This year’s Pubovation study tour through Queenstown gave AHA (Vic) members and partners a valuable opportunity to explore one of NZ’s most dynamic tourism and hospitality markets.
Across two days, members experienced an impressive cross-section of venues. From community focused pubs and immersive tourism concepts to premium waterfront dining and late-night entertainment venues. While each business had its own distinct personality, a common thread emerged throughout the tour: the most successful operators were those delivering genuine hospitality, strong venue identity and memorable guest experiences.
The study tour reinforced that in highly competitive hospitality markets, atmosphere, service culture and authenticity are often just as important as product.
We started at the start, at the most historic pub in the Queenstown region.
Established in 1863 during the height of the Central Otago gold rush, the historic Cardrona Hotel was originally built to provide accommodation and respite for miners drawn to the region in search of fortune. Like many country pubs of the era, it quickly became far more than a watering hole, serving as a home, meeting place and social hub for early settlers.
More than 160 years later, the heritage-listed hotel remains one of New Zealand’s most iconic hospitality destinations. Today, travellers from around the world stop to photograph its famous façade on their way to the nearby ski fields, with the property widely regarded as the country’s most photographed building.
Beyond the instantly recognisable exterior, guests continue to be drawn in by the hotel’s warm and inviting atmosphere, complete with cosy interiors and roaring fireplaces both inside and throughout the outdoor seating areas.
Now entering a new chapter, the 162-year-old property has been acquired by a group of New Zealand investors with strong ties to Central Otago, ensuring this treasured landmark remains in Kiwi hands. The new owners have ambitious plans to further enhance the guest experience, including an expansion of the accommodation offering from 14 rooms to an additional 30 rooms, alongside the development of a new event space capable of hosting up to 100 guests. Most recently, plans have also been unveiled for an on-site bakery, designed to offer visitors and passing travellers a quick and convenient bite to eat while experiencing one of the country’s most beloved pubs.
Community Hospitality Still Matters
One of the clearest examples of this came during the visit to Frankton Arm Tavern, located directly on the shores of Lake Wakatipu.
With one of the largest beer gardens in Queenstown, a sports bar complete with TAB facilities, pool tables and darts, the venue has successfully positioned itself as both a welcoming local pub and an accessible destination for visitors.
Part of the Republic Hospitality Group portfolio since 2013, the venue was transformed from a former pizza restaurant into a true community tavern. Despite operating within a tourism heavy market, management spoke candidly about the importance of remaining a “locals’ local.”
Queenstown’s permanent population may only sit at around 30,000 residents, but operators acknowledged that long term success still relies heavily on maintaining genuine local loyalty alongside visitor trade.
Members heard how venue managers are expected to personally know regular patrons and actively maintain those relationships, reinforcing the long-held notion that hospitality is ultimately built on human connection.
The venue also highlighted thoughtful approaches to staffing and retention, with management rewarding team members during peak periods while encouraging staff to take time off during quieter months to support wellbeing and sustainability in a high-pressure tourism environment.
Premium Dining with Genuine Hospitality
A standout culinary experience of the tour was the visit to Soda, described by Republic Hospitality.
Group as “the jewel in the crown” of its portfolio.
According to Group Marketing, Sales & Events Manager Lauren Ludlow, the group has “poured a lot of love into” the venue, something immediately evident from both the atmosphere and guest experience.
Positioned with sweeping views over Lake Wakatipu, members enjoyed a shared dining experience focused on locally sourced ingredients and elevated presentation. Highlights included the Braised Royal Burn lamb shoulder and Bluefin tuna ceviche, both showcasing the venue’s emphasis on premium regional produce.
Equally impressive was the standard of service. Staff were warm, knowledgeable and highly engaged throughout the experience, creating an environment where hospitality felt genuine rather than transactional.
For many members, Soda reinforced an important lesson for premium hospitality venues: exceptional service culture remains one of the strongest differentiators in a crowded market.
A sultry fireside escape in a Queenstown laneway
According to Bardeaux Venue Manager Lucas, customer expectations within the hospitality sector are continuing to evolve, with guests increasingly seeking elevated experiences grounded in product knowledge, storytelling and personalised recommendations. Rather than simply ordering a drink, today’s consumers are looking for a more informed and curated experience, particularly when it comes to premium wines and spirits.
Reflecting this shift, the venue has developed an expansive and carefully curated beverage list designed to appeal to experienced food and wine enthusiasts. The offering showcases an impressive selection of premium spirits and wines, including rare and exclusive pours, with the venue’s most expensive drop commanding an eye-watering $650 for a single-shot serve. As expected in Central Otago, Pinot Noir plays a starring role across the wine list, celebrating the varietal that has helped place the region firmly on the global wine map.
Tucked away in a small alleyway, the venue offers a quieter and more refined alternative to Queenstown’s famouslenergetic nightlife scene. The intimate setting has positioned the bar as both the perfect place to begin an evening and an ideal late-night retreat, where guests can finish the night with a final drink beside the fireplace before heading home.
Voted most popular
A clear winner on the itinerary was the visit to Ayrburn, a rapidly emerging hospitality precinct positioned just outside Queenstown. Set amongst the dramatic landscape of the Southern Alps, Ayrburn has quickly established itself as one of the region’s most ambitious food, wine and lifestyle destinations blending hospitality, heritage, art and sustainability into a highly curated guest experience.
