Surrounded by mountains and overlooking the beautiful Lake Te Anau is Loch Vista – a boutique bed and breakfast that’s often described as one of the best in New Zealand. Located just five kilometres from the town of Te Anau on the South Island, Loch Vista is about a two-hour drive from Queenstown. If you think the scenery on your road trip to Te Anau is good, just wait until you reach your destination.
With incredible panoramic lake and mountain views, 15 acres of rural land with sheep and cattle, and a beautiful house to call home during your stay, Loch Vista is the kind of place that city folk dream about. There are a range of different rooms to choose from, some with French doors that open out onto private patios with epic views. Each room has its own ensuite, the living areas are bright and spacious, and there’s even a fire for the colder months (not that we’d know anything about that) The entire property is absolutely immaculate, yet still has a homely feel – the ideal combination in my books.
Loch Vista is run by local husband and wife team Guy and Pam Turnbull who have their own house on a nearby property where they live with their two teenage children. With their warm and friendly nature, invaluable local knowledge and close proximity to Loch Vista, Guy and Pam are the perfect example of what great bed and breakfasts are all about. Whether it was a restaurant recommendation, where to go to take great photos, or what sights we should visit, we were able to get the most out of our short three night stay thanks to their expertise. It was like having a real life Lonely Planet concierge – Pam even drove us to the wedding we were there for, which was at another property at the top of the hill. It was only a two-minute drive, but anyone who helps save my stiletto-clad feed and enables me to sample the delicious local wine is a friend for life.
As well as being in Te Anau for a wedding, we were also there to visit Milford Sound. With limited time we could only do a day trip, but what an incredible day it was. I’ve written a dedicated article on our adventures to Milford Sound – New Zealand’s most scenic destination that’s located in the UNESCO World Heritage Fiordland National Park. Te Anau is the closest town to Milford Sound, making Loch Vista the perfect base to explore the wilderness within Fiordland National Park.
Some of the highlights staying at Loch Vista were the incredible sunrises and sunsets, meeting two of Guy and Pam’s lambs – ‘Sunday’ and ‘Roast’ who were treated like family pets (although due to their tastiness, they may not be there anymore), the picturesque road trip from between Queenstown and Te Anau and getting the lowdown on Redcliff Restaurant where I had one of the best meals of my life!
We stayed in Te Anau as guest of Loch Vista. Photography by myself, Ashadi Hopper and Loch Vista.
How to get there:
A range of airlines fly into Queenstown daily. Once you reach Queenstown Airport, it’s then a two-hour drive to Loch Vista – if you like to take your time and stop when a photo opportunity presents itself (which let’s be honest, will be all the time), allow two and a half hours. Simply travel along Milford Sound Highway 4.6kms from the 80km sign. Take the first right after Sinclair Road. Drive 50 metres up the road and turn right at the Loch Vista sign beside the letterboxes, follow the driveway down to house.
The accommodation:
There are four beautiful rooms to chose from starting at $NZ195 per night. Each room has its own ensuite, and some have French doors that open out onto private patios. Details here.
What to do:
You can’t visit Te Anau without seeing the spectacular Milford Sound – New Zealand’s most scenic destination that’s located in the UNESCO World Heritage Fiordland National Park. We did a day trip with Eco Tours Milford Sound (run by Jucy Cruises). Details here.
Where to eat:
Redcliff Restaurant, or the ‘Cliff’ as locals call it, is a fine dining restaurant opposite Lake Te Anau that one of the best in town. With stunning mountain views, the restaurant prides itself in their locally grown and reared produce. They’ve also got an epic and extensive list of delicious local wines. Details here.
