Holiday Inn Remarkables Park review

Queenstown is an outdoor lover's paradise, particularly for skiers, snowboarders, mountain bikers and hikers.

As a result, there's no shortage of accommodation options. But don't be surprised to find them all full during peak season.

During my time in Queenstown, I spent 3 nights in the Holiday Inn Remarkables Park hotel. Part of the IHG chain, it is one of three Holiday Inn hotels in Queenstown, albeit this one is technically situated in neighbouring suburb Frankton.

Is this Holiday Inn Remarkables Park one of the best Queenstown holiday accommodation options for you? Let's find out.

Cost

Outside of peak season and mid-week, you can expect to pay between NZD$180 and NZD$260 a night. Rooms include standard single-bed rooms, rooms with a mountain view and suites with living spaces.

Expect a NZD$20 premium on that if you stay on a weekend.

In peak periods, that price ranges from NZD$270 to NZD$350. The good news is if you get in early, the winter rates aren't too far off the off-peak rates.

The key comparison here is looking at the same dates for the Holiday Inn Express & Suites in Queenstown proper. You can expect an additional NZD$100 a night there for similar rooms.

Queenstown or Frankton?

Perhaps the biggest factor in deciding if the Holiday Inn Remarkables Park is right for you, is its location. If you haven't been to Queenstown before, it's effectively broken into 2 central hubs.

There's Queenstown proper, which a European city might call "the old town". It's sandwiched between the stunning Lake Wakatipu and the towering mountain slopes. Its winding, slopey streets and mix of shops, eateries, pubs and accommodation is postcard beautiful at every turn.

Then there's Frankton. It surrounds the airport on a flat area (although "flat" is a relative term in Queenstown) away from the picturesque lake. It's still beautiful, thanks to the incredible snow-capped mountains that peer down on all sides, but it's dominated by new residential, industry, malls and large spaces of nothing.

If you're all about the nightlife, old town atmosphere and postcard views at every turn, Frankton is definitely the lesser of the 2 locations. The Holiday Inn Remarkables Park is in Frankton.

Location

If you're more interested in getting up the mountain all day and sleeping all night, are keen on saving a bit of cash on accommodation, or are doing a short stay and want to be near the airport, then Frankton becomes an option. Especially given it's much closer – particularly when you consider traffic – to the Remarkables ski field.

Personally, as someone who wanted to explore the streets and marvel at the views, I wasn't a fan of the location. The hotel is in the middle of nowhere, about a NZD$20 to NZD$40 Uber from Queenstown's heart, or 30 minutes on a bus. There's a lot of new construction in the area adding to an apocalyptic feel. There is very little to do and no atmosphere.

On the plus side, the noise from the airport isn't an issue and there is parking about. I did find some pleasant walks on the other side of the neighbouring residential zone, too. And you can hire a bike and ride the 10km into Queenstown, with the track taking a stunning route along the water.

Decor

The Holiday Inn Remarkables Park has a nice, modern appeal. There's nothing garish about the colour choice, with white walls contrasting against dark tones throughout. Thick curtains do a good job of battling light, sound and cold. Bathrooms are light-filled and well-appointed. Pictures hang in the rooms.

The outside is more adventurous, with a sharp design that looks great against the mountain backdrop. It'll be interesting to see how it stands out as the copious amounts of development in the area are completed.

There isn't a large foyer, but it's nicely presented. A large gas fireplace sequestered behind glass greets you as you enter. There's space for people to enjoy a beer, work on a laptop, watch TV or even play a board game. I do wonder how it handles busier periods, though.

The foyer has an "open plan" design with the Giants restaurant at the far end. A bar with multiple tap beers bridges the two. This does help add some atmosphere.

Check-in/out

There's very little space in the foyer for people to queue, which may cause a problem in busy periods. During my stay, in the second week of spring, I got a park directly out the front on arrival and for departure. And I had no queue checking in and out. I would have been lucky to have spent 5 minutes in total doing both. And all the staff I dealt with were lovely.

There are only the 2 elevators servicing the 4 floors, but there are easily accessible stairs, too. I never found myself waiting more than a minute for the lift.

Underground parking can be organised if required. It's easily accessible with relatively generous-sized spots. Street parking right next to the Holiday Inn Remarkables Park is curiously set to 90-minute limits at all times. I'm not sure that it's enforced overnight given the temperature is often below zero.

