Three mountains, one boutique base
Queenstown offers one of the longest snow seasons in the Southern Hemisphere, welcoming skiers and snowboarders from June to September. The three ski fields in close proximity to The Spire guarantee breathtaking alpine scenery and terrain for all levels of ability. Transport and gear hire is easily arranged and the closest ski field, Coronet Peak, is only 20 minutes from the hotel.
Staying in the centre of town rather than up a mountain access road means you ski by day and have Queenstown’s restaurants, bars and lakefront on foot by night. The Spire sits on Church Lane, one of the town’s main streets, with No.5 Church Lane and Brunch on Church at the door.
Coronet Peak
Nestled in the Southern Alps, Coronet Peak is renowned for its breathtaking vistas, well-groomed slopes and adrenaline-pumping adventures. It is the closest field to town and the one with the most character: rolling terrain, sunny north-facing slopes, and a diligent snowmaking and grooming team that keeps the runs in shape even in lean weeks. Freshly groomed runs suit beginners and experts alike.
Coronet Peak lights up for Night Ski from 4pm to 9pm on Wednesdays, Fridays and select Saturdays from June to September — one of the few places in the world you can ski under lights with a lake view, then be back in town for a late dinner.
The Remarkables
The Remarkables is the range you see from Queenstown — the jagged wall across the lake. The ski area sits high in a south-facing basin, which holds snow well and gives it reliable natural cover. It is the family and freestyle favourite: wide learner areas, three terrain parks, and the Shadow Basin and Curvey Basin chairs for steeper lines. The drive is around 40 minutes from The Spire; ski shuttles run from town through the season.
Cardrona and Treble Cone
Cardrona, an hour’s drive over the Crown Range, is New Zealand’s largest ski area by lifted terrain and a superb all-rounder with spectacular views and excellent on-mountain amenities. Treble Cone, near Wānaka, has the longest vertical in the region and the most serious off-piste. Both make a strong day trip; our concierge can arrange a private transfer so the driving is not yours.
Getting there, gear and passes
Ski shuttles collect from central Queenstown, a short walk from the hotel, and private transfers can be arranged to your door. Rental gear is delivered to The Spire the evening before so you are fitted and ready by breakfast. Multi-day and multi-mountain passes cover Coronet Peak and The Remarkables together. Our Spring, Ski & Spa package (promo code SKI2SPA) bundles three nights with in-room champagne breakfasts and a Well Spa treatment every day.
A typical ski day from Church Lane
Gear is fitted the evening before in the hotel lobby. Breakfast is à la carte at Brunch on Church from 7am; the ski shuttle collects from the town-centre stop a few minutes’ walk away, or a private transfer pulls up at the door. Coronet Peak’s first chair runs from 8am in peak season, and the mountain faces north, so mornings are the warm, soft runs and afternoons are the shaded Rocky Gully side. Most guests are back at The Spire by four. Pre-dinner drinks and canapés are served nightly; The Well Spa takes late bookings for deep tissue and hot stone. Dinner is downstairs at No.5, and the fire in your suite is lit before you return.
Non-skiers and mixed groups
Queenstown is the rare ski town where the non-skiers have the better day. While one half of the party is on the mountain, the other half can be on Pacific Jemm’s Mulled Wine Cruise, in Gibbston Valley’s cellar doors, at The Well Spa, or on an e-bike along the lake. Our concierge builds parallel itineraries that meet back at Church Lane for dinner. For children, Coronet Peak and The Remarkables both run ski schools with all-day care from age three; Skyline’s luge above town is the reliable rest-day hit.
When the lifts close
Imagine the panic. You rise early to don your brightly coloured winter gear, shovelling breakfast down in a rush to beat the queues up the mountain, only to discover that the lifts are shut because of adverse weather conditions. A quick conversation with the concierge at The Spire and you have a plan: a private helicopter to Milford Sound, the bungy at Kawarau Bridge, a private Central Otago wine tour, and an in-room remedial massage to prepare you for a big day back on the slopes tomorrow. Winter rest days shouldn’t be boring — and in Queenstown, they never are.
