The Spire Hotel - Queenstown, New Zealand - was a refreshing change after the many cookie cutter, low service hotels we stayed at in Australia. The Spire is a small 5 star, ten room, luxury, boutique hotel that provides you with chic, trendy, luxurious surroundings and A+ service. In a word, it's Bombastic.

Our flight into Queenstown was re-routed due to poor conditions in Queenstown (low clouds, a fairly common occurrence I'm told) so we were bused up from an airport a few hours away.

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By the time we got to the airport we were tired and ready for the hotel. Since we were over two hours late our transfer to the hotel had left so I had to call the hotel to make arrangements. To my surprise, when I called the hotel they acted like they had been waiting for us and actually had someone on the way to come pick us up. "Mel will be there in five minutes" he said. Little did I know the General Manager herself was coming to pick us up. I started to have a very good feeling about this hotel and what was about to come.

Mel drove us back to the hotel and while on the way we discussed what we wanted to do in Queenstown and she said, "Don't worry; I'll arrange everything for you".

Upon arrival at this chic and trendy hotel Mel invited us to have a drink (complimentary, I should add) in the bar while our bags were sent up to our room. Check in was quick and simple, not the long drawn out process that you have at most hotels. This gave us the opportunity to take in the simple beauty of the lobby and bar; they exude style and comfort; I couldn't wait to get up to the room.

The room was unlike any I had seen in all of Australia or New Zealand. Trendy, spacious, sleek lines, luxurious, and chic, with a high-tech entertainment system including a flat screen TV/computer monitor and gorgeous views of the mountains. Who could ask for more? Bombastic! (All that and I forgot to mention their Pillow Menu)

The staff did a fantastic job keeping us busy; arranging a 4x4 tour (up the mountain and through rivers and streams), jet boating up the Dart River, a private lunch at a deserted lake nestled at the base of the mountains, a trip to Milford Sound, a ride on the TSS Earnslaw Steamship (built in 1912), a tour of Walter Peake High Country Farm (sheep ranch) as well as bombastic dinners at The Bunker, Wai Waterfront Restaurant and The Postmaster's House Restaurant in Arrowtown.

Was The Spire perfect? No, it fell short in a couple areas. The breakfasts and morning room service both need some work. And the set dinner "signature menu" with paired wines we had at their restaurant, Inspire Restaurant, left us more disappointed than it did inspired.

Overall, The Spire Hotel is definitely a MUST when in Queenstown.

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