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Skiing & Snowboarding in Wanaka

Wed, 17 Jun 2015 19:43:39 +1200

We don’t like to boast, but Wanaka is the perfect destination for your ski or snowboarding holiday. The snow arrives late May to early June with the resorts opening at the end of June. The season then continues right through until October, with September spring skiing being our favourite! It’s warmer and the days are longer!

From Wanaka you can access two of the country's top ski resorts, Cardrona and Treble Cone. These two resorts offer everything you could possibly want from a ski holiday. Wide open, perfectly groomed trails at Cardrona, and steep open bowls at Treble Cone. Of course both resorts offer a mix of all terrain including beginner, intermediate, and advanced with Cardrona home to the longest terrain park in the southern hemisphere too. It is no wonder that 90% of the New Zealand winter Olympic team is based and trains in Wanaka – you never know who you might ride the chair lift with here!

After the ski day is over Wanaka hosts plenty of restaurants, bars and other activities to keep you well fed and entertained. So bring your group of friends or family- Wanaka would love to meet you!

You can take the hassle out of your holiday by booking with our friends NZ Snow Tours- they'll set you up with gear, transport you up the mountain, guide you around the mountain or organise lessons and even show you all the best spots in town on your days off!

Accommodation for families at Mountain Range Lodge

Wed, 4 Jun 2014 9:57:35 +1200

Mountain Range Boutique Lodge is the perfect location for gathering your family together. Our two warm and inviting living areas provide plenty of space for everyone to get together and eat, play and be merry, while also allowing the party to split up and satisfy their individual needs. A beautiful, modern kitchen, excellently equipped with plenty of seating options for the masses and a large BBQ out on the deck to entertain create the perfect setting for your family break.

With a huge, sheltered, private garden for enjoying the beautiful fresh Wanaka air, you may choose to have the sunshine lapping on you while you throw a ball with the children, team up for a game of backyard cricket, entertain friends with lunch on the deck or simply lie in a hammock and finally finish that book you started!

As the sun goes down, or after a long day skiing be sure to make the most of our hot tub in the garden. Rest, relax and recharge for the next day of adventure or peace!

The lodge is located safely back from the main road, making it even more suitable for young families. A short 20-minute walk into the center of town, 5-minute bike ride, or 3-minute car trip, everyone will be pleased with that result.

There are breathtaking tranquil views out of every window, and a rural feel to the surrounds, but with the cafes and shops, cinema, climbing wall, playgrounds, ski fields and lake so conveniently close to Mountain Range Lodge, we have the best of both worlds.

Vibrant yet calming décor create a dreamy sense of location, a peaceful retreat to help you rest and recharge your batteries, whilst still providing access to adventure, retail therapy and physical activity.

We have 5 complimentary mountain bikes and helmets onsite for guests to explore our beautiful setting in Lake Wanaka, complimentary wireless Internet access for your Internet requirements, Sky TV, a huge DVD collection, CD’s/Stereo and a library so everyone will be able to enjoy their holiday.

With up to 8 bedrooms comfortably sleeping up to 16 people, no one will be left off the family invite list. Finally enjoy that family holiday you have been dreaming of at Mountain Range Boutique Lodge.

Wanaka Wedding Venues and Mountain Range Lodge

Mon, 19 May 2014 10:02:36 +1200

Looking for the perfect location to house your Bridal party, family members, or large group of friends? Mountain Range Boutique Lodge is so conveniently located to many wedding venues in Wanaka. We are a stone’s throw from ‘The Venue’ and a short 5 to 10 minute drive from ‘The Rippon Hall’ or ‘Edgewater Resort’. ‘Lookout Lodge’ and ‘Cardrona Hotel’ are also an easy 20-minute drive away.

All the Wanaka wedding venues have their own style and qualities and we are sure there will be something just perfect for your big day.

Now wouldn’t it be nice to know you can also relax before and after the ceremony and reception in a luxurious, spacious, tranquil setting, large enough to take a few moments to yourself and keep everyone together, all under one roof?

Six of our bedrooms offer ensuites - with one room offering the extra special corner hot tub and super-king bed fit for the Bride & Groom and 2 other bedrooms have a shared bathroom (perfect for flower girls and page boys, perhaps?) so there is more than enough space to have some privacy, or for a group of people to all get ready at once!

With a large, modern kitchen equipped with full catering facilities for a large group, coffee machine, pots, pans, crockery, cutlery, 5 burner gas hob, French door fridge and a large table for everyone to sit around and share memories, make future plans or share many laughs together, we have your answer!

Enjoy a close cosy dinner together the night before the big day with everyone, and then enjoy a relaxed brunch or lunch the day after. Get picked up by helicopter and whisked off for photographs (yes, we can land helicopters in the garden!!!)

