It’s pretty easy to down a few pints, put on your beer goggles, and pick up a willing partner for the evening; however if you are looking for ‘the one’ or at least ‘the one for a week long holiday romance’, then read on for Nomads Queenstown’s guide to romantic hotspots that we suggest you take your current eye candy to…
1. Sunset gondola ride & yummy buffet meal
If you have a little cash to splash, then grasp your chosen date’s hand and take a ride up the Skyline Gondola for stunning scenic views over Queenstown. Look down across Lake Wakatipu onto the town below and soak in the beautiful ‘Adventure Capital of the World’, before heading into the Skyline Restaurant for a romantic meal. Gaze lovingly into each other’s eyes across the table, as you indulge in an Antipasto appetiser and whisper sweet nothings to each other, before moving onto delicious dessert and a return gondola back into town. (Or maybe go luging if the romance isn’t working and you work up that adrenalin!)
2. Picnic in the park
Walk, skip or frolic hand in hand to the Queenstown Gardens where you can take in the beautiful views of Lake Wakatipu. Take along a picnic lunch, lay out a rug on the grass amongst the flowers and indulge in a backpacker’s picnic lunch of ham sandwiches and apples. If the guy really wants to impress the chick, he could perhaps bring along a chocolate bar to tempt her into a second date – obviously the choice of the chocolate bar could swing this second date chance either way, so choose carefully guys! Women can be very picky when it comes to chocolate!
3. Onsen Pools
Want to get hot and steamy? Onsen hot pools, situated high on a cliff side and overlooking Coronet mountains and the Shotover river is the perfect way to unwind, indulge and invigorate. You can get your very own private rooms to make the most of it and can upgrade to a candlelight package, if you really want to spoil them! Cost $46 with transport included – candelight package -extra $20.
4. Sit on the ‘beach’
Yes Queenstown has a beach, of sorts. Head down to the lakefront, cuddle up on the ‘beach’ and enjoy the spectacular views of the mountains across Lake Wakatipu. Take a blanket to properly snuggle and a few romantic treats.
5. Chocolate and Cheese Board
The way to a girls heart… Double C’s – Cheese and Chocolate. First stop – Bardeaux for an amazing spread and great value cheeseboard with a lovely glass of wine to go with it. Take a seat outside and enjoy the atmosphere or if it’s slightly chilly, head indoors and sit by the open fire. IDEAL ! Head down to Patagonia on the Wharf and indulge in a mug of their divine hot chocolate. Seriously sickly but exceptionally exquisite; buy a piece of their homemade chocolate to dip into the hot chocolate should you fancy an even bigger sugar fix. Even better, tempt those taste buds with a big cone of their delicious homemade ice cream and you seriously will never want to leave! Sit by the window and observe the stunning mountain scenery as you enjoy the moment of the delicious chocolate, and the company and conversation of that special someone.
6. BONUS Nomads Queenstown Cinema Room
After a night out on the town, bring back your chosen target (who by the way, must be a guest as we don’t let strangers in if they’re not staying here!) to our comfy cinema room equipped with bean bags and a wide screen TV. Choose your pick of films from our extensive movie list and snuggle for the duration of the film, but don’t get too cosy and forget that our CCTV cameras are infra-red and we can see EVERYTHING!
So there you have it; our top 5 (well, 6) spots to fall in love at / take your current love to. Hopefully you’ve picked up some top tips and manage to woo the man or woman of your dreams. However we accept no responsibility or liability for any broken hearts suffered or for any failed disaster dates should you take our advice and it not work out in your favour! We’re pretty sure though that one out of five of our tips should go your way, so good luck, get in the romantic mood and happy dating!!!