What makes us unique?

If you have ever looked at a map of the South Island and wondered where the scenery turns from beautiful to completely unreal, the answer is the Southern Lakes. Queenstown might be the draw card that brings you to the Southern Lakes, but let it also be the launchpad for discovering what the locals commonly refer to as paradise: the landscape and lifestyle beyond.  Stretching across western Southland, Central Otago and up into the Mackenzie Basin, this region is New Zealand’s most spectacular alpine playground. Think vast wilderness, glacial lakes, and mountains that look like they were designed for postcards, but somehow feel even better in person. It is also a place where raw natural beauty meets genuinely world-class hospitality, which is why so many discerning travellers return again and again. What makes the Southern Lakes so special? The Southern Lakes region is built around some of New Zealand’s most iconic landscapes. It is home to three of the country’s largest lakes, including its deepest, and dramatic U-shaped valleys carved by ancient glaciers. UNESCO World Heritage protected wilderness sits right alongside refined, high-end experiences and some discretely placed and respectfully designed private villas and residences. At its heart are three

A haven for locals and visitors for generations, The King’s Arms takes centre stage in the Lake District village of Hawkshead. The whitewashed walls of this 17th-century coaching inn are a picture postcard scene, whatever the Cumbrian weather happens to throw at you. And, after an extensive, sympathetic renovation, the inn reopened its doors in August of this year, stepping into a new chapter that honours its past while making room for contemporary comfort. The refurbishment is unapologetically local in spirit — led by Cumbrian tradespeople, respectful of oak beams, stone fireplaces and slate floors, and shepherded by owner Jo McGowan, it’s given Hawkshead a pub that truly belongs to the community. The result is classic and calm: a place that looks traditional in photos but feels fresh in practice. The welcome Part of Hawkshead’s charm is that its centre has been largely car-free for over 50 years now. Most visitors make use of the pay-and-display car park on the edge of the village. We’d learned in advance that parking permits are issued to guests staying at The King’s Arms for the car park just opposite, so popped in to collect one before heading to the car park. We were

On the shores of New Zealand’s fourth largest lake, surrounded by the Southern Alps and with a national park almost at the end of the street, Wānaka looks like a classic vacation town. In practice, it works far better as a base – somewhere you unpack once and then sprawl from the door into vineyards, ski fields, hiking trails, bike tracks and remote valleys that feel a long way from anywhere, yet remain easy to reach. For travellers who like their adventure opportunities dialled up but their logistics uncomplicated, this combination is hard to beat. Add a serious concentration of architect-designed holiday homes (many award winning) and a long-standing network of guides, pilots and producers, and you have one of New Zealand’s most appealing resort towns. That’s the vibe that the locals work tirelessly to protect and that too makes it one of the friendliest places to be in the South Island. There are many of the town’s most sought-after holiday homes and private residences available for rental for visitors to Wānaka looking to make it their base for a holiday. Where is Wānaka? Wānaka is around an hour’s drive from Queenstown Airport over the Crown Range. If ever the