Cardrona Hotel

Rumoured to be the most photographed building in New Zealand, the historic facade hides an award-winning restaurant, legendary beer garden and charming hotel rooms with an atmosphere second-to-none.

Established in 1863, the Cardrona Hotel is one of New Zealand’s oldest hotels, and is one of only two remaining buildings from the Cardrona Valley gold rush era. In its heyday, Cardrona was a prosperous settlement and significant commercial hub for the area. During this period the hotel - one of four in the township - offered accommodation, livery services and an accommodation stop for itinerant travellers. The historic hotel facade is representative of this now vanished town and is an important part of New Zealand’s history.

The hotel is currently owned by friends-turned-business-partners Cade Thornton and James Jenneson. The pair visited the pub on a road trip to Queenstown in the winter of 2012. They were so taken by the historic pub that by February 2013 they were the proud new owners of a slice of Kiwi history. Since taking the helm, Cade and James have focused on improving the bar and restaurant offering, maintaining the buildings & grounds and giving this iconic landmark the love and care it deserves.