Mountain Range Lodge is easy to find- just off the main Cardrona Valley road and is so close to town, it is a simple 3 minute drive into the shops and central to all the necessities, sheltered and private, amazing views and peace and quiet, Mountain Range Boutique Lodge is most definitely the answer to housing the troops close enough to your Wanaka wedding venue.

For some help hints and recommendations that may help you plan your ultimate Wanaka wedding, make sure you check out www.wanakaweddings.co.nz and www.lakewanakaweddings.co.nz

There is information on the various venues, celebrants, photographers, cakes, flowers, hair stylists, make up artists, videographers, jewellers, suit hire, sound and lighting, transport options, entertainment, babysitters, stag and hens party ideas, honeymoons, hire services and unique wedding ideas.

Alternatively if the thought of organising all this makes you scream or shiver, you could always hire a wedding planner. www.boutiqueweddingsnz.com, www.mintevents.co.nz or www.wanakaweddingplanners.co.nz are a few companies that can offer their expertise and knowledge of Wanaka to help you on your way.

We are already taking bookings for the Summer 2014/2015 wedding season, so get in touch to find out more!

The perfect accommodation near The Venue in Wanaka

Fri, 4 Apr 2014 10:28:55 +1200

Are you trying to find somewhere to house your bridal party or large family group for your wedding at ‘The Venue’ Lake Wanaka?

Mountain Range Boutique Lodge is the answer you have been looking for. With 8 bedrooms, 2 large living areas, a large modern excellently equipped kitchen, 6 ensuites and an extra bathroom, Yes, you may breathe a sigh of relief. Gather the troops for your perfect wedding escape in Wanaka.

The Venue is located only a stone’s throw away from Mountain Range Lodge. With a Garden room for the ceremony or a beautiful garden setting, followed by your reception in the marquee covered courtyard and dancing in the Cardrona room you will be able to walk back to your luxury accommodation at the end of the wonderful wedding.

The proximity of The Venue to Mountain Range Lodge is perfect. You couldn’t ask for a better situation. Everyone can simply walk to and from the wedding (yes, even the Bride could walk) and if something is left behind, someone can nip back to the lodge to collect, with the Bride and Groom none the wiser.

There will be no crumpling of that beautiful dress on a long car trip to your venue, no need to even reapply your lipstick upon arrival! You will be at your venue in the blink of an eye, still able to arrive fashionably late of course, but you know you are well in control of how late, as there will be no traffic to add to the emotions.

Keep the entire Bridal party under one roof and enjoy the event together. Mountain Range is the perfect ‘landing pad’ for your large group of family or friends. All our rooms are high quality and the great outdoor BBQ will be a saviour for the day after the wedding. Everyone can kick back and relax in the hot tub, or lounge in the hammocks and lush grass after all of that dancing.

Ski Accommodation at Mountain Range

Wed, 26 Mar 2014 10:04:05 +1200

With the days getting shorter and the need to occasionally wear a jumper, the countdown is on until the ski season. This year Cardrona opens on the 20th June and the fun does not stop until the 5th of October. Treble Cone gets going on the 26th June and is operating till the 28th of September.

Skiing with the family is such a rewarding holiday and we are very lucky in Wanaka to have two fantastic ski fields plus the Snow Farm for those that like to get the heart beat really going with a spot of cross country skiing. All three ski fields are about a leisurely 40 minutes drive from Wanaka. You are able to hire all your equipment on the hill itself or from one of the shops in town who specialize in rental equipment. If you would like to split your time between the fields, consider getting a One Pass www.onepassnz.com

The ski fields close at 4pm, which is a great time to make your way back to the lodge and slip into the hot tub whilst someone else lights the fire. A quick shower in your own ensuite room and a change and you should make it back to the lounge in time to get a good position on a comfy sofa. From here- if you have played your cards right- a glass of red wine and a cheese board should be within reach whilst the log fire works its magic. Your ski gear will now be hanging in the drying room ready for tomorrow!

The lodge is well set up to have dinners in-house, with a large table that has heard many a story. If you wish, caterers can come in and cook up a feast. Another option is Lonestar Restaurant found just 250m away; this building also houses a boutique cinema and a climbing wall if you fancy a day off the slopes.
Many of our previous guests love the fact we are 2 minutes from town yet have lots of privacy and space. We are fortunate that we get a lot of groups booking their next years' Wanaka ski holiday on their departure, so you will need to get in early to secure your dates!

If you are thinking of a ski holiday this year in beautiful Wanaka, please get in touch.

Affordable luxury for your next ski holiday in Wanaka

Tue, 4 Mar 2014 10:39:38 +1200

Awaiting the next snowy season?

Skis all waxed, ski gear ready to go? Some of us just live for the snow, and some of us don’t. Keep everyone happy when you stay at Mountain Range Boutique Lodge.

