Hotel Review: mi-pad Queenstown

mi-pad is an award-winning, smart, modern, sophisticated luxury hotel in the heart of downtown central Queenstown on the shores of world-renowned Lake Wakatipu.

Start us off with an overview.

Located just one block from the centre of town, mi-pad is a super handy hotel, close to Queenstown’s shops, bars, and restaurants. Stepping into a smart hotel means that you might not be greeted by an actual person.

The clever tech means that you have control over your stay, managed through a handy app called Mia on your phone - with check in, room access, room lighting, temperature and concierge being just some of the many clever features at your fingertips.

But don’t worry if you can’t work it all out, an actual person is onsite if you run into any issues, and this is well communicated on arrival. A more traditional swipe card is also available on request.

The hotel itself is nicely furnished, with modern colours and lots of thoughtful touches, like multiple charging stations in the lobby, sofas, books and board games, and plenty of storage for your luggage if you’ve checked out but aren’t quite ready to leave.

There are some great shared spaces too like the rooftop terrace with a gas fire that has stunning views. There are a range of other social spaces if you feel like chatting, chilling, or working.

What’s the crowd like?

A mix of ages and stages, Queenstown has so much to offer that there isn’t really one type of traveller here. mi-pad offers great value for money, so it attracts international travellers of course, but it’s also modern, clean, and with such a great location, so is suitable for guests in town for business or pleasure.

The good stuff: Tell us about the room.

The Queen Deluxe is compact but has all the essentials: block out curtains, comfortable bed and a tv. The bespoke coloured room lighting gives a softer feel, but there is also a big window for natural light.

Having a large mirror over the bathroom countertop with its own lighting made getting ready a great experience, and every room has a hair dryer and GHD hair straighteners - critical information, especially if you like to pack light and have great hair!

mi-pad is big on sustainability and offers a range of smart and environmentally aware features like heated towels rails so you don’t chuck your towel on the floor after one use, air-conditioning sensors that keep the temperature set to your preference while you’re in the room and reduce it once you leave, and a water filtration system so you can confidently drink water from your room, and fill up your drink bottle.

The shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and lotion are all in reusable bottles fitted to the wall, eliminating single use plastic. And there are separate bins for waste and recycling, something you don’t see a lot of in hotel rooms.

Other rooms available to book are Premium Queen, Courtyard Queen, Twin Deluxe, and the Accessible Bunk Room.

Are there any good restaurant, café, and drink options on site?

No, but Queenstown is literally down the road and most people head out to eat. If you’re after snacks, there are mi-vending machines on each floor offering complimentary hot drinks, ice, filtered cold water, and a selection of snacks and locally produced beverages for purchase.

The app also features Food on Q, food delivery from Queenstown restaurants. It feels like there is nothing Mia can’t do.

Any other services and features?

• Unlimited wi-fi across the hotel

• Complimentary overnight car parking (6pm to 8am) is available next to the hotel, with day time options.

• Guest laundry with washer and dryer. There is also a high-quality clothes steamer and iron.

• Ski equipment delivery through SnoPro in winter and ski locker storage in the winter months.

Bottom line: worth it, and why?

A hotel that lets you customise every aspect of your stay, is super affordable, and close to town—not to mention amazing views from the rooftop terrace. It's 100% worth it.

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*Thanks to Condé Nast Traveler for the inspo for the style of this review.