If that risk is too great for you, there is some untimed parking about 5 to 10 minutes away as you approach the residential area.

Room

I've stayed in a number of IHG rooms over the years and they do follow a similar pattern. I was staying in the king room with a mountain view. The room is thin – king bed plus another 2 feet perhaps. But it's long and the space is well used.

You'll find plenty of hanging space, which is essential if you've got a day's worth of ski gear to air out each night. Drawers, a fridge, safe and a coffee/tea set-up also greet you on entry. I appreciated the inclusion of decent coffee cups and wine glasses.

To the opposite side of the entry hall is a large bathroom. There's good space around the toilet, sink, hanging rails and shower door. The shower is excellent, with 2 different heads to choose from.

The bed was very comfortable, as were the 2 pillow options (firm and soft). Ample bedside table space is provided on both sides, with both power and USB ports. On the far side of the bed there is a desk built into the wall and a couch. This couch could be moved to provide space for a cot, but there's not enough room for a fold-away bed to be added.

My room terminated in a floor-to-ceiling glass window, which lets you look out upon the snow and mountains. It's not an uninterrupted view, but it's still good. I feel like most of the external rooms would get a great view, although this may change as more construction is completed in coming years.

Noise

A large, new TV sits on the wall. It has Chromecast built in, with the hotel encouraging visitors to use their own apps for content. I had no problems doing this, with the free internet more than fast enough to play Netflix, Amazon Prime and other globally recognised apps. (Local Aussie apps like Binge and Kayo Sports won't work.)

The air-con is susceptible to the hotel hot-cold-hot-cold thing, which is unfortunate. But it does work quietly!

My only grief with the room is how easily noise travels between walls. I could hear the people in the room next to me talking and watching TV, their baby crying all night and the bumps and bangs of poor parents trying to cope. Plus, the doors don't have soft-close gas struts, so there are constant bangs coming from up and down the hallway in peak periods. A pet peeve of mine.

For a new hotel, I would have expected the sound insulation between rooms to be a lot better. Thankfully, people aren't really active when it matters most, as there's not much to do at night in the area. Between 10pm and 7am, there's not too much to worry about, especially as no noticeable sound from outside gets in.

Food

On the ground floor, you'll find Giants. This restaurant puts on a small but delicious buffet in the mornings. All the classics are there with bespoke twists, but nothing beyond that (fish food, oriental, etc.). I was particularly fond of the made-to-order omelettes, which were among the best I've had from a hotel. The spiced sausages and herbed mushrooms were also a pleasant surprise.

At night, the dinner meals aim a lot higher than you might expect from a hotel. There are really nice gourmet options at reasonable prices. It's a shame they're not joined by more typical pub fare like burgers, parmigiana and pizzas. For those on a budget or not as culinarily diversified, it would have been nice.

At least there are options just outside, including Thai and Italian. There is also a New World (kind of like an IGA here in Australia) and a Super Liquor nearby, so you can get some bits and pieces to keep in your room.

Facilities

Outside of a decent-sized gym and a dry room, there's not too much to crow about in terms of facilities. Perhaps this reflects the kind of traveller IHG expects to opt for a Frankton-based hotel during their Queenstown stay?

I've already mentioned the good, free internet, and you can add some meeting rooms to that mix as well if you're travelling on business. But there's no spa or sauna, both of which are great after a day hitting the slopes. No indoor (or outdoor) swimming pool. No hire facilities (such as bikes). There is a laundromat just around the corner, but no deals are set up with these local places.

It's not a big hotel, but ultimately, if you're looking for a feature-rich stay in Queenstown, this hotel likely won't hit the mark.

Verdict

Back at the top, I argued that the location and facilities of the Holiday Inn Remarkables Park suit a particular kind of Queenstown traveller – travellers who want a base instead of a destination.

The hotel is lean, but comfortable. It feels new and modern, but is isolated. If you're coming to Queenstown to submerge yourself in its culture and atmosphere, the location just isn't the right fit. Even if you do save a fair bit of coin on the hotels in the main village.

However, if you are coming with the intent of hitting the snow every day, or have limited time and just want to be close to the airport, it's well worth considering.

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Chris Stead stayed at the Holiday Inn Remarkables Park as a guest.