Blanket Bay is situated just outside of Glenorchy, a small town at the northern head of Lake Wakatipu. Bordered on two sides by National Parks, the tiny village sits against a backdrop of rugged high country, beautiful mountains, glacier fed rivers and ancient beech forests. It is here that Peter Jackson chose to film the epic movie trilogy, Lord of the Rings.

Glenorchy is the jumping off point for three of the most famous walking tracks in New Zealand, (the Routeburn, the Greenstone/Caples, and the Rees/Dart). The Dart River is famous for its jet boat trips into the Mount Aspiring National Park.

Paradise Station lies a few kilometers further up the road.

• 4 kilometres from Blanket Bay.
• 44 kilometres (27.3 miles) from Queenstown.
• Location for much of Lord of Rings movies.
• Walking track capital of New Zealand.
• Gateway to two spectacular national parks.
• Central to many great trout fishing rivers.

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Accommodations

The Lodge at Blanket Bay sits in sprawling grounds on the bush-clad fringes of Lake Wakatipu. Built in the grand style of the finest alpine lodges and finished with native New Zealand timber and stone, the Lodge is a sanctuary of comfort.

The long driveway meanders across a green pasture where you will find sheep grazing. To the north, magnificent views of Mount Earnslaw. Further along, stunning views of Lake Wakatipu open up on your left, looming ahead, the grandeur of the Humboldt mountain range, it’s here, across the lake where the world famous Greenstone and Routeburn Tracks begin.

In the Great Room, vast couches and antique furniture invite guests to sit and wind-down from the day's activities. In this spectacular room at the heart of the Lodge, thirty-foot high bridge beam ceilings soar above the framed view through massive windows. Come and relax, read a book in front of the crackling fire or just sit back and enjoy the view.

Pre-dinner cocktails are served from 6.30pm in this magnificent room and The Den, a time to mingle with your fellow guests.

Our Games Room is complete with its own pool table, table shuffle board and television lounge with 60" screen and satellite channel access. If you prefer, backgammon, chess, cards and extensive DVD library are all available. The self serve bar, stocked with beer and soft drinks, is open any time at no extra charge.

The lodge Health Facilities featuring separate male and female steam rooms and change rooms and adjoins the lodge spa pool that is situated to make the most of the views over our large pond and across Lake Wakatipu to the Humboldt Mountains. A perfect location for a relaxing soak after a workout in the gym or an active day in the outdoors. Workout using the latest and best equipment with unsurpassed views of the Humboldt Mountains. Our gym is fully equipped with a Vectra Multi Station and Life Fitness Cardio Equipment.

The sprawling Outdoor Terrace is a perfect spot to relax and watch the red-gold sun set behind the magnificent snow capped mountains. Seated in front of the massive outdoor fireplace, savouring the warmth and enjoying the sweeping views down the lake, it is a stunning setting for dinner under the stars.

Breakfast and lunch are served in the comfortable and spacious Breakfast Dining Room which has lake-views and a stone fireplace. In the evening dinner is served at individual tables in front of the fire in the Evening Dining Room, on the Outdoor Terrace or for a more intimate occasion in the secluded Wine Cave. Wherever you choose to dine you will savour the intense, sun-ripened flavours of Pacific Rim cuisine.

Just across the hall the Wine Cellar, enclosed by distressed timber prison-style doors and lined in schist stone, provides an ideal location to store the Lodge's vintage wines

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Dining

The elegant Lake View Evening Dining Room with beamed ceiling and stone fireplace is where dinner is served on individual tables. For the more intimate occasion, the Wine Cave is a perfect venue for private dining and can be reserved for up to six people. Under a clear southern sky The Terrace is a magnificent setting with the fire behind and the mountain and lake vistas unfolding around you....

Blanket Bay is pleased to have Jason Dell as our Executive Chef. A former 'New Zealand Chef of Year' Jason describes his 'style' of food as a contemporary display of fresh vibrant fare that excites the palate.

He strives for creative visual appeal, eclectic taste sensations and harmony of flavours and was trained under one of New Zealand's most elite professional and respected culinary individuals - Mr Rick Rutledge Manning, where he gained a solid grounding in both classical French and new age Pacific Rim cookery styles and a greater appreciation and understanding for premium New Zealand produce.

His passion for culinary excellence continues to evolve and he enjoys bringing a fresh perspective to the dining experiences for guests at Blanket Bay.

Jason's vision is to afford our discerning, well-travelled clientele the opportunity to savour an array of eclectic foods that showcase some of the finest ingredients New Zealand has to offer to the global market.

At Blanket Bay we stock only the finest wines and spirits. We feature the best of New Zealand's vineyards and are especially proud to offer award winning Pinot Noirs, Chardonnays, Sauvignon Blancs, and Rieslings grown and bottled right here in Central Otago. Blanket Bay has a close affiliation with Amisfield Wines located overlooking Lake Hayes near Queenstown. Martinborough and Marlborough's finest also feature on our wine list.

A special feature of the Lodge is our Wine Room and Wine Cave. On request wine tasting will give you the opportunity to sample and experience some of the world acclaimed local New Zealand wines.

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Activities

We can provide you with endless ways to help restore your physical and spiritual well-being in this enchanting corner of New Zealand.

Here are some suggestions that will help you plan your stay at the lodge. 

We suggest you do not pre book activities as weather is often a factor. On arrival we will offer you the many different options and tailor these to suit your stay. An exception to this rule is fishing guides. Fly fishermen should reserve guides in advance.

We recommend you do not book a day trip from Blanket Bay to Milford Sound using land transport. This would involve a road journey of at least five hours each way. Often, if you drive to Milford by coach or chauffeur driven car, you are unable to fly back to Queenstown due to weather, thus spending more than nine hours in a bus or car.

We recommend you take the scenic helicopter flight described below, the helicopters take off directly from our front lawn.

If you wish to fly to Milford by light aircraft it is sensible to use Glenorchy Air who fly from the airstrip close by rather than fly from Queenstown Airport which is a one hour drive from the lodge. Helicopter flights and Glenorchy Air can be arranged on arrival.

• Scenic Helicopter Flights - Blanket Bay, in association with Heliworks, offers you the chance to experience a birds-eye view of this breathtaking landscape.
• Hiking - The Milford Track, which leads to the heart of spectacular Milford Sound, has been described as "the finest walk in the world". Like the nearby Routeburn and Greenstone Tracks, it passes by pristine waterfalls and beneath soaring ice-clad peaks.
• Horseback riding and mountain biking can be arranged by the front office team at the lodge.
• Fishing and Heli-fishing - Legendary American travel writer Zane Grey once described New Zealand as "an angler's El Dorado". Our professional guides can take you to wild and untouched rivers offering the best fly-fishing in the world.
• Other Activities - Explore the Dart River, departure by arrangement from our our jetty.
• Heli-skiing - Ski enthusiasts can enjoy some of the finest skiing in the world during winter (July to September) on the pure powder snow of the surrounding mountain slopes, only minutes away from the Lodge.
• Pure Adventure - In association with Pure Adventure Blanket Bay offers an unlimited array of professionally guided activities.