Sherwood Queenstown

Overall, I was very disappointed with my stay at Sherwood Queenstown. I understand that the hotel is trying to create an eco-friendly, rustic and upcycled style, but in reality, the room felt more old and basic than stylish or thoughtfully designed. The room lacked many features commonly found in standard hotel rooms, including a TV, proper wardrobe or practical storage space, air conditioning, and a microwave. I understand that some of these facilities may not have been specifically advertised, but considering the room rate and the hotel’s four-star positioning, the overall standard still felt very underwhelming. The furniture was also extremely basic. Our room had one queen bed and one single bed, but for two guests, the single bed was not particularly useful and simply took up a large amount of the limited space. The main bed did not even have a proper headboard and looked more like a basic bed frame. The sleeping area felt unfinished rather than like a properly designed four-star hotel room. The lighting was another major issue. The room was extremely dim and impractical. I understand that this may have been intended to create atmosphere, but in practice it made the room feel gloomy rather than cosy. It was difficult to organise luggage, find belongings, or simply use the room comfortably. Some of the lights felt more like small torches in a dark forest than proper hotel room lighting. More importantly, there was a noticeable damp and musty smell in the room, which significantly affected the comfort of the stay. Interior design is subjective, but a damp smell is not simply a matter of personal taste. The bathroom fixtures also looked very dated. The taps and fittings reminded me of designs from decades ago and contributed to the overall impression that the room had not been meaningfully modernised. I understand that the hotel may describe this style as rustic, sustainable, minimalist or “humble luxury”, but in my view, sustainability should not come at the expense of basic comfort and practicality. Minimalism should not feel like a lack of essential furnishings. My main concern is the gap between the actual room experience and the price and four-star positioning. It was not just one missing facility, but the combination of the damp smell, very poor lighting, dated bathroom fittings, limited storage, extremely basic furniture, and the overall lack of comfort that made the stay feel poor value for money. As a quirky, eco-focused accommodation, I can understand the concept. However, judged against the expectations and pricing of a four-star hotel, the actual room experience fell significantly short.

Apart from the location, unfortunately Sherwood wasn't really for me. The location itself is quite convenient, sitting between Queenstown Airport and the town centre, so getting around by car was easy. The room, however, felt much more basic than I expected. I understand that Sherwood has a strong focus on sustainability, which I appreciate, but personally the room felt less "minimal" and more dated and overly basic. The lighting was also extremely dim, which made it difficult to even tell how clean the room actually was. The bathroom was probably the biggest issue for me. The shower curtain kept sticking to me whenever it got wet, which made showering really uncomfortable 😭 Water also ended up all over the bathroom floor after a shower, leaving the whole area feeling wet and unpleasant. It's a shame because the communal areas are actually beautiful and have a great atmosphere. I just wish the same attention had been given to improving the comfort of the rooms and bathrooms. On a positive note, the staff were lovely and the service was great. Overall, the location, service and communal spaces are good, but if room comfort, lighting and bathroom facilities are important to you, I'd definitely take those into consideration before booking.

We had our wedding night dinner here, and it was the perfect way to end such a special day. Every dish was absolutely delicious, beautifully presented, and full of flavour. The service was warm, attentive, and made us feel so welcome throughout the evening. It’s clear why this restaurant has earned a Michelin star!!

Absolutely delicious dinner! We went with a group of 7, and it was a great experience. We opted to go family style at our waitress’s prompting and it was a great call. The fish entree and the crudo were my personal favorites. The cocktails were also awesome, very good amaretto sour! Strongly recommend to anyone who wants a fancier meal in Queenstown. Great ambiance for a date or more intimate meal.