The original Hermitage Hotel was opened to adventurous travelers in 1884.  It has since been rebuilt, modernized and refurbished.  With the latest development completed in 2001, the hermitage complex consists of 214 rooms offering a range of accommodation options suited to most travelers and budgets. The hotel is open year round and visitors and tourists will be awed not only by the scenery but also with the choice of accommodation, dining and leisure pursuits.

Hotel Features and Facilities

• Located just 55 kilometers off the Christchurch-Queenstown State Highway within the Aoraki Mount Cook National Park.

• The Hermitage complex consists of 214 rooms offering a range of accommodation options to suit most travelers and budgets.

• All rooms feature tea and coffee making facilities, private bathrooms, satellite television, telephone, fridge and binoculars.

•  Award winning dining in the Panorama Restaurant features New Zealand’s finest seafood and game.

• 32 motel rooms and 18 Chalets

• Souvenir shop and clothing outlet.

• Guided walks

• Other leisure pursuits include Glacier Explorers, 4-wheel drive safari, heli-hiking, fishing or horse riding nearby.

• Tennis court

Accommodation

Aoraki Wing Rooms

The 60 room deluxe Aoraki Wing is located within The Hermitage.  The rooms in this wing feature luxurious facilities and an exceptional picture window view of Aoraki Mount Cook and Mount Sefton.  The Aoraki Wing consists of six floors; each room features majestic views and at 34 square metres, these are larger than most hotel accommodation.  These rooms all feature air-conditioning. 

The 32 Motels and 18 Chalets can house up to four or six people all with private facilities, kitchens, televisions and telephones.  All motel and chalet bookings include continental breakfast in the Coffee Shop.

Dining

The Hermitage Hotel is renowned for its fine cuisine, ranging from elegant dining in the Panorama Restaurant to the extensive Alpine Restaurant dinner buffet.

Panorama Restaurant

During the evening, dine in the award winning Panorama Restaurant with its stunning views and choose from a menu featuring New Zealand’s finest seafood and game. Since first opening its doors in 1969, The panorama Restaurant has gained a reputation as being amongst the best restaurants in New Zealand.  This reputation is reflected in the numerous awards the restaurant has received over the years.  A simple philosophy of using just the freshest, local ingredients is still the secret to success today. During the summer The Panorama dining experience is enhanced with live music in the evenings from resident musician Allen Morettini.

The Alpine Restaurant

Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner

The Alpine Restaurant offers sumptuous buffets (breakfast and dinner), accompanied with spectacular views of Aoraki Mount Cook from every seat.  At lunch a Table D’ Hote menu is available.

The Coffee Shop

Located upstairs in the Hermitage building, the Coffee Shop is the ideal place to enjoy your favorite coffee. All year round The Hermitage Coffee Shop serves light snacks, sandwiches, cakes, hot & cold drinks, and boasts an outdoor seating area with one the best views in the world! During the summer months The Coffee Shop is open from 7.30 am daily for continental breakfast.

The Grocery Store located within the Coffee Shop sells basic necessities including personal items, bread, milk, fresh fruit and vegetables, frozen, dried and canned foods. Eight coin-operated high-speed Internet Terminals are also available for easy internet access.

The Snowline Bar

The perfect location for a pre-dinner drink, the Snowline Bar offers spectacular views of Aoraki Mount Cook. Take the opportunity to relax and unwind after an adventurous day in the park. Curl up by the open log-fire, or sit back and take in the majestic view of the Southern Alps. The Snowline Bar serves all your favorite cocktails, as well as some that you won't find anywhere else. The bar also has an extensive selection of wines and beers from New Zealand and around the world.

Things to do

Whatever you choose to do during your stay at The Hermitage – hike, ski, safari by plane, or just sit back and take in the scenery, be prepared for an awesome experience. A range of activities are available with something to appeal to everyone, from glacier skiing in the winter to hiking, boat trips and fishing in the summer. The Hermitage also offers some great shopping, including clothing, locally made arts and crafts and other souvenirs.

Whatever your ability, from novice to expert alpine mountaineer, there is a walking track to suit you in the Aoraki Mount Cook National Park. The tracks range in duration from short one hour walks to walks taking an entire day, suiting all ages, interests and fitness abilities. Staff at either the Hermitage Activities Desk or the Department of Conservation's Visitor Center is able to give advice and information about these and other walks. Visitor Center staff can also provide walking maps, as well as further information for those wanting to trek to and stay overnight in one of the National Park’s 18 tramping and climbing huts.

The Sir Edmund Hillary Alpine Center

The hotel is proposing to extend the existing hotel complex to include a museum, interpretation and audio visual theatre facility as well as improved café, bar and retailing amenities.  With the great Sir Edmund Hillary as patron and namesake, the center will enjoy a spectacular location with floor-to-ceiling views up the hooker Valley towards Aoraki Mount Count. The museum will have a strong focus on the history of climbing in the region as well as transport, flora, fauna, geology and the history of the Hermitage Hotel itself. Construction is scheduled to begin in March 2007 with the center to be completed and operational by October 2007.

Glacier Explorers

This popular experience gives a unique opportunity to get up close and personal with New Zealand’s largest glacier, the Tasman Glacier. After a short hike to the edge of the terminal lake, the experienced guides will take you by boat to the face of the glacier. The ride provides some spectacular views of the surrounding mountains, and some of the most stunning photographic opportunities available in the national park.

Trips (3 hours) depart twice daily from the Hermitage at 10.00am and 2.00 pm and cost $105 for adults, $50 for children.

Mount Cook Ski Planes

Mount Cook Ski Planes made aviation history in 1955 with the first retractable ski landing on a glacier. Mount Cook Ski Planes today operate a modern fleet of Pilatus Porter and Cessna aircraft. Flying from the only airport in the Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park, they offer a wide range of scenic flights which include the Fox, Franz Joseph and Tasman glaciers. Mount Cook Ski Planes are the only operators approved to land scenic flights on the Tasman Glacier, once the aircraft has come to a stop on the snow the pilot shuts the engine down so passengers can experience the 'Natural Quiet' of the mountains. Glacier landing flights priced from $325 for an adult and $240 for a child. Scenic over flights priced from $220 for an adult and $180 for a child.