Hawks Nest
Ben Lomond, NZ
This hillside sanctuary above Lake Wakatipu is built as much for gathering as for retreat, with Cecil Peak and the Remarkables framing the water below.
You arrive to that view held in the double-volume entry, then the house settles into its rhythm: a wellness wing to one side, living and dining to the other, a bar and further guest rooms below. Days start in the wellness suite—a Technogym workout, a sauna, then out to the hot tub or the lawn beyond it—or further afield, with Coronet Peak 25 minutes away for a morning on the slopes and Gibbston Valleys’ wineries the same distance for something gentler in the afternoon. The five bedrooms, from a playful bunk room to a master suite that steps out from the house for views on three sides, are private enough for a genuine retreat between the two.
Evenings are built for hosting. Have a private chef work the kitchen while you sit down to dinner, or take the evening down to the bar. There’s a media room for a film once the plates are cleared, and outside, the wood-fired oven turns out a pizza or a full roast while the mountains fade into the dark. By morning, the cloud lifts off the lake, and the sun finds the snow on Cecil and Walter Peaks.
From NZ$12,500 per night.
- Air Conditioning
- BBQ
- Fireplace
- Gym
- Heating
- Laundry
- Sauna
Room Configuration
- King suite with a walk-in dressing room, a marble ensuite built around a Claybrook tub, and views on three sides
- Queen-over-queen bunk room with ensuite
- Two further queen bedrooms with ensuite and additional trundle beds available
- Guest bedroom with queen-sized and shared bathroom with downstairs bar
- Sleeps up to 12 guests
Property Highlights
- Double-volume entry in stone and timber with a stacked stone feature wall and Flos statement lighting
- Wellness suite with Technogym stairs and treadmill, free weights, a sauna, and a glass-framed relaxation room opening to the hot tub and lawn
- Downstairs bar with armchairs, bar stools, and a fully stocked drinks station
- Media room with fireplace and bay window
- Formal living and dining with a fireplace and 10-seat dining table
- Kitchen with a stone island, bar seating, and a butler’s pantry
- Outdoor kitchen and dining with fridge, sink, eight-seat island, and a Kiwi wood-fired oven
- Outdoor lounge and dining on the lawn, set around its own fireplace
- Ski storage with heaters, air conditioning and heating throughout, Wi-Fi, and a sound system in every room
- Full back-of-house with mudroom, drying room, laundry, and an additional powder room
- Trampoline, table tennis and outdoor games, plus the property’s own beehives
- Includes welcome hamper, starter breakfast provisions, local wine, hair and skincare products, robes and slippers, and artisan tea and coffee, with a mid-stay clean and linen change on stays of five nights or more
Hawks Nest sits above Lake Wakatipu in Ben Lomond, northwest of Queenstown in the Otago region. Queenstown’s restaurants, bars, and lake activities, as well as central Otago’s ski fields and wine country are all within easy reach.
- 10 to 20 minutes’ drive to central Queenstown
- 20 to 30 minutes’ drive to Queenstown Airport
- 25 to 30 minutes’ drive to Coronet Peak
- 30 to 40 minutes’ drive to Gibbston Valley’s wineries and cellar doors