Best wellness experiences in Queenstown

Slow down in Queenstown for the ultimate wellness weekend.

Queenstown’s pristine landscape makes it the perfect place to leave the fast-paced world behind and in search of the ultimate Zen. While Queenstown is generally tackled at a full pace on adventure holidays, slow down and soak in the natural beauty of Lake Wakatipu and the dramatic peaks of the Remarkables with some of Queenstown’s best wellness experiences.

Whether a wellness experience is your primary purpose for travel or simply an indulgent addition to your next holiday, taking time to expand your mind, challenge your body and connect with nature will leave you feeling relaxed and rejuvenated.

Carve out a little self-care and mindfulness on your next Queenstown holiday, whether it’s a retreat, a day spa or simply being at one with nature.

Soak at Onsen Hot Pools

Immerse yourself in New Zealand’s restorative pure water and bathe in the beauty of the alpine scenery from cedar-lined tubs at Onsen Hot Pools. This award-winning experience offers a uniquely kiwi take on traditional Japanese Onsen, where guests enjoy exclusive use of an original or outdoor cedar tub and soak (in their swimmers) overlooking the Shotover River. The tub is continually refreshed and heated to approximately 38.5 degrees for optimal relaxation, whatever the weather. Onsen is also home to a tranquil day spa, so you can opt for a soak only or package with your choice of face or body treatments. This is a ‘must do’ experience for visitors to Queenstown and it’s advisable to book well in advance of your arrival.

Pampered at Body Sanctum Day Spa

Queenstown’s original and multi-award-winning day spa offers seven treatment rooms for visitors to escape to moments of calm in their holiday itinerary. Once you’ve been whisked upstairs from the buzz of downtown Queenstown, you’ll enter Body Sanctum’s urban oasis. The friendly team of therapists use a range of carefully crafted Pacific and local products including ‘Skin Deep’ Manuka Honey, ‘Pure Source’ Rotorua Geothermal Mud, ‘New Zealand Glacial Clay’ and ‘Pure Fiji’ for their range of treatments such as the popular Pure Revival Spa Package or Manuka Honey Facial for the ultimate indulgence.

Nourished at Sherwood

Discover one of Queenstown’s two-hatted restaurants, housed in the dreamy Sherwood, a retro motel made over as an authentic, sustainable lakeside retreat. The timber-lined restaurant invites you in with the warmth of an open fire, friendly staff and an open kitchen to watch the talented team in action. Produce is picked from the abundant kitchen garden or foraged nearby from Central Otago. The creative menu is designed for sharing, all washed down with an impressive list of natural wines.

You’ll find Sherwood’s cosy yoga studio and massage treatment rooms ensconced above the restaurant to continue your wellness journey. Stay a while and slumber in the moody rustic-luxe rooms or gather by the firepit and dream under the stars.

Cycle the Rees

Time spent in nature is undoubtedly good for the soul. Your immersion in nature starts from the moment you arrive at Queenstown Airport with ‘Cycle the Rees’, where guests are collected from the airport and guided on mountain bikes along the scenic Frankton track.

On arrival at The Rees hotel, you’re welcomed by the friendly team and rewarded with a glass of bubbles all while your bags are whisked to your room. Guests may hire mountain bikes or e-bikes anytime during their stay to explore all that Queenstown has to offer – or take the plunge into the cool waters of Lake Wakatipu from the hotel’s private wharf to feel revived.

If you prefer some laidback luxury, The Rees offers a selection of rooms and suites, in-room massage, a fine dining restaurant, Bordeau Wine Lounge and complimentary shuttle service into downtown Queenstown.

Recharge at Aro Ha

For a more immersive experience, take it to the next level with a six or eight-day wellness retreat at the award-winning Aro Ha in Glenorchy, just 40 mins from Queenstown. Aro Ha is where wellness meets luxury with the rugged peaks of the Southern Alps providing the perfect backdrop to reviving mind and body. Salute the rising sun with vinyasa yoga, engage in energising breathwork or jumpstart your health goals by focusing on nature and nutrition. After days of nourishing yourself from the inside out, you’ll leave cleansed and reconnected to the source of wellbeing.

The writer was a guest of Destination Queenstown.