5 Best Hotels in Mt Cook© The Hermitage Hotel Mt Cook
5 Best Hotels in Mt Cook

10 BEST Hotels & Places to Stay in Mt Cook 🛎️ [2024]

© The Hermitage Hotel Mt Cook

The Best Hotels (and Alternative Accommodations) in Aoraki Mt Cook

The hotel offering in Mt Cook Village has remained the same for more than 130 years with The Hermitage Hotel being an icon of the area. It boasts a tumultuous history, which can be delved into at the now on-site Sir Edmund Hillary Alpine Centre. While The Hermitage is the only official hotel in Mt Cook, it’s not your only accommodation, as lodges, motels and even holiday homes offer amazing places to stay in Mt Cook. Learn more about Mt Cook’s hotels and alternative accommodations in this list!

For more travel-planning advice, check out The Complete Guide to Mt Cook and the 20 Best Things to Do in Aoraki Mt Cook.

1. The Hermitage Hotel Mt Cook – Iconic Upscale Hotel in Mt Cook

Standing majestically in Mt Cook Village, The Hermitage Hotel is your premium hotel experience. Not only does this huge complex offer an array of dining options and activities, including the Sir Edmund Hillary Alpine Centre and Big Sky Stargazing, but it has modern and well-appointed king, queen and double-queen rooms. Choose from various grades of room, all featuring an ensuite, coffee machine and large windows to soak in the scenery. Some of the more premium rooms also feature a private balcony and a telescope to make the most of the International Dark Sky Reserve.

Check The Hermitage Hotel out:

5 Best Hotels in Mt Cook© The Hermitage Hotel Mt Cook

2. Mt Cook Lodge and Motels – Ensuite Rooms and Self-Contained Rooms in Mt Cook Village

For hotel-style rooms at a marginally more affordable price, take a look at Mt Cook Lodge and Motels. Also run by The Hermitage Hotel, this lodge and motel accommodation offers well-presented queen ensuite rooms, as well as motel rooms with self-catering facilities and a private living space. Motel rooms feature a fully-equipped kitchen, while guests staying in the lodge rooms can make use of a communal kitchen on-site. Backpacker dorm rooms are also available, as listed in the 5 Best Backpacker Hostels in Mt Cook.

Check Mt Cook Lodge and Motels out:

5 Best Hotels in Mt Cook© Mt Cook Lodge and Motel

3. Aoraki Court Motel – The Best Motel in Mt Cook Village

For motel rooms at a hotel standard, check out Aoraki Court Motel. From endearing spa studios to two-bedroom units, there are accommodation types here for most types of travellers. Couples, a couple of friends and solo travellers have the option of studios with a spa ensuite or shower ensuite. Families and groups may want to pick the two-bedroom units. All include a modern kitchen, free WiFi, and large windows or sliding glass doors capturing the view. See more of Mt Cook’s motel-style stays in the 5 Best Motels in Mt Cook.

Check Aoraki Court Motel out:

5 Best Hotels in Mt Cook© Aoraki Court Motel

4. Aoraki Mount Cook Alpine Lodge – Self-Catering Accommodation in Mt Cook Village

Aoraki Mount Cook Alpine Lodge offers simple yet comfortable hotel-style rooms. There’s something to suit a range of group types here, with double rooms, family rooms and bunk rooms available. Stay on the top floor to get mountain views or you can enjoy them from the guest lounge with spectacular floor-to-ceiling windows. Guests also have a fully-equipped communal kitchen to make use of.

Check Aoraki Mount Cook Alpine Lodge out:

5 Best Hotels in Mt Cook© Aoraki Mount Cook Alpine Lodge

5. Aoraki Alpine Chalet – Holiday Home in Mt Cook Village

For groups or families seeking their own space, how about a holiday home in Mt Cook Village? Aoraki Alpine Chalet is a worthy option, sleeping up to eight people across three bedrooms. The holiday home offers the “Kiwi bach experience” with a few rustic touches in the old-timey kitchen but that’s all part of the charm. The bedroom and lounge are well-presented and decorated with an alpine feel. Enjoy a barbecue on the back deck while surrounded by native bush and admire the ever-present scenery of Aoraki Mt Cook! See more family-friendly stays like this in the 8 Best Family Accommodations in Mt Cook.

