Minor Hotels revamps Queenstown properties as ski season takes off

The Oaks Queenstown Shores Resort is being redeveloped into a 130-room hotel complex.

Thai-backed hospitality group Minor Hotels is pressing full steam ahead with the redevelopment of its two Queenstown properties as the South Island of New Zealand recovers from Covid and readies for the upcoming ski season.

Flights to the tourist township may have just recovered to a 65 per cent pre-Covid capacity, and New Zealand has hit an economic recession, but international tourists are flocking back to Queenstown, a popular adventure destination and jumping off point for skiers.

The redevelopment of The Oaks Queenstown Shores Resort into a luxury 130-room serviced apartment hotel complex is expected to be fully completed by 2025 with 44 of the lakefront apartments fully renovated.

“Oaks is operating well and business is returning,” says Minor Hotels New Zealand area manager, Jamie O’Donnell. “We have a bright outlook for the future and we are getting a lot of repeat clientele.”

Significant investment by the private apartment owners in the complex, which is managed by Minor, appears to be paying off.

The first block of redeveloped apartments is completed and a second swath of lakeside apartments are being renovated with completion expected by Christmas.

The redevelopment of The Oaks Queenstown Shores Resort into a luxury 130-room serviced apartment hotel complex is expected to be fully completed by 2025.

The two bedroom lakefront apartments, with large balconies overlooking the snow-iced The Remarkables mountain ranges, can be combined with penthouse suites to create four- bedroom and four-bathroom complexes with numerous balconies and schist stone fireplaces for larger family groups.

The two bedroom and two bathroom lakefront penthouses cost about NZ$800-NZ$1000 ($720-$900) during the high season a night while standard hotel rooms are NZ$300 to NZ$400 in the high season, dropping down to NZ$195 in the low season. All apartments overlook scenic Lake Wakatipu and are about a 30-minute stroll along a bush-lined track into Queenstown. Minor also operates a free shuttle service to town.

Mr O’Donnell says the renovation of the complex’s reception area and rear apartments and hotel suites will now be completed in one line to capture the returning tourists.

“Whatever we do we will not hinder the view, it is key,” he stressed.

The newly created Oaks Queenstown Shores will also have a day spa and an upgraded gym as well as an improved walking track into Queenstown as part of the renovation.

Mr O’Donnell is also considering a fully enclosed glass fireplace and a circular bar in the reception area and will offer guests free parking – unlike other Queenstown hotels. The rooms will feature full kitchens, heated towel racks and skylights in the apartment’s hotel and apartment rooms.

Mr O’Donnell said once the owners saw how well the schist stone fireplaces work in the apartment’s living and dining rooms they all chose to add them in.

The interiors were designed by local firms using locally sourced materials as much as possible.

Closer to Queenstown, Minor Hotels will close its Oaks Club, a 69-room property, from August 31 following the ski season for a full renovation. Minor Hotels picked up the two Queenstown properties when it acquired the Australian-owned Oaks in 2011.

The writer was a guest of Minor Hotels