With glistening views over Lake Wakatipu and magnificent mountain vistas, stay awhile at Hilton Queenstown and savour their exquisite high tea.
Queenstown is famously known as New Zealand’s adventure playground, but we recommend you carve out some time to settle in, sip and savour lakeside with a decadent High Tea at Hilton Queenstown.
As the name suggests, Wakatipu Grill is Hilton’s all day dining destination located on the shores of Lake Wakatipu. With glistening views over the lake and a magnificent mountain backdrop, it’s the ideal location to sip, savour and settle in for an afternoon of indulgence.
Hilton Queenstown is a luxury hotel offering 178 guestrooms all with fireplaces and boasting 5 star facilities such as an elegant wine bar and lounge, indoor swimming pool and day spa. Located close to Queenstown Airport on the shores of the Frankton Arm of Lake Wakatipu, the hotel is just 10km from the town centre and is easily accessible via water taxi (approx. $5 each way) creating a scenic sense of arrival.
On our visit, we arrived earlier than the hotel was anticipating and while they were very accommodating, our photos don’t reflect the usual setup, which would traditionally include white tablecloths. Regardless, we were treated to an absolutely exquisite and considered High Tea, packed with fresh flavours.
The three-tier High Tea stand is presented, laden with handcrafted items and generously proportioned for our party of three.
The lower tier featured a selection of finger sandwiches including flavours such as curried egg and tomato, smoked salmon & mayo and chicken, cream cheese & cucumber. All were fresh, with just the right amount of filling. The curried egg was the standout proving why an egg sandwich is such a classic.
Scones dominated the middle tier and we all agreed they were exceptionally buttery with a generous amount of Chantilly cream and soft butter supplied to smother on the scones. The Bonne Maman Preserves was delicious, but we would have preferred the scones to be accompanied by homemade jams, given the chef’s obvious talents.
Save room for the sweet treats on the top tier featuring a selection of cakes, desserts and macarons. The friands were delicious and covered in toasted coconut and drizzled in chocolate. The cheesecake was decadently topped with sticky figs but the highlight was the warm chocolate fondant with a delightfully oozy centre, making a rich and rewarding finish.
As you’d come to expect from a hotel of this calibre, all dietary requirements can be catered for with prior notice.
High Tea at the Hilton Queenstown comes with a selection of teas including English, Earl Grey, Lemon, Peppermint, Camomile or Green Tea with Vittoria Coffee also available. Absolutely elevate your afternoon tea experience with an upgrade to a glass (or two) of Moet and Chandon and drink in the stunning lakeside views. It was a moody and overcast on the day we visited and we couldn’t think of anywhere else we’d rather be on a rainy day than fireside at the Hilton.
Wakatipu Grill is filled with all the fun and holiday vibes you’d expect from a hotel in New Zealand’s popular holiday destination.
High Tea in New Zealand – find more experiences
in our High Tea Venue Directory
