It was a foggy day when we set out to travel to Queenstown and because of that our flight was delayed. Once we did get going it was a fairly rough ride, and I was glad to be back on the ground once we arrived. Not the nicest start to the trip, but sometimes it happens.
It wasn’t as cold as we expected either, around 12–13°C so quite mild for winter. There wasn’t any snow yet, and it felt like the ski season was still just getting started. The ski fields weren’t really in full swing yet, and the usual winter crowds of skiers hadn’t yet arrived.
After picking up the hire car we headed into town for lunch at Mrs Ferg Gelateria. It was busy, as Queenstown usually is, but still had that easy holiday feel about it. Finally time to relax and unwind!
We checked into The Central Private Hotel not long after. True to its name, it is very central, which made everything easy. You can just walk out the door, turn right and in about five minutes you’re in town.
That evening we had a night out on the town, first stopping for a drink down at Steamer Wharf, just sitting outside watching people come and go. From there we headed to Saigon Kingdom for dinner — noodles and spring rolls, nothing fancy, but it was fine after a long day.
We finished with ice cream from Patagonia Chocolates. There was the usual queue, but it moved along and no one seemed in too much of a hurry and the ice cream was divine, as always.
Arrowtown & Ayrburn Estate
The next day we headed to Arrowtown and Ayrburn, only a short drive from Queenstown, but they feel quite different once you’re there.
We started the day with coffee and little lemon meringue tarts at The Bakehouse, then walked out towards the waterfall. An easy walk, nothing too demanding, just fresh air and a bit of time outside.
Ayrburn is very well done. Restored buildings, open spaces, and plenty of little areas to wander through. You don’t really need a plan there, you just drift around and see what you come across. We stopped at The Woolshed for a drink, then had lunch and a wine tasting at The Manure Room. Everything is close together, which makes it very easy.
Central Otago Pinot Noir is what this region is known for, and it really does stand out — rich, smooth, and full of depth without being heavy. It reflects the cool-climate growing conditions here, with long sunny days and crisp nights that help develop both flavour and balance.
New Zealand wines in general have a strong international reputation, particularly for their purity and consistency. While dairy and meat remain our largest exports, wine is one of our key export industries, with most of it produced for overseas markets. It continues to punch well above its weight globally, especially with cool-climate varieties like Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc.
Arrowtown itself is small and tidy, with historic buildings and plenty of visitor shops. The autumn colours were still on show, which made it look even more beautiful.
By the time we got back, there was happy hour at the hotel, which made for an easy end to the day. We weren’t hungry after that, so it ended up being a simple evening with a stroll and another ice cream back in Queenstown.
Mt Difficulty Winery
Then it was my birthday, and Basker had organised a wine tasting and long lunch at Mt Difficulty Winery. In fact, that was the main reason for our Queenstown getaway, so I was really looking forward to it.
The winery sits in Bannockburn above the Cromwell Basin, with sweeping views across the vineyards, cherry orchards, Lake Dunstan, and the surrounding hills. It’s the sort of place where you settle into your seat, look out at the view, and lose track of time. Winter means the vines and cherry trees are stripped bare, but the landscape was still very striking.
We started with a tasting at the bar. Mt Difficulty is especially well known for its Bannockburn Pinot Noir and also its aromatic whites like Riesling and Pinot Gris — all very expressive wines that reflect the dry, warm days and cool nights of the region. It’s the kind of place where the wines really match the landscape: structured, clean, and quietly confident.
Then we moved into the dining room for lunch. No rushing, just taking it all in. I’m not a huge wine drinker myself — I do like bubbly, but that’s about it — so the wine side of things was probably more of a highlight for Basker than for me. I just had to laugh… I did manage to quietly order a gin and tonic instead, which felt slightly ironic given the setting.
Afterwards we had coffee outside on the balcony in the beautiful afternoon sun before heading off.
The drive back was lovely, through the gorge with the light changing across the mountains as the afternoon went on. We made it back in time for happy hour again, which seemed to have become part of the routine. Later we walked through the Queenstown Gardens and into town, then back again. Just enough to stretch the legs after lunch.
Leaving Queenstown
Leaving Queenstown was very straightforward. Breakfast, pack up, and drop the key, then a short drive to fill up petrol then return the rental car out by the airport.
From there it was just a quiet wait at the airport with coffee and cheese rolls before heading back to Auckland Domestic where Nisha was waiting to pick us up and take us home.
Wrapping Up
This wasn’t a trip where we tried to tick off a long list of attractions, even though Queenstown has plenty of them. We did, however, somehow manage two wineries in two days, which seemed like a perfectly sensible itinerary to us. Good food, good wine, leisurely walks around Queenstown and Arrowtown, and time to simply enjoy the scenery made it exactly the sort of break we were after.
The hotel was a bit different from what we normally choose. More modern, self check-in, dim lighting, rave music and a slightly different feel overall. It took a little getting used to, but it worked out fine, we got used to it. The location was excellent.
By the end of it, it had been a very pleasant break.
Until the next little getaway,
– ♡ Janet
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