The Carlin Boutique Hotel

The Carlin is not a "5-star" hotel experience, which it holds itself out as and charges for. The view and private hot tub are great hence the 2 stars. Otherwise this is effectively a poorly-designed air bnb, not a luxury hotel. We left feeling a bit scammed. Some details/notes below: -We arrived around 8pm after traveling halfway around the world. As we checked in asked if we could grab a drink at the bar. Bar is closed. Is the hotel restaurant open for food? No, it's permanently closed other than for breakfast. Can we order room service for food? No, room service not available. Any restaurant recommendations? No recs and was told most restaurants would be closed (this turned out to be incorrect) and told we should just "order Uber eats" for fast food or something. Not a great first impression. -Walls are not sound-proofed at all. Expect to hear people using the (tiny) elevator in the back and in rooms next door and above. -Only one employee was on site during the day that served all roles, including waiter for breakfast, and often at night there were no employees on site. -Housekeeping did not come every day we were there. -Room has several lights that cannot be turned off. Including a large, glaring neon-green "exit" sign placed in between the bed and the window. I've never seen an "exit" sign inside of a hotel room. I'm sure this is code but obviously should've been thought about when the hotel was designed. This forces anyone staying to close the blinds around the bed so they can't wake up to the view, which is the main attraction. -First night, the bright fluorescent bathroom mirror light would not turn off. The bathroom door is glass so this fully illuminated our bedroom. Couldn't place blanket over door since a sliding door, and wires to lighting went into the wall. Almost comical. Called front desk. Was told they wouldn't be able to get an electrician to fix until 3 days later (we stayed 4 nights) and no other rooms. What? After explaining this was not a reasonable solution, guy came up and unlocked a door to an additional musty bedroom with NO windows (kinda creepy - what hotel room, much any bedroom, has no windows?) that didn't seem it had been cleaned recently and was told to use this room instead to sleep. Whatever, we needed sleep. Next day when we asked for some kind of discount but were told no they viewed us as made-whole since we had an additional bedroom. The next day they did end up figuring out how to turn off the circuit-breaker to the bathroom light so the light was just permanently off. Other nice places in the area were already fully booked, otherwise we were close to just cancelling and switching hotels. -Furniture is weirdly uncomfortable and TV too large for where couch is located. Gym is a joke, basically a treadmill in a mirror covered closet. -poor water pressure in the shower -The rooms in general are not appointed well and very out of place given the location. Everything has this cheesy, garish

Good * Most of the hotel's staff who we engaged with are nice. Especially, Canadian lady from breakfast is an excellent asset for the hotel. She is so friendly and brings positive energies all around. Also, want thank a young French chauffeur and a bartender for their subtle yet sheer enthusiasm. * Most of the hard products throughout the hotel since they are still in newer condition. Especially, Kohler washlet. * The sunset view. * Breakfast and room service menu from Oro restaurant. Bad * This hotel may be good enough for Queenstown, but Not good enough for real 5 star property outside of Queenstown.... inadequate to meet basic requirements. Please, see my comments or pix. * Very very very weak shower water pressure. It's ridiculous. * The room gets very loud and noisy from other rooms and the hallway. No sound proofed walls. Hear noise from next room and above all night long. * Need one consolidated smart control panel instead of every corner of the walls * Not much privacy on the balcony and hideous partition. * Mattress quality : It's sunken and dipped too much. I'm surprised no one has complained yet? * Have doubts about some of the design and material choices for hard products and Especially, curve appeal if they will age well.... * Got one way pick up with a Cayenne and one way drop off with a local taxi that is not as advertised. At both times of arriving and leaving, Bentley was just sitting in the parking lot. Guess, YMMV... * Never got welcome vibes from the on-site manager during my stay. What's up with that? * Didn't get to settle the folio until check out since their system was down.

Excellent location, unbeatable view, small walk from town. Rooms are a good size, clean and very comfortable - although more suited to couple and 1 child. Spa bath on balcony really added to the experience. Tasteful new build construction, classy yet not ostentatious. Facilities are simple, functional and appropriate. Staff lead by Patrick are extremely accomodating, courteous and helpful - including the chef.

I recently had the pleasure of staying at Carlin Boutique Hotel, and I can't speak highly enough of the experience! From the moment I arrived, I was warmly welcomed by Patrick, who turned out to be an exceptional host throughout my stay. Patrick’s genuine hospitality and attention to detail made me feel right at home. He went above and beyond to ensure all my needs were met, providing fantastic recommendations for local dining and activities, and even arranging transportation when needed. His knowledge of the area and friendly demeanor truly enhanced my visit. The hotel itself is charming, the balcony has the magnificent view of Queenstown and beautifully maintained, with a perfect blend of modern amenities and cozy, boutique charm. My room was immaculate, with a comfortable bed and tasteful decor that created a relaxing atmosphere. The amenities, including the complimentary breakfast, were top-notch and added to the overall comfort and convenience of my stay. I highly recommend Carlin Boutique Hotel to anyone looking for a delightful and personalized experience. Thanks to Patrick and the wonderful staff, my stay was memorable, and I look forward to returning in the future!