Check Aoraki Alpine Chalet out:

5 Best Hotels in Mt Cook© Aoraki Alpine Chalet

6. Glentanner Park Centre – Holiday Park on the Mt Cook Road

A holiday park on the Mt Cook Road, Glentanner Park Centre sits alongside Lake Pukaki offering a range of accommodations for all budgets. Their self-contained units have all your bathroom and cooking essentials at your fingertips, sleeping up to five, while those staying in the basic cabins or camping sites can make use of the nearby communal kitchen, lounge, bathroom and laundry areas. Check out more affordable stays like this in the 5 Best Budget Accommodations in Mt Cook.

Check Glentanner Park Centre out:

5 Best Hotels in Mt Cook© Glentanner Park Centre

7. Mt Cook Lakeside Retreat – Luxury Villas at Lake Pukaki

Enjoy all the homely amenities, and then some, in one of the luxury villas of Mt Cook Lakeside Retreat. Set among the forest, nestled between Lake Pukaki and the Ben Ohau Range, this luxury accommodation has three gorgeous villas. The two “Moraine Villas” radiate charm with their European farmhouse design where just one of the endearing qualities is the Edwardian-style tiled bathroom with a glass wall, allowing you to bask in the views while you shower! Alternatively, the “Ashley Mackenzie Villa” features a private day spa with a hot tub, sauna, fitness room and massage room. The accommodation offers a unique stargazing experience in their Pukaki Wine Cellar Observatory, as well as wellness programs and cooking demonstrations. See more upscale stays like this in the 5 Best Luxury Accommodations in Mt Cook.

Check Mt Cook Lakeside Retreat out:

5 Best Hotels in Mt Cook© Mt Cook Lakeside Retreat

8. Lakestone Lodge – Luxury Lodge at Lake Pukaki

Where can you gaze at the views of Aoraki Mt Cook across the fluorescent blue waters of Lake Pukaki while soaking in a bath or enjoying a glass of fine local wine on your private patio? Lakestone Lodge is the answer! This retreat features six guest rooms in its boutique lodge, as well as two self-contained apartments. Rooms are modernly appointed with luxury super-king beds and walls adorned in local art. Indulge in a massage in the therapy room, enjoy fine local cuisine in the restaurant, and join the lodge for its high country tour by day and stargazing experience by night. See more couple-centric stays like this in the 5 Best Romantic Accommodations in Mt Cook.

Check Lakestone Lodge out:

5 Best Hotels in Mt Cook© Lakestone Lodge

9. Pukaki Lakeside Getaway – Holiday Homes at Lake Pukaki

Retreat to your own quiet corner of Lake Pukaki, along the Mt Cook Road just 35 minutes away from the main village, at Pukaki Lakeside Getaway. There are a couple of holiday homes to choose from, the four-bedroom house or the three-bedroom cottage. The holiday homes are fitted with contemporary fixings and the “house”, in particular, has a cosy alpine feel with its timber-lined interiors. Both offer unobstructed views of Lake Pukaki and gorgeous lawns and outdoor areas to enjoy it from.

Check Pukaki Lakeside Getaway out:

5 Best Hotels in Mt Cook© Pukaki Lakeside Getaway

10. Mount Cook Station – Farmstay B&B & Cabins at Lake Pukaki

Get the New Zealand high country experience at Mount Cook Station. Certainly off the beaten track on the east side of Lake Pukaki and the Tasman River (opposite side to Mt Cook Village, which is 1h30mins away by road), you’re in for quite a unique Mt Cook experience. You have two styles of accommodation to choose from, B&B rooms in the main homestead or the “Station Huts”, away from the homestead and with a communal bathroom and kitchen. Note that there is limited phone reception and that you may need snow chains to reach the station in winter.

Check Mount Cook Station out:

5 Best Hotels in Mt Cook© Mount Cook Station

More About Hotels and Places to Stay in Mt Cook

That’s it for our list of the best hotels and places to stay in Mt Cook, but it’s by no means the end of our expert travel advice! Check out these articles for more inspiration for your trip:

Finally, if there’s anything we’ve missed, you’re likely to find it in The Complete Travel Guide to Mt Cook.

Sources:

The information in this guide has been compiled from our extensive research, travel and experiences across New Zealand and the South Pacific, accumulated over more than a decade of numerous visits to each destination. Additional sources for this guide include the following:

Our editorial standards: At NZ Pocket Guide, we uphold strict editorial standards to ensure accurate and quality content.

About The Author

Laura S.

This article has been reviewed and published by Laura, the editor-in-chief and co-founder of NZ Pocket Guide. Laura is a first-class honours journalism graduate and a travel journalist with expertise in New Zealand and South Pacific tourism for over 10 years. She also runs travel guides for five of the top destinations in the South Pacific and is the co-host of over 250 episodes of the NZ Travel Show on YouTube.

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