“Slow down and soak up the truly remarkable surroundings”. That simple tourist maxim has taken on new meaning in Queenstown, as the wellness wave washes over our premier resort town with unprecedented relish. A host of recent and upcoming openings is redefining Queenstown’s elemental allure, headlined by the floating saunas popping up in Lake Whakatipu. If you fancy a Finn-like frolic with contrast therapy, you’re in luck. I’ve just taken the plunge at Watershed, which opened just before Christmas as New Zealand’s first floating sauna experience. It’s part-owned by Dominic Bowden.  

Centrally located on St. Omer Wharf, Watershed bobs on the water, with a front-row seat on the saw-toothed grandeur of the Remarkables serrating the skyline in all its glory. I booked a 60 minute session in the early morning calm, which begins with baking yourself in the 80C heat in one of the Finnish-style communal saunas on the custom pontoon, clad in panoramic windows. Harvia “autodose” buttons pour measured water onto the stones to create generous steam to deepen the heat. Suitably cooked, I then strolled outside and submitted myself to the frigid lake water of the plunge pool. It was a bracing 9C degrees. Startled and stimulated, I then returned to the sauna for a re-heat. It’s very much a rinse, relax and repeat experience. But I do not doubt the revitalising health benefits, particularly to your circulation and mental clarity. My mind felt razor-sharp for the rest of the day. It’s a shockingly great way to kick-off your day’s adventures. 

The plunge pool at Watershed. Photo / Mike Yardley 

Further up the lake on the Frankton Arm, a second floating sauna called Thermae will soon open alongside the Queenstown Marina. Currently under construction, the hot and cold water immersion experience should be up and running in August. It is the latest addition to Aluume Wellness, who already operate the seriously soothing outdoor hot pool complex, Bathe by Aluume, on Brecon St. Blissfully designed and bougie, the facility has only been open since November but has swiftly cultivated a red-hot following.  

It’s like a contemporary take on a traditional onsen, with private and communal hot pools filled with magnesium-enriched water, designed to soothe muscles and calm the nervous system. They’re also equipped with monsoon-style cold showers if you’re after that contrast therapy zing between dips. As twilight took hold, I bagged a private pool, and despite adjoining the happy buzz permeating from the mini golf course, I stripped off for a fully naked soak, concealed by some well-positioned pittosporum. Beautifully landscaped in native plantings, it’s a sublimely restorative experience and after marinating in all that magnesium-rich aqua for an hour, I had the most incredibly deep, satisfying sleep that night.  

Hot pools at Bathe by Aluume. Photo / Destination Queenstown 

Skip across the road and grab a scoop or two from Anita Gelato, a swanky new store that also opened in November, brimming with over 150 flavours of gelato, sorbet, and frozen yoghurt. After much consideration, I would highly recommend the Pavlova & Mixed Berries. Plus the Chocolate & Hazelnut. Decadently decent gelato! 

I wolfed that down as I strolled up to the base station for a gondola ride with Skyline Queenstown. This staple attraction has been part of the landscape for 60 years, but as one of New Zealand’s most visited tourist attractions, they’re certainly not resting on their laurels. A $300m transformation is making strong headway, including new 10-seater gondolas and a brand-new extension building crowning Bob’s Peak. Two months ago, the first half of the new complex opened, with a redesigned Stratosphere Restaurant and considerably larger viewing deck, extending out beyond the main building for extra thrills.  

The Skyline Gondola. Photo /  Destination Queenstown 

In a destination that constantly has you swivelling your head to absorb nature’s staggering eye-candy, this freshly constructed perch on Bob’s Peak really does serve up the view of all views, in all its money-shot magnificence. It’s particularly enchanting at sundown, when the vast assortment of mountains and peaks bask in their molten copper and gold glow-up. The wondrous landscape is also celebrated inside with the design palette taking its cue from Lake Wakatipu’s deep blues and greens, and the tussock-covered peaks – complete with a seriously large living wall. Waiting in the wings, Skyline will launch the Vortex slide, a pulse-pumping attraction, with a 20 metre vertical drop from the viewing deck. Bring it on! 

