Queenstown is the Southern Hemisphere's adventure capital, set on the shore of Lake Wakatipu beneath dramatic alpine peaks. It is the lively base town for two ski areas, Coronet Peak and The Remarkables, and is famous for its nightlife and scenery. The Southern Hemisphere winter means you can ski here from June to October.
Queenstown is a ski resort in New Zealand, in the Southern Alps (NZ). The village sits at 310 m and the lifts top out at 1943 m, with 75 km of pistes and 16 lifts. Its BestSnowHotels snow score is 77/100, and the season usually runs Jun 13 → Oct 11.
How we score and classify resortsResearched by the BestSnowHotels team
Run counts and piste kilometres are indicative. Green runs only exist in France, Spain, Andorra, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Japan, the United States, Morocco, Algeria, Lesotho, South Africa, Egypt, Canada, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand and Chile; Italy, Austria, Switzerland and Germany start at blue. Indicative average snow depth near the top of the resort, in cm.
A handful of well-rated hotels in and around the resort. Pick one, then compare live prices across Booking, Expedia and Hotels.com.
Very good · 3.1k reviews
A long-standing favourite in Queenstown, trusted by thousands of guests before you.
Guests rate this hotel as very good (4.3/5 from 3,139 reviews). A budget-friendly option for Queenstown, with live nightly rates shown for your exact dates so you always see the best price.
Very good · 2.7k reviews
Moments from the lifts in Queenstown, so you can ski back to the door and skip the morning queues.
Great · 1.7k reviews
A long-standing favourite in Queenstown, trusted by thousands of guests before you.
Very good · 1.0k reviews
Strong value for Queenstown, with a high guest rating that punches above its nightly price.
Very good · 746 reviews
Moments from the lifts in Queenstown, so you can ski back to the door and skip the morning queues.
Very good · 657 reviews
Strong value for Queenstown, with a high guest rating that punches above its nightly price.
Great · 971 reviews
A long-standing favourite in Queenstown, trusted by thousands of guests before you.
Excellent · 281 reviews
One of the highest-rated places to stay in Queenstown, with guests singling out the service and comfort.
Excellent · 77 reviews
A dependable, well-reviewed choice for a stay in Queenstown.
Ratings from Google, prices indicative per night. Live availability and rates via our booking partners.
Queenstown is a lakeside town base, not a ski-in, ski-out resort. You stay in town and drive or take the ski shuttle up to Coronet Peak or The Remarkables, both around 20 to 45 minutes away.
Queenstown suits skiers who want a real town with bars, restaurants and energy rather than a quiet slopeside village, and it works just as well for non-skiing partners. The two nearby ski areas, Coronet Peak and The Remarkables, are reached by road and offer varied terrain for every level, from gentle beginner runs to steep advanced lines. After the lifts close, the town's restaurants and famous nightlife take over, and getting there is easy thanks to Queenstown airport, with direct flights from across New Zealand and Australia.
Hotels and apartments around the lifts. Compare prices on Booking, Expedia and Hotels.com.
Everything on our site connected to Queenstown: its area, the lists it makes, head-to-heads and trip guides.
Queenstown offers 75 km of pistes across 16 lifts, from 310 m to 1943 m. Whether it suits beginners depends on the dedicated learner zones at the base of the slopes, so check the local ski-school options for green and blue run access.
The season runs from Jun 13 to Oct 11, with a snow score of 77/100. Snow is usually most reliable in the heart of that window, deep in winter, while the closing weeks bring longer days and softer afternoon snow.
Queenstown is a lakeside town base, not a ski-in, ski-out resort. You stay in town and drive or take the ski shuttle up to Coronet Peak or The Remarkables, both around 20 to 45 minutes away.
Queenstown has 75 km of marked pistes served by 16 lifts, between 310 m and 1943 m of altitude.
Queenstown counts about 52 marked runs in total. The colour breakdown above shows how they split by difficulty, a good guide to whether the resort fits your level.
The closest alternatives, an easy switch if dates or hotels are tight.
Southern Alps (NZ)
Southern Alps (NZ)
Southern Alps (NZ)
Southern Alps (NZ)
Resorts with a similar feel, snow record and size.
Pirin Mountains
Andes
Andes
Austrian Alps