The proximity of our luxurious lodge to the ski fields is most excellent. With Treble Cone and Cardrona a mere 30-40 minute drive from the Lodge, and the bases of Coronet Peak or The Remarkables ski fields in Queenstown only an hour away, the choices are endless!

You could also leave the adults or teenagers who are not interested in the snow at home in the comfort of the lodge. A 20-minute stroll into the town center, or indoor climbing wall and Ruby’s boutique cinema just across the road, there is something to entertain everyone. Complimentary wireless, a huge DVD collection, Sky TV, board games, hot tub, complimentary mountain bikes to explore Wanaka and the surrounds with, and a glorious relaxing Lodge to lounge in. There will be no complaints.

After your day on the snow you know you will find a park right outside the Lodge. You can drop your ski gear in the drying room and snuggle up in front of the roaring fire, or head out to the hot tub to soothe those happy aching muscles from their wonderful day skiing/snowboarding. There is a beautiful modern kitchen and huge rimu dining table to gather the troops and create a great dinner to re-vitalise the muscles for more snow action tomorrow.

We have some fantastic package deals available for the winter. If you stay with us on one of our private ski package deals, NZ Snow Tours will take care of your groups’ entire ski or snowboard needs.

Alternatively we have a beautiful wine and cheese board package available for those who book for 5 or more nights at the lodge in either July or September.

The perfect winter escape is an escape to Mountain Range Boutique Lodge. See you for some snow!

Brownie Heaven

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 13:20:41 +1200

The aromas of fresh baking from the oven and then the anticipation of some delicious cake, warm and waiting for your return from a busy day is something really special, and I am lucky that I get to experience this almost every day!

A crowd favourite at the lodge is Chocolate Brownie, so here's an easy and delicious recipe to share:-

225g butter

200g dark chocolate, cut into chunks (the better the choclate quality- the better the brownie!)

2C sugar

4 eggs

1^1/4 tsp vanilla essence

1^1/2 C plain flour

1/2 C cocoa

Preheat oven to 180^oc. Line a 30 x 30cm baking tin with baking paper.

Melt butter and chocolate in the microwave for a minute or stir over a low heat on stovetop until melted and smooth. Mix in sugar and eggs- one at a time- beating well after each. Stir in vanilla and cocoa and then lastly sift in the flour and mix just to combine.

Pour into the tin and bake for 40 minutes, then rest for 10 minutes before cutting into squares and serving.

These are so yummy when they're still warm, but keep really well for up to a week.

Koi Nobori

Sat, 7 Jan 2012 22:36:31 +1200

The family fun day at Pembroke Park ended with a spectacular flying of kites- this gigantic Koi shaped kite brought back memories of our time in Japan.

May 5th is "Childrens' Day" in Japan, and it is tradition for families to fly these "Koi-nobori" (carp-shaped windsocks) outside their houses- one for each child in the family. The carp symbolises courage and strength because of its ability to overcome all obstacles and swim up upstream. The Koi are supposed to bring good luck to children and encourage them to be strong and brave.

Just a little bit of general knowledge for you. Might come in handy in your next game of Trivial Pursuits...

Hot new website

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 15:38:24 +1200

Wow! So we have finally got around to updating our website... CHECK THIS OUT!

Thanks to the creative direction of the team at Swordfox, some fantastic photography by Fredrik Larsson, and my super talented illustrator/ designer sister Esther! x

Best ever pancakes!

Tue, 15 Nov 2011 13:19:21 +1200

So we have had a lot of comments about these pancakes- how fluffy they are, that nice little 'zing' that make them so more-ish- so we have decided to put them out there for people to try at home while reminiscing about their stay at Mountain Range Lodge!

Yoghurt & Lemon Zest Pancakes

3 C self-raising flour
1/4C caster sugar
pinch of salt

3 eggs
1 C plain unsweetened yoghurt
1 C milk
1 lemon- zest + juice

In a large bowl, mix dry ingredients together. Whisk eggs and then other wet ingredients in another bowl, then gently fold all ingredients together.

Serve with slices of banana, crispy grilled rashers of bacon and maple syrup! Yum!

Lonely Planet

Sat, 15 Oct 2011 12:43:58 +1200

After 5 years of hard work, we have finally managed to be reviewed by the Lonely Planet Guide to New Zealand, and what do we get?- "EDITOR'S PICK!!!"

"This stunning lodge is a vision of rustic luxury. Seven rooms named for nearby mountain ranges are home to comfy duvets, fluffy robes, and views that will distract you from the nearby skiing and tramping options. Cool touches like a complimentary glass of wine- from the lodge's own label no less- and an on-site hot tub complete an already pretty picture."

We love the write up, and hope that it will bring some more intrepid, interesting travelers our way this summer.