A Private Castle Estate, 13 Minutes from Queenstown by Helicopter
Set on 30 private acres in Central Otago, Earnscleugh Castle is a 1920 heritage estate that can be reserved in its entirety. It offers a rare kind of luxury accommodation near Queenstown: an entire castle, with no other guests.
The estate lies an hour’s scenic drive from Queenstown, or 13 minutes by private helicopter, landing directly on the Castle’s front lawn. For families, friends and corporate teams travelling to New Zealand’s South Island, it combines the privacy of a private residence with the comforts of a luxury lodge. Stays can be as independent or as fully curated as you wish.
An Exclusive Use Alternative to a Queenstown Luxury Lodge
Queenstown is known for its celebrated luxury lodges, where guests share the dining room, lounges and spa. At Earnscleugh Castle, exclusive use means the entire estate is reserved for a single party. That includes nine rooms across the Castle and the Coach House, with a tenth, the owners’ suite, available on request.
Within the Castle are a ballroom, a formal dining room and a library lined floor to ceiling with books. The grounds include gardens designed by Alfred Buxton, a croquet court, a pool and spa, a Finnish sauna and an ice bath, all reserved for your party alone.
The Castle was built in 1920 by Stephen Spain, whose rabbit cannery once processed 15,000 rabbits a day. The Great Depression halted construction before it was finished, and the estate later stood empty for eight years. Owners Ryan Sanders and Marco Creemers spent four years restoring it, a project featured on Grand Designs New Zealand. Today it holds a Category 1 listing, New Zealand’s highest heritage classification, and the owners host every stay personally.
Two Ways to Stay
Take it as it is. For guests who prefer the independence of a private home rental, the estate is simply yours. The pool, spa, Finnish sauna and ice bath are available throughout your stay, and the restaurants of historic Clyde are four minutes away. The Coach House has a full kitchen and outdoor barbecue for evenings in.
Or let us curate it for you. Share who is travelling and the purpose of the stay, and the owners will design a bespoke itinerary around it. That might be a private chef each evening, morning yoga before a day on the trails, or a complete wellness programme for an executive team.
Build Your Own Stay
A private chef at the Castle
A private chef can be engaged for your stay, serving dinner in the Castle’s formal dining room. Choose a single celebration dinner or dining every evening, with menus tailored to your preferences and dietary requirements.
Housekeeping on request
Housekeeping can be arranged on request, or guests can enjoy complete privacy throughout their stay.
Wellness, the Sanctum 7 way
Earnscleugh Castle is also home to Sanctum 7, a luxury wellness retreat. Exclusive use guests can engage the same practitioners: yoga, meditation, sound healing, breathwork and guided ice baths, as well as massage, guided hikes and private cooking classes. Arrange a single session or a complete programme designed around your group.
Biking the trails
Central Otago is one of New Zealand’s premier cycling regions, and three of the country’s Great Rides begin minutes from the Castle gates.
- Otago Central Rail Trail: the country’s original rail trail, through old gold rush towns, starting in Clyde.
- Lake Dunstan Trail: clifftop boardwalks along the lake, from Clyde to Cromwell.
- Roxburgh Gorge Trail: a dramatic river gorge ride from Alexandra.
Ride for a morning or a full day, then return to the sauna and spa.
Helicopter arrival
Private helicopter transfers from Queenstown take around 13 minutes and land on the Castle’s front lawn. Transfers can be arranged as part of your stay.
Group Accommodation for Families and Corporate Teams
For families. Milestone celebrations, multi-generational holidays and family reunions are well suited to the estate. When the whole property is reserved, children of all ages are welcome, and the Coach House gives grandparents or young families their own private space with a full kitchen.
For corporate teams. For leadership offsites and board retreats, the library and ballroom serve as private meeting spaces, with no other guests on the property. Days can be balanced with breathwork, a guided hike or a ride on the trails, followed by a private dinner. Each itinerary is designed in consultation with the group.
Getting Here: Central Otago, 13 Minutes by Helicopter
Earnscleugh Castle is less than five minutes from the historic town of Clyde, about an hour’s drive from Queenstown, or 13 minutes by helicopter. Queenstown Airport receives direct flights from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and the Gold Coast. Travellers from further afield connect through Auckland, which has nonstop flights from Singapore, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Vancouver.
Central Otago is the gold rush country of the 1860s, now celebrated for its Pinot Noir, orchards and dramatic schist landscapes. Seasons run opposite to the northern hemisphere: long, dry summers, vivid autumn colour from March to May, and snow on the surrounding ranges in winter, with Queenstown’s ski fields within reach. It is a quieter, more private side of the region than Queenstown itself.
Plan Your Stay
Exclusive use of Earnscleugh Castle is available now, subject to availability, with a minimum stay of three nights. Share your preferred dates, the size of your party and what you would like from your stay, and the owners will respond with options, from the estate alone to a fully curated experience.
Or contact the owners directly to check your dates.
Travelling as a couple or a smaller group? Individual Castle suites and rooms can also be reserved, as can the Coach House, a three-bedroom guesthouse on the estate.
We look forward to welcoming you to Earnscleugh Castle.
Ryan Sanders and Marco Creemers, Owners
