Eichardt's Private Hotel

Eichardt's Private Hotel sits directly on the shore of Lake Wakatipu in the heart of Queenstown, behind a distinctive white stone façade that has anchored the town's waterfront since the gold rush era. It is a small, intimate luxury hotel of 12 suites and apartments, suited to travellers seeking a boutique base for leisure or high-end corporate stays rather than large group accommodation.

Rooms and facilities

The hotel's 12 rooms are luxuriously appointed suites and apartments, several with direct lake views. Given its size, Eichardt's operates as a private, personalised property rather than a large-scale conference hotel.

Meeting & event capability

Eichardt's hosts private dinners, celebrations and small corporate events in its historic spaces, trading on intimacy and heritage character rather than large-capacity meeting rooms. It suits boardroom-style gatherings, executive retreats and incentive groups wanting an exclusive, whole-property or partial buy-out experience in central Queenstown rather than a conventional conference programme.

Dining

The hotel's dining is centred on Eichardt's Bar, the historic bar where gold miners once gathered, and The Grille by Eichardt's, a waterfront restaurant added during a 2016 expansion.

History

The site dates to 1860–61, when Welsh settler William Gilbert Rees built a homestead on the lakeshore that became the Queen's Arms Hotel during the 1862 Shotover River gold rush. Albert Eichardt took over the licence in 1866 and became sole proprietor by 1869, giving the hotel its name. After Albert's death in 1882, his wife Julia Shanahan Eichardt ran the hotel until 1892 and is credited with bringing electricity to the building, making it one of the first in Queenstown to be electrified. The building is registered as a Category 2 heritage site. Imperium Group acquired the hotel in 2010, and a 2016 redevelopment added further suites and The Grille restaurant. Eichardt's holds a Michelin Key (awarded 2025) and is affiliated with Small Luxury Hotels of the World.

With its waterfront setting, heritage pedigree and scale, Eichardt's Private Hotel suits small executive meetings, incentive stays and exclusive-use events in Queenstown venues rather than large conferences.