Originally established in 1864 as one of the area’s earliest and most successful farms, the property has undergone a remarkable revitalisation, with its historic buildings thoughtfully repurposed into a collection of restaurants, bars, gardens and event spaces. For members on the tour, Ayrburn provided a compelling example of how heritage assets can be transformed into commercially successful hospitality experiences while preserving the integrity and storytelling of the original site.
The precinct’s multi-venue approach was particularly impressive. From the elegant bistro-style dining within the reimagined Woolshed to the more relaxed shared plates and wine experiences offered in the distinctive Manure Room, each venue delivered a unique identity while still contributing to a cohesive overall destination experience. Members also explored the intimate cocktail setting of Burr Bar, which further reinforced Ayrburn’s focus on layered and diverse hospitality offerings.
Beyond food and beverage, Ayrburn demonstrated how modern hospitality precincts are increasingly creating immersive lifestyle destinations rather than standalone venues. Carefully curated art installations, sculptural works and heritage storytelling are integrated throughout the grounds, encouraging guests to engage with the property’s history and natural environment at their own pace.
Sustainability and environmental regeneration were also central themes throughout the development. Existing heritage buildings have been repurposed rather than replaced, while extensive landscaping and ecological restoration work has focused on improving biodiversity and encouraging the return of native wildlife. For members, Ayrburn showcased how sustainability initiatives can enhance rather than compromise the guest experience when embedded authentically into a venue’s identity and long-term vision.
Creating Atmosphere Through Design and Service
Another venue that strongly demonstrated the importance of atmosphere driven hospitality was The Sundeck.
Known for its retractable roof and panoramic positioning, the venue offers a highly adaptable guest environment suited to both summer and winter trade. During the visit, the roof remained closed while fireplaces created a warm alpine atmosphere which was an ideal setting to watch the sun set over the lake.
The staff here consistently impressed members with their product knowledge, engagement and attentiveness. Like other venues within the Republic Hospitality Group portfolio, service standards were notably strong and highly customer focused.
The experience reinforced how successful venues carefully integrate physical environment, atmosphere and service delivery to create emotionally engaging guest experiences.
Experience Led Hospitality Continues to Grow
Queenstown’s tourism market continues to support highly experiential hospitality concepts, and the study tour explored this firsthand at Minus 5 Ice Bar.
Maintained at minus five degrees Celsius, the venue delivers a fully immersive ice bar experience, with the walls, furniture and even drinkware constructed entirely from ice.
Guests are provided with thermal jackets and gloves before entering, while staff rotate through one-hour shifts inside the freezing environment, remarkably without wearing thermal jackets themselves.
Operationally, the venue also demonstrated the value of maintaining a highly focused offering, serving cocktails and mixed drinks exclusively rather than attempting to cater across multiple beverage categories.
Intimate Venues with Strong Identity
The study tour also included a visit to Little Blackwood, a stylish waterfront cocktail venue known for its craft cocktails, local wine offering and intimate atmosphere.
With its cosy interiors and emphasis on premium wine and cheeseboards, the venue demonstrated how smaller format hospitality businesses can compete successfully through strong identity and highly curated experiences.
Members observed that despite operating within a busy tourism market, the venue retained a sense of intimacy and warmth, highlighting the growing consumer demand for venues that feel personal and authentic.
Late Night Hospitality and the Importance of Belonging
The final stages of the tour explored Queenstown’s evening economy, including a memorable visit to The Ballarat.
Members noted that once inside, it was genuinely difficult to leave, a testament to the venue’s atmosphere and sense of connection.
Despite operating within a tourism destination, The Ballarat felt unmistakably like a true local pub. There was a strong sense that everyone belonged, with hospitality embedded into every aspect of the customer experience.
Live music seven nights a week further reinforced the venue’s role as a social anchor point within the community and a natural gathering place once the day’s tourism activities concluded.
The venue served as a powerful reminder that while trends, technology and concepts continue to evolve, hospitality at its core remains about creating environments where people feel comfortable, connected and welcomed.
Key Learnings for Industry Members
Several consistent themes emerged throughout the study tour:
Authentic Hospitality Is a Competitive Advantage Guests increasingly value genuine service interactions and venues that create a true sense of welcome.
Community Connection Builds Long-Term Success Even in tourism-driven markets, strong relationships with locals remain essential.
Experience and Atmosphere Matter
Consumers are seeking venues that create memorable emotional experiences, not simply food and beverage transactions.
Staff Culture Drives Guest Experience
Passionate, engaged and knowledgeable staff were a defining characteristic of the strongest venues visited.
Strong Venue Identity Creates Loyalty
The most successful operators clearly understood who they were and delivered consistently against that identity.
A Market Offering Valuable Lessons
For members participating in the Queenstown study tour, the experience offered more than inspiration — it provided practical insights into how hospitality businesses can successfully balance tourism demand, local engagement, premium experiences and operational sustainability.
Whether through the community-first philosophy of Frankton Arm Tavern, the refined dining experience at Soda, the immersive theatre of Minus 5 Ice Bar or the welcoming energy of The Ballarat, the tour reinforced a simple truth: great hospitality is ultimately about making people feel something memorable.