Rosewood Matakauri

Incredible location that creates a feeling of isolation and tranquility while being close enough to town to make sure you can tap in and out with ease. The rooms are well proportioned and the attention to detail is high with quality fittings and furnishings. Comfort is high on the priority here and the staff accomodate most requests expertly. The daily cooked ANZAC cookies start each day with a smile. The hotel offers numerous extra experiences provided by high quality third parties. Definitely made the trip a well rounded experience of Queenstown. While the staff are young, they are very engaged, attentive and kind. They freely offer up great suggestions on where to eat and explore as well as provide greater information and context to New Zealand as a culture and country.

Exceptional! Of all the five star luxury hotels we have been blessed to stay in, the Matakauri is right up there with our absolute all time favorites. When we walked into the hotel lobby we were mesmerized by the beautiful decor and gorgeous artwork. The captivating views from almost everywhere we looked took our breath away. The staff at the Matakauri was outstanding and went above and beyond to accommodate all of our needs. The food was top notch and exquisitely delicious. The chef made us gluten-free dishes that were absolutely mouthwatering! Our room was luxury at its best- spacious, beautifully decorated, and the attention to detail was exceptional. The views were otherworldly and we felt lifted into a magical space of tranquility and inner peace. We will always hold dear to our hearts the extraordinary experience we had at the Rosewood Matakauri. Highly recommended and a slice of Heaven we will most definitely will never forget.

Note: This review is not on the Rosewood Matakauri accomodation, it is review on the restaurant only. Firstly, thank you Rosewood for opening up the lodge restaurant to the locals (instead of traditionally only available to in-house guests)! We were there for 3 course lunch tasting menu for 2 adults and our child had a seperate kids menu. Dining Environment: Superb view and well appointed interior. Intimate dining room but somehow lacking vibes (might just be the date we were there which was off peak season). Drinks: Good wine list with lots of local options. I had the Kauri Bees Knees cocktail including gin, homegrown honey, basil etc. which is essentially a gimlet - subtle and refreshing. Food: Chef accommodated one of us not being able to have the fish starter so swapped for a vegetarian option which was very nice. My kingfish crudo starter was well presented but not quite to my liking - it might just be because I try crudos wherever I go and can be fussy about it. The venison main was very good with complimentary flavours and the meat wasn’t gamy (which venison can be sometimes); the steak option had bone marrow on top which overpowered the flavours. The dessert was the highlight - it has depth in the flavours with well balanced sweetness. Overall: Highly recommended dinning experience in a beautiful setting.