Queenstown boutique comforts

By GERALDINE McMANUS

"Morgen" is one of the greetings heard around the winter breakfast table at Browns Boutique Hotel.

Its owner and host Nigel Brown has a long-standing love affair with the white flakes and is a former New Zealand racing ski team member.

"When I travelled overseas with the team, first as a skier and later as coach, I experienced the European style of accommodation. In the Austrian ski villages we stayed in small hosted hotels, often with tiled and wooden floors, wonderful beds, crisp linen and breakfast provided each morning."

Bridget Brown also travelled through Europe checking out small boutique hotels looking for ideas and inspiration.

Browns is on the rise close to the base of the Queenstown gondola. Whisking up above the treeline turns the majesty of the area into a 360-degree panorama.

The building itself is a mix of Italian and Austrian with large tiled bathrooms and quality beds. The whole place has an uncluttered ambience about it.

Brown, a long-term resident of Queenstown, is an ideal host with lots of local knowledge to share with his eager visitors.

The large sitting room is the hub. During winter guests can expect to see a roaring fire and are welcome to pull up a comfortable chair, unwind, read or chat with fellow guests.

In the early evening Brown steps into the role of barman and - as often happens - life stories and experiences are shared.

With just 10 bedrooms, Browns Hotel is boutique. Rooms are spacious and reflect the property's European flair and design. The beds are enormous and should really come with a map to find your way to the pillows, the linen is white and fine and the bathrooms modern with crisp design.

Each room is large, spacious and has french doors that open up to a balcony and a view of Lake Wakatipu - backed by the craggy beauty of the Remarkables. At this time of year they often form the cliched alpine scene stretching across the skyline against a picture-perfect blue sky.

The central lounge and dining area downstairs opens on to a walled courtyard lined with cypress trees. An outdoor fireplace is another focal point to gather around and mix with guests, but that's mainly for the warmer months.

Most people tend to meet at the large dining table in the morning for breakfast when plans for the day are discussed over a mouthwatering European-style continental buffet and hot fresh coffee.

For holidaymakers it's a great way to pick up hints of what to see and where to go. I quickly slipped into using the jargon of talking about "snowfields" rather than the kiwi terminology "ski areas".

Similarly in the evening we gathered around the fire relaxing with a drink before going out to dine. Browns is just three minutes stroll from Queenstown's more than 100 restaurants and 160 licensed bars. From the elite to the steamy sauna of apres-ski hangouts.

The whole area hums during the ski season. There is a mad rush to get to the slopes in the morning, during the day the town falls back into quiet routine going about its business. And as the sun goes down the cars, buses and people return and the nightlife begins in earnest.

For the non-skiers there is plenty to keep them busy. Wine, garden and art trails and a visit to quaint, but touristy, Arrowtown for shopping are popular options.

My favourite is the outstanding scenery of Glenorchy surrounded by mountains and glacier-fed rivers and beech forests. Meeting an ex-school friend on a station at Glenorchy was the perfect incentive to take the drive west. The journey along the edge of Lake Wakatipu is so breathtakingly beautiful it makes the 45-minute trip a pleasure.

Being a holiday place, winter and summer, Queenstown is a great location at any time. And the Browns keep their fingers on the town's pulse so they know what's happening year round - ideal for first-time visitors looking for tips on things to do.


CASE NOTES

Where to find it - Browns Boutique Hotel, 26 Isle St, Queenstown

Contact - Nigel and Bridget Brown
ph 03 441 2050; fax 03 441 2060
Email stay@brownshotel

Qualmark rating - 4-star

What it costs - Winter through to September 30 this year: $220 a night double,$180 single. Ask about special ski packages.

Access - Wheelchair bathroom available

Smoking - Outside only

Parking - Available

Ski storage - Available

Food - Continental breakfast included. Many fine restaurants are close by.


* Geraldine McManus was hosted by Browns Boutique Hotel