Queenstown welcomes a new level of opulence and service with The Carlin Boutique Hotel officially opening yesterday (24 March 2022) and taking bookings from this weekend.
The one-of-a-kind, luxury hotel – first flagged by LATTE in May 2020 – is a labour of love for property developer, composer and hospitality industry veteran, Kevin Carlin.
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Undeterred by the pandemic complications, Carlin has personally overseen the construction and interior decorating of the hotel and will remain as majority shareholder.
“Building a hotel during a pandemic is far from ideal, but through good planning and hard work, we have been able to achieve the unimaginable and open our doors after just 14 months of construction. The fact our opening is timed with the re-opening of NZ’s borders is serendipitous but we are very grateful for this seemingly perfect timing.”
“After a 30-year association with Queenstown, I know it is one of the most amazing places on the planet and I remain confident in the future of high-value tourism in New Zealand,” he said.
Spread over seven floors, The Carlin offers a range of spacious suites in one-, two-, three- and four-bedroom configurations with 88 to 500 square metres of indoor and outdoor living space per suite.
Carlin designed the hotel and its extensive features based on five- and six-star hotels in Europe. These “beyond five-star” features include: private butlers, private chefs, private massage, a separate private entrance, extra-large indoor and outdoor living spaces and access to a private jet and luxury vehicles.
The flexible room configuration allows the hotel to offer The Carlin Skyhome Penthouse, the largest penthouse suite in Australasia – a seven-bedroom, three-level suite connected by private lift and with a private entrance.
A commitment to personalised service means the hotel will only accommodate a maximum of 50 overnight guests at any one time. The entire property can be booked out and the Carlin has already taken a few such bookings. For functions, the hotel can accommodate up to 150 people in its 250sq m Grand Room.
“We are already getting bookings from New Zealanders and from overseas,” Carlin confirmed.
The Carlin’s in-house restaurant – ORO – takes fine dining to the next level with innovative cuisine showcasing Aotearoa’s finest ingredients from the land and sea. The kitchen is headed up by two chefs with Michelin Star experience executive chef Thomas Barta, who worked with Gordon Ramsay, and head chef Yann Robert.
The Carlin Boutique Hotel is taking bookings for arrivals from 1 April while ORO Restaurant opens this weekend.
The hotel’s facilities are also available for private functions.
“There have been many challenges to overcome but this has been a true labour of love, and I’m immensely proud that The Carlin Boutique Hotel and its associated services will ensure Queenstown can deliver a visitor experience of the very highest standard of sophistication,” Carlin added.
Bookings and inquiries can be made via reservations@thecarlinhotel.com or see thecarlinhotel.com.
Lead image: The view from the terrace in The Eagles Nest suite at The Carlin | Credit: Kate Roberge