The Beauty of The Glacier Country
We spent two nights at the Glacier Country after Kaikoura - Franz Josef and Fox Glacier.
The self-contained villas at Glenfern villas at Franz Josef town offers one and two bedroom villas. It is roomy, stylish and contemporary.
Glenfern villas is stuated just outside the village, about 5 minutes drive. We like the privacy and relaxed atmosphere here. Besides, the views of the glaciers is awe-inspiring.
I like the fully-equipped kitchen in the cosy villa which allows me to also bake some vegetables for Clayton for the next day. It feels just like home here.
Both Alex and Clayton love the porch area. To Clayton, it's kinda fun crawling around and for Alex, he enjoys his reading while enjoying the astounding glacier views.
The first photo on the left shows the sliding door of Glenfern Villas that open to the porch area.
The bottom photo shows Alex and Clayton enjoying themselves at the porch.
About less than an hour's drive from Franz Josef is
Fox Glacier is beginning to find popularity among visitors in the recent years. Like Franz Josef, there are many accommodation options to choose from. Perhaps, this town is a little less busy than F.J.
We stayed at The Westhaven, a new motel which opens in 2002. My initial choice was to stay at the Sunset Motel but it was fully-booked at the time of our travel.
The Sunset Motel has unblocked views of the Fox Glaciers. It is situated on the way to Lake Matheson.
Unlike the Glenfern Villas, it is not self-contained and has only a microwave in the studio room. Some of the rooms come with spa baths too.
One of the nicer places to stay in Fox Glacier is Te Weheka Inn. Or if you prefer to stay in a guest-hosted accommodation, check out Pekanga Homestay.
Queenstown - The Adventure Capital of the World
In my opinion, you won't run of places to stay in Queenstown.
There are close to 20,000 accommodation listings in Queenstown! And you should still book early if you are planning to arrive during the busy months. Unless you don't mind settling for less.
You can imagine how crowded it can be with these many properties in a small town!
From backpackers to motels, hotels, and apartments. Queenstown is also not short of Bed and Breakfasts, luxury lodges and holiday homes. It is not hard to find one that will fit into your budget.
We had stayed in three different places during our four nights here. They are Heritage Heights, Shotover Lodge and Garden Court Suites and Apartments.
Each of these has its own uniqueness and flair. But we are thankful that the views from our rooms from all three properties are excellent.
It is worth paying a little more to get rewarding views. So make sure you make your requests known while making your reservation.
Let me start with the Heritage Heights (The Heritage).
This is a big hotel away from the busy town area, set in alpine forest with views of Lake Wakatipu and The Remarkables. And it's only 4 minutes walk to town.
We stayed in the one bedroom apartment-styled suite which comes with kitchen and laundry facilities. Not to mention the 7 foot king size bed which gives us three a wonderful sleep as Clayton has lots of room to move even when being sandwiched in between us.
The views of Lake Wakatipu and The Remarkables are spectacular on a perfect day. This is an unforgettable sight for Alex and myself.
The view from our balcony at Heritage Heights
The next two nights in Queenstown are in Shotover Lodge, a luxury bed and breakfast.
This is the only accommodation in our trip that does not have kitchen facilities. Thus, I was initially worried about Clayton's meals.
Thankfully, we have a pair of friendly and helpful hosts, Steve and Jeannette. There is no doubt about the award-winning hospitality reputation they have earned.
This lodge is luxurious in every detail. From the well-manicured gardens to the quality furnishings, the ambience is lovely and most of all, the food is delicious!
We have never been so well-hosted in our travel history and it is nice having a home-cooked 3-course gourmet breakfast every morning. Yes, it's a 3-course breakfast! Plus the pre-dinner canapes which Jeannette creatively prepares in the evening.
Jeannette is a great cook and her green fingers can be seen in those lovely cherry blossoms.
Steve makes every effort to make us feel at home. He is a great help to get our adventures booked. You can count on him to offer you his local views and experiences on where to go, what to do and where to pig out.
The room in the lodge is something else. It is warm and cosy, with stunning views of the Remarkables and Coronet Peak.
We love the warm rays coming through from the ceiling windows and the balcony. The beds are comfortable to ensure a good night rest after a long day of exploring.
I must make special mention that Jeannette bakes the best cookies. I thoroughly enjoy them. We feel so pampered those two days of stay. This is far better than staying in a hotel if your budget permits.
Rates start from NZ$385 but do drop the lodge an email to check on any specials available.
From top to bottom: Warm rays shining through the bedroom with ceiling windows; Me, Clayton with owners of Shotover Lodge, Steve & Jeannette; Just look at those cherry blossoms; The Remarkables from the windows; Alex and me at the balcony
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