A classic lodge with huge windows facing New Zealand's highest peak, and superb stargazing in a dark-sky reserve.
The Hermitage Hotel at Aoraki/Mount Cook is one of New Zealand's most famous mountain hotels, standing at the end of a long road that follows the turquoise waters of Lake Pukaki deep into the Southern Alps. It sits right inside Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park, with the country's highest mountain filling its windows. A hotel has stood here since the 1880s, and it was here that a young Edmund Hillary trained as a climber before going on to make the first ascent of Everest. Today it is a comfortable, well-priced base for exploring one of the world's great mountain landscapes.
Location: Aoraki/Mount Cook, New Zealand
The hotel stands in Aoraki/Mount Cook Village, at around 760 metres, in the heart of the national park, part of the Te Wāhipounamu UNESCO World Heritage Area in New Zealand's South Island. Aoraki/Mount Cook, at 3,724 metres the highest peak in New Zealand, rises just 15 kilometres away at the head of the Hooker Valley.
The village is around three and a half to four hours by road from both Christchurch and Queenstown, about an hour's drive from the main highway between them. The drive along the shores of Lake Pukaki, with the mountain growing ever larger on the horizon, is one of the most beautiful in New Zealand. There is also a small airstrip for scenic flights.
Rooms and suites at The Hermitage
The Hermitage has around 160 rooms across several wings, with most rooms in the main building facing towards Aoraki/Mount Cook. Standard rooms, in the original wing, have balconies or terraces and views of the Tasman Valley or Mount Sefton, while Standard Mount Cook View rooms face the mountain. Superior rooms offer extra space, and Premium rooms in the Aoraki wing have the best views, with Premium Plus rooms on the top floor adding extras such as Nespresso machines and premium toiletries.
Rooms are bright and comfortable rather than luxurious, and the large windows are the real feature. For budget travellers, the wider Aoraki/Mount Cook Alpine Village also includes a lodge and motels.
Facilities at The Hermitage
The hotel's dining venues all make the most of the views. The Panorama Room, open since 1969, is the signature à la carte restaurant, with award-winning New Zealand cuisine and floor-to-ceiling views of the mountain; it opens seasonally. The Alpine Restaurant serves buffet breakfasts and dinners, the Sir Edmund Hillary Café & Bar offers casual Kiwi fare, and the Snowline Lounge is the place for a cocktail by the log fire.
The Sir Edmund Hillary Alpine Centre, within the hotel, is a museum celebrating the region and Hillary's life, with a planetarium and cinema showing mountain documentaries. A statue of Hillary gazing up at Aoraki stands outside. The hotel's activities centre can arrange guided hikes, glacier boat trips among icebergs on the Tasman Glacier's lake, scenic flights with glacier landings, heli-skiing and stargazing.
The mountain moment
The park lies within the Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve, one of the largest and darkest in the world, awarded gold status. On clear nights, the sky blazes with stars, the Milky Way, the Magellanic Clouds and, sometimes, the southern lights. Stargazing tours with telescopes reveal galaxies and nebulae invisible from almost anywhere else.
By day, the classic experience is the Hooker Valley Track, an easy walk of a few hours that crosses swing bridges over glacial rivers to a lake at the foot of the Hooker Glacier, with icebergs floating in the water and Aoraki rising directly above. Another unforgettable option is a boat trip among the icebergs of Tasman Lake, at the foot of New Zealand's largest glacier.
Why The Hermitage is one of the best mountain hotels
The Hermitage earns its place in our Affordable stays collection because it offers an extraordinary location, inside a national park and face to face with New Zealand's highest mountain, at a reasonable price. Its history, connection with Sir Edmund Hillary and access to the dark sky reserve make it a special place to stay.
It is a large, somewhat traditional hotel, popular with tour groups, rather than a boutique lodge. But for hikers, stargazers, families and anyone who wants to wake up to the view of Aoraki, it is an exceptional base.
When to go to The Hermitage
The southern summer, roughly December to February, brings the longest days and the best conditions for hiking the Hooker Valley Track and boating on Tasman Lake, and it is the busiest time. Autumn, March to May, offers calmer weather, golden tussock and long, dark nights for stargazing. Winter, June to August, brings snow to the village and the clearest skies of the year, along with heli-skiing, though some walks may be affected by snow and ice. Spring, September to November, brings lupins along the lakeshores in late spring. Mountain weather changes quickly, so allow an extra night to improve your chances of a clear view of Aoraki.
Questions, answered
- How far is The Hermitage from Queenstown?
- Around three and a half to four hours by road from both Queenstown and Christchurch.
- Can you see Mount Cook from The Hermitage?
- Yes. Most rooms in the main building face towards Aoraki/Mount Cook, and the Premium rooms in the Aoraki wing have the best views.
- Is Mount Cook good for stargazing?
- Yes. The park lies within the Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve, one of the largest and darkest in the world, and the hotel can arrange stargazing tours.
