Blanket Bay

We recently enjoyed a 4 night stay at Blanket Bay and couldn’t have loved it more. We’re huge R&C fans, so I wasn’t surprised that we loved Blanket Bay, I am surprised at how much we loved it. Working with their team before arrival was terrific. You want to plan a private guided hike on a NZ holiday, no worries they made it happen. You want to reorder the various events you have scheduled due to weather considerations, no troubles they got it handled. We stayed 3 nights in the Fantail suite/villa and 1 night in the Routeburn room in the main lodge. Both were great. The Fantail had its own hot tub which I looooved, but the lid was quite heavy and I couldn’t figure out how to work the lever thing. But, like with everything, a call to the front when we were done so they could put the lid back on, no problem. The views from everywhere on the property are amazing. So, don’t fret if you’re staying in the main lodge or the villa, you’ll get great views at both places. Food was excellent. Their breakfast hash brown was amazing. Pre-dinner drinks and canapés, a lovely convivial experience. Word to the wise, show up on time as the bar fills up quickly. Their Somm (Sebastian) and their bar tenders deserve a special shout out, excellent. It’s pricey, yes, but we felt truly taken care of there and it seemed like time stopped in the best way. I got to feel like I was on vacation.

Blanket Bay lives up to its reputation as one of New Zealand’s top lodges. The lakeside position is stunning and the walks along the lakeshore from the lodge really lovely. The main lodge is on a big scale and its style is perhaps more what one would expect at a very high end lodge in the US rather than NZ. Our room was very comfortable and had lovely views of the lake. Dinner outside on the terrace in the evening sunshine was very special. The food was good, although not as exceptional as we experienced in some other places in New Zealand. Service levels were outstanding throughout our stay.

Our 3 night stay was lovely, but for this price point, there were too many “bummers”. Positives: The views were truly outstanding, the bed/bedding comfortable, included breakfasts and dinners were tasty. Damien the sommelier and Oliver the bartender/server were terrific. Fun to swim and kayak in the lake with a feeling of having it all to yourself. Easy drive into Glenorchy to access walks/shops. Issues: -Speed/attentiveness of meal service was inconsistent. Given the limited guest count, this seems like it must be an issue of needing more staff. -Towels at the pool ran out twice in a 3 day stay. -Overall property lacked any NZ character, including the inexplicably windowless game room/lounge. -Body Wash and other bathroom toiletries were not great quality (despite being specially branded for Blanket Bay) and to still be using single serve plastic containers for these seems off the mark, esp in NZ.

We just spent 3 amazing nights at Blanket Bay, and honestly, I wish I could give it more than 5 stars. The team here is something special - they went above and beyond for us. What really stood out was how they catered to everyone in our family. We all wanted different things from our stay, and somehow they managed to exceed everyone's expectations. They were especially wonderful with my mum, who has mobility issues. From the moment we arrived, they made her feel so welcome and comfortable - it really meant a lot to us. The food is genuinely world-class. Every meal was an adventure, and dining in the cave on our last night was absolutely magical. They really know how to make each meal special. The location is stunning, the service is perfect, and the attention to detail is incredible. This place has everything right - from the big things down to the smallest details. If you're wondering if it's worth it - yes, absolutely yes! Special shout-out to all the staff who made our stay unforgettable. You've set the bar impossibly high for everywhere else we'll stay!

My stay at the Blanket Bay resort was divine. Staff greeted us warmly upon arrival and gave us a tour of the property and amenities. It is a quaint, quiet, peaceful and exclusive resort with the most phenomenal views - a true slice of heaven. Our villa was gorgeous – clean, spacious, and had everything we needed. The food was amazing and the staff were super-friendly. We also enjoyed the spa and the therapist was great. My only complaint was that we didn’t stay longer. Highly recommend this gem!