New boutique hotel to rise above Queenstown
A high-end boutique hotel is set to transform the corner of Man and Brecon Streets in Queenstown CBD, replacing a tired 1960s former language school building.
The proposed hotel, from Cactus Kiwi NZ Limited Partnership, will be built on a 339sqm site directly adjacent to the iconic Brecon St steps.
The development includes four spacious suites designed for luxury stays, along with a wine bar in basement - open to both guests and the public. Each suite will span an entire level, offering either a large lounge with spa-style ensuite or an open-plan living and dining area with a dedicated library nook.
With only eight guests per suite at maximum capacity, the hotel is pitching itself firmly at the top end of the market.
Cactus Kiwi NZ Limited Partnership is owned by Queenstown-based chartered accountant and developer Richie O’Meara, the founder of O’Meara Advisory. The property, 10 Brecon Street, was last sold in 2021 for a reported $3.1 million.
Created by award-winning architects Monk McKenzie, the hotel blends large glazed panels with dark metal finishes and locally sourced schist gabion walls to fit the alpine context.
From Man Street, it will present as a sleek three-level building; from Brecon St, the full four-storey height will be visible due to the site’s elevation. While the building exceeds height limits under the current District Plan, the developers argue the location- a corner site in a rapidly intensifying part of town - can absorb the extra scale.
It will be somewhat dwarfed by the neighbouring recently approved 173-room hotel, on top of the Man St car park. There's also a hotel planned on the opposite corner of Brecon St, although its development has been slow.
The high-end Sofitel Hotel is on the opposite side of the Brecon St steps.
The resource consent application has been submitted to council.
