wines on tap.
How it began
A 1980s mock-Tudor motor lodge was stripped back and reimagined in 2014 as an eco-conscious mountain base camp.
Good to know
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Sherwood Queenstown
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Queenstown
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Our shorthand
How we rate hotels.
The medals
Gold
Extremely rare. Sets the global standard.
Silver
Brilliant execution. And we’re picky.
Bronze
They did this well. You’ll notice.
Listed
A defining trait. Makes the hotel what it is.
The eight vibes
Design
Built around a vision. Even the door handles have a designer.
Luxe
Cared for at every turn. The bath is drawn before you ask.
Local
It could only be here. You wake up knowing where you are.
Social
Where the city goes out. The bar is full and the night is young.
Heritage
A building with a story. Once a palace, a monastery, a station.
Wellness
You leave feeling new. Rest, sweat, soak and sleep like a stone.
Classic
The city grew up with it. Same rituals, same regulars, same bar.
Resort
A world of its own. Something to do from breakfast to nightcap.
The scene
Lively
Where things happen: restaurants, shops, people.
Central
Well-located: walkable to some things, a short ride to more.
Quiet
Away from the crowds. Getting around takes intention.
Secluded
A place apart: the property is the destination.