ESCAPE// EICHARDT’S HOTELGuests can enjoy traditional hotel
suites, as well as lake-front apartments
and the Eichardt’s private penthouse.
The hotel is listed as a member of the
Small Luxury Hotels of the World. The
Cox’s enlisted interior designer Nina Bell
of the Imperium Group to oversee the
interior fi t-out, with her brief focusing
on sympathetically connecting the
traditional elements of the heritage
buildings into the new build spaces.
The design focus for The Grille
restaurant was a modern eatery modelled
on traditional French bistro style and
inspired by New York’s Balthazar
Restaurant, a favourite of the Coxs. The
overall aesthetic nods to the heritage
of the original Eichardt’s building, and
embraces the colours and materials
evident in the surrounding Central Otago
landscapes. Slate fl oors were installed
to match and link with the existing
Eichardt’s foyer, as well as extensive
steelwork and aged New Zealand leather
banquette seating. These main elements
provided a strong, semi-industrial
aesthetic, with a focus on large-scale
dining and providing an elegant canvas for
the picturesque views of Lake Wakatipu.
The owners’ vision was to blend the
existing classical features of Eichardt’s
with the look and feel of a luxury lodge,
located in the urban setting of central
Queenstown. For the guest suites and
penthouse, privacy from the adjacent
public spaces, without hindering the
unsurpassed views, was one of the
foremost challenges, which the architect
tackled with extensive glazing and
deck areas.
While the suite interiors were closely
modelled on the existing hotel design, the
Penthouse took on a life of its own and was
created to balance comfort and opulence
in equal measure. Warm textures such as
leather, velvet and possum fur were used
extensively, and the colour palette was
chosen to be calming and restful.
The hotel is enchanting, with cosy
nooks and roaring fi res, interiors which
nod to the outdoors beyond, and a
dramatic presence, both historical and
modern, on the shores of Lake Wakatipu,
arguably one of the most beautiful
locations in the world.
eichardts.comABOVE The guest rooms exude luxury with layered textures and a warm, natural colour palette
RIGHT Eichardt’s bar is the place to relax and unwind
OPPOSITE Plush furnishings create an opulent atmosphere