F is for Food
At The Cottages at Lake Hayes, you will be spoilt for choice when it comes to food, with the numerous world class restaurants in the area, as well as fresh local produce from farm shops and farmers markets.
We are incredibly fortunate at The Cottages at Lake Hayes to be surrounded by so many world class restaurants, as well as being close to a fantastic farm shop and a farmers market.
For those that are looking to head out for a bite to eat, we would recommend the following ...
Mora Wines & Artisan Kitchen for brunch.
Owner and Executive Chef John Pickens, and his team offer hand-crafted cuisine that is made from scratch, using New Zealand’s finest sustainable ingredients, sourced in and around the four coasts of the South Island. The waffles are out of this world:
And after brunch, why not taste some, or all, of Mora's delicious Central Otago wines at the Mora Cellar Door. Their friendly and knowledgeable team will host you with much humour and banter, and you will leave with a greater understanding of their vineyards in the Bannockburn and Pisa subregions and how these unique landscapes shape the flavours and textures of the wines.
For dinner, if you are looking to spoil yourself, head to Amisfield, and let Vaughan Mabee take you for an exploration of the season's best local produce via his degustation menu that can also be matched with wines produced on Amisfield's single vineyard estate. Amisfield's focus is on creating dishes that represent the work of a small group of fisherman, hunters, gatherers and farmers, who bring their products together to epitomise the tastes of Central Otago and these dishes cumulate in a dining experience that helps define NZ cuisine to the world.
If you are looking for somewhere a little more casual but equally as delicious, then La Rumbla is for you - an exceptional tapas and cocktail bar in historic Arrowtown. La Rumbla was born upon Sam and PJ's return from living in Spain, where they took inspiration from the streets and culture of Catalonia, providing dining until late with a lively and relaxed atmosphere. Their ever changing menu is a collection of ideas from not only Spain but Latin America and the Mediterranean.
For those that are wanting to stay in and make use of the fully equipped kitchen at The Cottages at Lake Hayes, and have a "home" cooked meal using local produce, whilst taking in the stunning sunset on Lake Hayes and the surrounding mountains, then we would recommend that you stock up your fridge and pantry at the following ...
In a bid to directly connect people with where their food is grown, Nadia Lim and Carlos have converted an old shed in Arrowtown into a farm shop where you can buy Royalburn produce straight off the farm and meet the people who have grown, raised and harvested it. The shop is filled to the brim with fresh produce, meats, charcuterie, free-range eggs and other small goods. It’s the perfect place to put together a beautiful meal or picnic, or pick up a culinary gift. The farm shop interior – everything from the corrugated iron walls to the timber display shelves – is made of recycled materials from the farm’s past buildings and machinery, so it’s a little slice of history. On the walls you will see tools, bottles and other bits and bobs found on the farm, many from the late 1800s.
And if you are staying at The Cottages on a Saturday between October and April, then head to The Remarkables Market, where you can shop, eat and relax while listening to live music in this unique mountain setting at Remarkables Park. You'll find quality produce including fruit and vegetables, coffee, fresh bread and pastries, tea, cheese, salmon, honey, award winning sausages, sauces, olive oil, cupcakes, wine, freshly made juices and coffee. Brunch and lunch options available with options for vegetarians & vegans. A variety of wonderful crafts including handmade cards, home wares, jewellery, ceramic art and Christmas decorations, cushions, children's clothing, soaps and candles. Family friendly with a huge children's sandpit, picnic rugs provided, and newspapers on their coffee tables.
For a real treat, you can have a platter of all sorts of local goodies, including artisan cheeses from Gibbston Valley & Whitestone, charcuterie from A Lady Butcher, hot smoked salmon from Fishwives Smokehouse, freshly baked bread, pate and more, delivered to your cottage by Rosie's Plate. Many of our guests take the platter up to the fire pit and enjoy it with a glass of local pinot noir whilst watching the setting sun on the lake and the mountains beyond. A great way to end the day.
There are so many other great restaurants and cafes in the area, so make sure you give yourself plenty of time to enjoy as many of them as possible when you stay at The Cottages at Lake Hayes.
What our guests had to say
Amazing experience!! Amazing place to stay, highly recommend. They have thought of everything with lots of lovely finishing touches, also great beds and linen which we love! our kids loved the hot tub and fire pit. This place was the ideal location too
Perryfamily530
Stayed 3 nights in hope cottage which was on the lake edge with a beautiful hot tub privately placed outside the bedroom. Two bedrooms, amazing couple size shower and lovely toiletries. Beds super comfortable! Sky TV and a Bluetooth speaker nespresso, milk frother, dishwasher, everything you...
Deena
Loved it! Stunning spot! We stayed in Alta, one of the five cottages they offer. We absolutely loved everything about it. Amazing setting and clever layout to offer the incredible scenery. Had a few fresh nights and the cottage kept us nice n snug. Fresh eggs, handwritten postcard, the...
Vinny
Stunning stay on beautiful Lake Hayes What a spot. This is an absolute gem, perfectly positioned for our family ski trip between Queenstown, Cardrona, Coronet Peak and the Remarkables. The cottage was beautifully designed and appointed, and was incredibly cosy with its heated floors and wood...
Richard F
Amazing stay We stayed for 4 nights in the Luna cottage and loved everything about our stay. Beautiful peaceful setting on the lake, Wonderful views from the outdoor hot tub and beautifully designed furnishings in the self contained cottage. Great central location for walks and visit to...
Lisa A
Fabulous spot for friends, family, and couples! Loved staying in the relaxing and stylish cottages!! They have thought of everything and you really feel at home. Fabulous spot for friends, family, and couples. Close to everywhere in the Queenstown region. Can't wait to stay again!
TamaraMiles
We loved it!! We were so thrilled when we arrived at our cottage and saw the beautiful setting and gorgeous lake views.We were equally excited when we went inside, it is a fab, modern and tastefully decorated space. We were given a very warm welcome and left to enjoy our stunning view, crisp...
Overpackhack
A luxury stay The Cottages at Lake Hayes was the perfect accommodation booking I have ever chosen. The immediate reply when enquiring about my stay made is simple and clear. The communication was available the entire stay and the quality of each cottage was 100% best value. The decor and...
Taane
These cottages are beautifully designed right down to the last detail. The living space is generous and well laid out and the bedrooms finished to a high standard with no expense spared on the beds to ensure a great night's sleep. Situated right on the lake edge, it's hard to beat this...
Chris
Luxurious accommodation overlooking Lake Hayes We had a delightful five stay at the cottages. They are very well appointed with two equally comfortably bedrooms. A great kitchen if you want to cook and a cosy living area with a potbelly which gave out incredible heat. Amazing views over Lake Hayes.
JennyW3623