By the Best Mountain Hotels editorial team ·
Fiordland Lodge is the finest place to stay on the edge of Fiordland National Park, the wildest corner of New Zealand. Just outside Te Anau, on the road to Milford Sound, this timber-and-stone lodge looks out across Lake Te Anau to the mountains, with just ten rooms, two log cabins and dinners built around New Zealand produce. It is the perfect base for Milford and Doubtful Sounds and the region's Great Walks.
Fiordland Lodge is the finest place to stay on the edge of Fiordland National Park, the wildest corner of New Zealand. Just outside Te Anau, on the road to Milford Sound, this timber-and-stone lodge looks out across Lake Te Anau to the mountains, with just ten rooms, two log cabins and dinners built around New Zealand produce. It is the perfect base for Milford and Doubtful Sounds and the region's Great Walks.
Location: Te Anau, Fiordland
New Zealand's Southern Alps run the length of the South Island, a chain of glaciated peaks, deep lakes and fiords that ends in the wild, rain-washed mountains of Fiordland. Fiordland National Park, part of the Te Wāhipounamu World Heritage Area, is a vast wilderness of rainforest, waterfalls and sheer-sided fiords, including Milford Sound and Doubtful Sound.
Fiordland Lodge stands on a rural property about 5 kilometres north of Te Anau, on the Te Anau–Milford Highway, with views across Lake Te Anau to the mountains. Queenstown is about two hours away by road, and Milford Sound about two hours in the other direction.
Rooms at Fiordland Lodge
There are ten rooms in the main lodge, including an Executive Suite, each with unimpeded views across the lake, and two separate log cabins in the grounds, which offer more privacy. The style is warm and rustic, with timber, stone and big windows.
Facilities at Fiordland Lodge
The heart of the lodge is its soaring timber living room and restaurant, where a daily-changing dinner menu showcases New Zealand ingredients and wines. The lodge can arrange guided walks and hikes, fly fishing with private guides and trips to Milford and Doubtful Sounds, and the Kepler, Routeburn and Milford Tracks are all close by. It is one of only two ORVIS-endorsed fishing lodges in New Zealand.
The mountain moment
The defining moment is a day on Milford Sound, cruising beneath mile-high cliffs and waterfalls that pour straight into the sea, before returning to the lodge for dinner as the light fades over Lake Te Anau.
On a clear night, the stars over Fiordland are extraordinary.
Why Fiordland Lodge is one of the best mountain hotels
Fiordland Lodge earns its place for its setting, its warmth and its location, the best base for exploring one of the most spectacular national parks on Earth.
For Queenstown, see Blanket Bay and Matakauri Lodge, and for Aoraki/Mount Cook, The Hermitage.
When to go to Fiordland Lodge
Summer, from December to March, is the season for the Great Walks, which are best booked well ahead. Fiordland is one of the wettest places on Earth, but rain makes the waterfalls of Milford Sound even more spectacular. Autumn and spring are quieter, and winter brings snow to the mountains and clear, crisp days.
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Questions, answered
- Where is Fiordland Lodge?
- Fiordland Lodge is about 5 km north of Te Anau, on the road to Milford Sound, in New Zealand's South Island.
- How far is Fiordland Lodge from Milford Sound?
- Milford Sound is about two hours by road. The lodge can arrange cruises and scenic flights.
- How many rooms does Fiordland Lodge have?
- There are ten rooms in the main lodge, including an Executive Suite, plus two log cabins.
- Is Fiordland Lodge good for hiking?
- Yes. The Kepler, Routeburn and Milford Tracks are all nearby, and the lodge arranges guided walks.
- When is the best time to visit Fiordland?
- December to March for the Great Walks; any season for Milford Sound.