Back down on the lakefront, in the heart of town, Earnslaw Park is well worth a jaunt on a Saturday for the Queenstown Market. The sheer array of local creatives and artisans is strikingly impressive, as you drift between intriguing stalls, from potters and jewellers to apothecaries and print makers. Two of my favourites? Treebrush Apothecary. Their potions and lotions are beautifully infused with local kawakawa, horopito, and mānuka oil. And be sure to stake out local photographer, Jason Law. His landscape photography of the region is cinematically epic. I’m a long-time admirer of Andris Apse’s legendary South Island photography, and Jason’s works are right up there. 

Jason Law Photography at Queenstown Market. Photo / Mike Yardley 

Speaking of creative temptations, Patagonia Chocolates has just marked its 20th anniversary in Queenstown and is a beloved institution, a byword for sweet-tooth indulgence. I drooled over the cabinet of sweet treats like the Mont Blanc Tart – loaded with chestnut, almond and vanilla. Build a Box of your own selected chocolate bars. Don’t skip past the dark chocolate and macadamia bars.   

Dynamic and diverse, Queenstown’s abundant hospo scene offers no shortage of old-time favourites and plucky newcomers. Sky City Casino has relocated out of Steamer Wharf and this expansive upstairs space is now home to Wharf Bar. From its elevated vantage point and wraparound  floor-to-ceiling windows, the buzzing life on the lake, the layered greens of Queenstown Gardens and the craggy mountain contours kept me goggling at the glory. Their woodfired sourdough pizza is a fan-favourite, but Wharf Bar’s Italian-Asian-inspired menu pans all appetites from antipasti to big plates, with some zany twists. Try the Zamora Pork Bao; the house-salted Cod Crochette with buttermilk and wasabi mustard; or best of all, the Lumina Lamb Arancini with tomato red curry, coconut labneh, and onion jam. As Queenstown’s lights start twinkling, this cracking spot shifts into a convivial nightspot for live music and libations.  

Bao and Arancini at Queenstown Wharf Bar. Photo / Mike Yardley 

If you want to make a night of it, check out some other recent additions to the scene. One of Queenstown’s newest bars, The Irishman has also opened in Steamer Wharf, with the all the dark timber, stained glass and gilt furnishings you’d expect inside a traditional, cosy Irish pub. Cocktails? Tootle over to Tommy’s Margarita Bar in Queenstown Mall, which opened in May last year. Sip on classic coconut or spicy margaritas or try some of their signature mixology, like their limoncello cherry concoction.  

Finally, for destination dining in Queenstown’s latest five-star glamour pad, reserve a table at ROKI Collection’s The Terrace restaurant. With dreamy lakefront views of the painterly landscape, this splendidly designed venue with a glass-encased balcony is under the helm of one of our legendary chefs, Paul Froggatt, of Huka Lodge and Kauri Cliffs fame. The menu is inspired by his passion for fishing and designing dishes inspired by nature. Think dainty crayfish rolls, caviar on ice and langoustine tarts. Classics are elevated like venison ragù over hand-cut pasta and wagyu tartare. Paul’s fried chicken is the stuff of legend. Arrive early and enjoy a drink in The Library Bar. Glimmering in a gold-foil finish with art deco chandeliers, the bar is lined with first editions and book-themed artworks. Local gins and vodkas sit alongside global favourites, ready for the cocktail of your whim. If you’re wondering, roki means tranquillity in Māori. It’s a remarkable new addition to Queenstown’s sophisticated hospitality offerings. 

ROKI Collection Queenstown, The Terrace. Photo / Destination Queenstown

Cast your cares aside and treat yourself to a life-affirming reset in Queenstown. Refuel the body and recharge the soul, in style.

Mike Yardley is Newstalk ZB’s resident traveller and can be heard every week on Jack Tame Saturday Mornings.