Looking for a way to relax and rejuvenate during your trip to Queenstown, New Zealand? Onsen Hot Pools is calling your name!
Onsen Retreat & Day Spa is a boutique spa facility located 10 minutes from downtown Queenstown. The spa is known primarily for its cedar-lined hot tubs that overlook the Shotover River Canyon (“onsen” means “hot spring” in Japan) but it also offers services like massages and facial treatments.
A soak in one of Onsen’s hot pools was near the top of my Queenstown bucket list, so I ended up booking us a one-hour soak on our very first day in the city.
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As every traveler knows, arriving to a foreign city in a different timezone after a long-haul flight can be seriously disorienting and exhausting. I knew we wouldn’t be up for anything too strenuous on day one, so I figured simultaneously soaking our bodies and soaking in beautiful views without lifting a finger would be a smart call…and oh, how right I was!
Despite seeing a ton of photos of the Onsen pools online, I didn’t find a lot of practical information about what it’s really like to visit or what the facilities are like as a whole. My hope is that this personal review will help other travelers plan their own relaxing spa days in Queenstown.
- Which Onsen experience should you book?
- What is visiting Onsen Hot Pools really like?
- Is visiting Onsen Hot Pools worth it?
- How do you get to Onsen Hot Pools?
Which Onsen experience should you book?
The hot pools you’ve most likely seen photos of online are part of the Original Onsen Experience. These pools are technically “indoors,” but have a retractable roof that creates an open-air experience. Up to 4 people can fit comfortably in these hot tubs. This is the experience we booked.
You can also book their Outdoor Onsen Experience, pictured here. Note that these pools don’t have the retractable roof or solid walls; they are outdoors and surrounded by plant “walls.” Up to 4 people can fit comfortably in these hot tubs as well.
Onsen has also recently added a third type of pool: the Serenity Soak, pictured here. Bath salts or scents are added to the water, and up to 2 people can fit in these oval hot tubs. A spa treatment (massage or facial) is included when you book this experience.
All of the above experiences include exclusive use of your tub during your booking; i.e. the tubs are not for public use by other spa patrons. The first two pools include a 60-minute soak (unless you’ve added another spa treatment, in which case it will be 45 minutes), and the third pool includes a 45-minute soak.
What is visiting Onsen Hot Pools really like?
Upon arrival to the carpark, we took a short walk down a steep set of stairs to the main building; I would estimate this walk took around 2 minutes. You can also take a slightly longer (but much more gently sloping) gravel path instead of the stairs.
As per the rules, we arrived to check in at least 15 minutes before our reserved time-slot. Our reservation was for 6:30pm, and we arrived around 6:10pm just to be safe. While checking in, we also each chose our complimentary snack and beverage: Pinot Noir and milk chocolate! Mmmm.
The lounge area has nice views over the Shotover River, and watching the jet boats zoom and spin through the canyon below was thoroughly entertaining. Right around 6:30pm, a staff member called our names and led us to our exclusive-use pool room.
And. It. Was. Amazing.
Even after seeing dozens of photos online, I wasn’t prepared for how stunning the scenery would be. The views in every direction were absolutely breathtaking.
The room itself was simple, but elegant and inviting. Towels, our complimentary snacks and beverages, and a pitcher of ice water were waiting in the room for us when we arrived.
Our attendant explained everything we needed to know about how the room worked: there’s a button for turning the jets on and off, a button for opening and closing the retractable roof, and a button for adding cold water to the pools if needed.
There are changing rooms located just down the hall, but I opted to get changed into my swimsuit in our private shower area instead. Finally, we were ready to soak!
Relaxing in the hot tub with a glass of wine while gazing out over the amazing scenery of the Shotover River was pure, absolute bliss.
We alternated between fully soaking in the tub and sitting on the edge with just our feet in; the pools are heated to 38.5 degrees Celsius (101.3 degrees Fahrenheit), so I could only stay in the tub for around 10 minutes at a time before I needed to cool down a bit.
The lighting between 6:30-7:30pm was absolutely perfect: soft, warm and golden, with several hours of daylight left. If you prefer a sunset soak, you’ll probably want to book a time slot closer to 9:00 or 9:30pm during the summer.
At the 50-minute mark, a staff member knocked on the door to let us know that we had 10 minutes remaining; at the 60-minute mark, a buzzer sounded to signal that it was time to exit the room.
Personally, I think an hour was a great amount of time. It passed somewhat quickly, but I’m not sure I could have lasted much longer in that hot water anyways; our pitcher of fresh drinking water was completely empty by the end of our soak.
There are showers and hairdryers available if you need to get properly cleaned up after your soak. You’re also welcome to spend time relaxing in the lounge or on the outdoor patio before or after your hot pool experience.
Is visiting Onsen Hot Pools worth it?
Onsen Hot Pools has amassed more than 50k followers on Instagram, and has more than 1,500 reviews on TripAdvisor. On these pages you can view thousands of photos of gorgeous women in bikinis perched on the edge of the tubs, couples sipping champagne, and serene sunsets over the Shotover River.
But as any experienced traveler knows, Instagram and reality don’t always align. This begs the question: Is visiting Onsen Hot pools worth it?
My honest opinion is HELL YES. Onsen Hot Pools is so much more spectacular and impressive in person than it looks online.
As soon as we walked into our pool room, the first word out of both our mouths was “wow.” The views from the tub were even more gorgeous than either of us expected; still photos just can’t capture the beauty of the canyons, the river, and the mountains in the distance.
Add in the peaceful music, the swirling hot water, the complimentary wine, and the golden afternoon lighting, and you’re looking at a full hour of pure romance and relaxation.
On that note: Remember that the doors leading into each private pool room are CLEAR GLASS (with a small opaque section for the illusion of privacy)…so…romance, but not too much romance, y’know?
All that to say: Spending an hour soaking our poor, stiff muscles in a gorgeous cedar tub while surrounded by amazing New Zealand scenery was well worth the $93 USD ($150 NZD).
How do you get to Onsen Hot Pools?
Onsen Hot Pools is located at 162 Arthurs Point Rd, Arthurs Point.
If you’re renting a car during your time in Queenstown, getting to Onsen Hot Pools is super easy. It’s a short 10-minute drive from the heart of downtown to Onsen’s carpark. I did find the number of parking spaces to be a bit scarce, but there were at least a few spots open when we arrived.
If you won’t have a rental car, you can request a ride from Onsen’s free shuttle service at the time of your booking. The shuttle has only one departure point: The Station Building, at the corner of Camp Street and Shotover Street in downtown Queenstown. Hotel pick-ups are not available.
You can take the shuttle back to the same location after your soak; the return shuttle leaves Onsen at quarter past the hour.
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Is Onsen Hot Pools on your Queenstown bucket list? What questions do you still have about visiting? Have you ever visited someplace like Onsen Hot Pools?
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We loved your very authentic review and we are delighted to include it on our website which was created as a directory for everyone who enjoys a hot tub or a hot pool. Hope you enjoy Bubbles and Nipples !