Blanket Bay is a luxury alpine lodge on the shore of Lake Wakatipu near Glenorchy, about 45 minutes' drive from Queenstown. It sits on Wyuna Station, a working sheep, cattle and deer farm that was historically part of the original Rees station. The bay takes its name from an 1861 shearing camp, where blankets were used to build the shed and shelters protecting eight Māori shearers and the wool clip. The lodge was developed by owner Tom Tusher, whose interest in fly fishing shaped the original brief. It suits small incentive groups, leadership retreats and destination weddings that want genuine seclusion.
### Accommodation and facilities
Accommodation is spread across four building groups. The Main Lodge, built in native New Zealand timber and stone, holds Lodge Rooms (about 400 sq ft), Lodge Suites (about 700 sq ft) and a Premium Lodge Suite (about 750 sq ft) with a grand stone fireplace and balcony. The Chalets, a short walk away, offer Chalet Suites and larger Chalet Staterooms with open stone fireplaces and reclaimed timber. The Villa, positioned above the lodge, has four king suites with individual fireplaces plus a shared grand lounge, bar, commercial kitchen, outdoor lounge areas, fire pit and hot tubs across roughly 1,000 sq m. The Owner's Residence, available seasonally, offers further self-contained space for groups wanting independence. Shared facilities include a den, games room with pool table, gym, spa and therapy suite, steam rooms, jacuzzi and a heated outdoor lap pool.
### Meeting, incentive and event capability
Blanket Bay is sold on exclusive use rather than conference infrastructure, and is offered in three tiers: the Main Lodge and Chalets for around 26 guests; adding the four-bedroom Villa takes it to around 34; and including the Owner's Residence and studio takes maximum capacity to around 42. Weddings are handled on the same basis, with all guests staying on site. Ceremony options include several outdoor settings in the grounds, with the Main Lodge Great Room and the Villa Great Room as weather-proof alternatives, and helicopter access to nearby mountaintops. This makes it a strong fit for high-value incentive rewards, executive offsites and private celebrations, and an unsuitable one for large plenary conferences.
### Dining and recognition
The lodge runs an in-house restaurant serving fine dining with lake and mountain views, with pre-dinner canapés a fixture of the evening. Guest activities include hiking, fly fishing, horse riding, jet boating and heli-picnics in the surrounding wilderness.
Blanket Bay is a member of Relais & Châteaux and is listed in the MICHELIN Guide's hotels selection. For planners, it is a benchmark South Island buyout property for groups of up to roughly 40.
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