A luxury Queenstown hotel and a Marlborough bed and breakfast are among the world’s best accommodation, according to guests.
The two businesses beat other accommodation from around the world to receive the rankings, based on feedback from millions of travellers who scored each place on a range of aspects using well-known website TripAdvisor.
Both owners were delighted to find out they had been ranked among the world’s best in the site’s Travellers’ Choice Awards.
“We were quite stunned,” said Matt Diack, owner of Dairy Private Luxury Hotel in Queenstown.
His business was rated fourth best in the small hotel category, after hotels in Greece, Belize, and South Africa.
Feedback on the site described the New Zealand hotel as “a luxurious yet homey place we couldn’t rate highly enough”.
“Rooms are well appointed, common areas are well suited to privacy or socialising, and the high tea and breakfast were superb,” it said.
The hotel, which got its name because it used to be the site of a corner dairy, is in the centre of the city.
When Mr Diack took over ownership about two years ago and decided to focus on the service offered to guests, they quickly responded and “bookings started going through the roof”, he said.
Also ranked among the world’s best was Marlborough’s Hillsfield House Bed and Breakfast in Renwick, 10 minutes from Blenheim.
The accommodation was placed 12th in the top 25 Bed and Breakfast category for its “darling rooms, wonderful proprietors, delicious food, warm environment, beautiful English garden,” and proximity to several wineries, according to site feedback.
Hillsfield owner Jo Hill was “absolutely astounded” to learn of the win – its second in a row, up from 21st last year.
“Ultimately we just like to make people feel as welcome as possible. We want to share what we’ve got and we just love Marlborough and love New Zealand,” she said.