Swiss-Belsuites Pounamu Queenstown

AJ

Alex Jack

3/5Google· Edited 2 months ago

We stayed at Swiss-Belsuites Pounamu for 7 nights, paying approximately NZ$3,881 (around NZ$554 per night), with parking costing an additional NZ$10 per night. The location is fantastic, the area is peaceful and quiet, the views are absolutely stunning, and the gas fireplace was a real highlight, keeping the apartment warm and cosy throughout our stay. The Wi-Fi was also fast and reliable. Unfortunately, the apartment itself didn't reflect the premium price we paid. The coffee table, dining table and couch were all heavily worn with stains, scratches and chips. The kitchen benchtop had multiple cracks running through it, the timber flooring was splitting, and the cabinetry in the bedroom was showing its age. The microwave was rusty inside and its light didn't work. The oven didn't work at all. The fridge had broken handles on both the fridge and freezer compartments, along with a broken internal light. There were also several maintenance issues. The bathroom sink drained slowly, the light above the bathroom sink didn't work, and the shower constantly fluctuated between hot and cold, making it difficult to enjoy a comfortable shower. The body wash dispenser was empty when we arrived and wasn't refilled during the mid-week housekeeping service. The kitchen was also missing a basic cooking utensil, a spatula/turner, which made cooking less convenient. The biggest issue was the air conditioning unit, which made an extremely loud buzzing noise throughout our entire stay. It repeatedly switched on and off during both the day and night, making it difficult to get a good night's sleep. The handrail on the stairs leading down into the kitchen was also very loose and wobbly, which was especially concerning after I injured my knee, as I relied on it for support. Overall, while the views, location, fireplace and reliable internet were all excellent, the apartment's condition and number of maintenance issues meant it didn't represent good value for over NZ$550 per night, especially with parking being an additional charge. With better maintenance and attention to detail, this could easily be a fantastic place to stay. Update Response: Thank you for your response. I appreciate you acknowledging the maintenance concerns and hope they are addressed for future guests. Regarding the heat pump, I only reported it towards the end of our stay because we were leaving early each morning and returning after the office had closed, so I didn't have an opportunity to report it in person sooner. I wish you and your team all the best.

MT

Michael Toohey

3/5Google· a month ago

Not the best and not the worst for 2 nights. No free parking at hotel or nearby requiring paid parking at the property. No lifts meaning one has to carry bags up a flights of stairs from underground parking to room. Nice greeting at Reception. Pretty ok location wise and rooms were clean.

TM

Trip.com Member

5/5Trip.com· 4 months ago

This property has stunning views, you really can’t beat it. So nice to have the two bedrooms with two bathrooms as well. We had a very relaxing time relaxing in the lounge enjoying the views and the fireplace.

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Helen Brown

5/5Google· 7 months ago

We stayed at Swiss-Belsuites Pounamu last Christmas and had a lovely time. Me and my husband stayed in the main bedroom and our kids stayed in the back bedroom. The views were amazing and it was an easy walk to the town centre. We loved our time in Queenstown and can’t wait to come back.

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Mellissa

2/5Google· a month ago

We stayed here a couple of years ago and it was absolutely remarkable. Clearly very very very little has been done to these suites for many years in terms of maintenance, proper cleans, care or refresh. What a shame. Such a beautiful view and location - thats where it ends. As for the term Luxury Accommodation - thats a hard NO. Walls and floors are all scuffed, pots and pans are disgusting. Furniture is scratched and marked. Fireplaces dont work propertly. Surround sound speakers dont work. Here's only a few of the photos that show the very sad state of affairs.

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MissyTea42

1/5Tripadvisor· 2 months ago

Did a 2 weeks trip in NZ. And this property was unfortunately the worst, despite my family looking forward to an enjoyable 5 nights stay at Queenstown.|I think the self proclaimed luxurious property is entirely misleading. I stayed for 5 nights and the housekeeping only replace new towels daily, inconsistent cleaning standard: some days our dishes at the kitchenette were washed, some other time not touched at all. Floors, toilet was not cleaned throughout our entire stay. A housekeeping staff explained to me that they were not required to clean the floors as they were lack of staff. Our other family room one day was not cleaned at all, trash was not taken out. |This would be fine if we were staying at a self catering airbnb, but we were paying full high prices for such low standard of hospitality service, which was unacceptable. We stayed at an airbnb in Blenheim which was by any standard more comfortable and pleasant especially cleanliness level of property. Also, the king size bed was in fact 2 single beds joined together and not comfortable.|The lake view is nice from the room but please note this property is located next to a main busy road (with the lake view behind the road). Also we had problems upon intinial check-in, we were told the lake view room was not available due to plumbing issues (not our problem) and we were offered the side room with no view (with a refund). This was out of the question as this will ruin our overall holiday stay. In the end, they decided to let us stay 2 nights at another lakeview room, but we had to move to another room on the third night. This clearly inconvenienced us (being outside while we need to change rooms among other factors). In the end we persisted and they let us stayed at the same room in the end. Throughout our whole stay experience, the 1 (one) staff that was genuinely helpful was Ryan from front desk. He went out of his way to help us with our kitchen supply request. Thank you! I think the hotel management needs to be thoroughly improved. As for a property to advertise being a luxury hotel standard. The very basic is the room cleanliness level, along with nonchalant, indifference attitude of the front desk staff when we voiced out our concerns were appaling. I will not come back or recommend this property to anyone.

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Anjali Khandelwal

4/5Google· 4 months ago

We had a fantastic experience during our stay at this apartment in Queenstown. The accommodation was immaculate—neat, clean, and very well-maintained, which made us feel right at home from day one. One of the highlights was the kitchen setup. Despite being a compact space, it came equipped with basic cookware and gas, allowing us to prepare some of our own meals. This was perfect for having breakfast before heading out for adventures and cooking a relaxed Ruchi at the reception desk went above and beyond to help us Perfect for couples, families, or travelers looking for a home-away-from-home experience

TC

Tim Cooper

3/5Google· Edited 6 months ago

Stayed here recently and unfortunately the experience did not fully meet expectations for the price we paid, especially considering we also paid extra for a room upgrade. This stay was booked through Luxury Escapes, so we expected a higher and more consistent standard overall. On the positive side, we did like the views, facilities, location, and the convenience of the car park. However, the room had multiple issues — the fridge noise was a complete nightmare, and noise from the adjoining room was clearly audible, making it difficult to relax. On one night, we could hear everything next door, including conversations while they were in the bath and talking on the phone, with one person speaking very loudly for a long time and later even singing, which further highlights the lack of sound insulation. We reported the fridge issue and were told maintenance would attend at 9am, however no one arrived even by around 3:30pm, and when maintenance eventually came, he advised he had not been informed at all, which highlights a serious lack of internal communication. Cleanliness and hygiene were also below standard, with hair from a previous guest found in the blanket, and the body wash in the shower was never refilled from day one until the last day. Service and communication were disappointing, as staff came across unwelcoming and disengaged, lacking the friendliness we experienced everywhere else during our trip, and even at check-out there was little courtesy or interest in our stay, just a brief mention that the security deposit would be refunded. We raised these concerns during our stay through the Luxury Escapes platform, and while the matter was later acknowledged with an apology and a goodwill gesture, the overall experience itself did not reflect the standard expected at the time. Overall, the experience did not align with the level of quality expected from a premium or “Luxury Escapes” listing, and there appears to be a need for improvement in management, consistency, and quality control.