Queenstown thrills with a Remarkable view

Queenstown has it all: thrills aplenty and stunning views.

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For our last family holiday, our mission statement was simple: more thrills, fewer frills. And where else in New Zealand could you find more thrills than Queenstown?

We wanted fun, and lots of it, without the financial equivalent of throwing ourselves off a bungy jump with no rope attached. We wanted accommodation with its own kitchen to reduce eating costs. We wanted somewhere warm, quiet and comfortable, preferably close to town. And a view would be great too.

The solution was unexpected and unlikely for a family of five. We stayed at a youth hostel.

The photo of the YHA Queenstown Lakefront on its website, while nice enough, didn't give much away about what we'd find inside. I'd expected spartan, but we found ourselves in a good-sized two-bedroom apartment, tucked away in a quiet corner of the hostel, with its own entrance, a well-stocked kitchen, plenty of heaters (it was May and we needed them) and a clean and tidy bathroom (fresh towels supplied daily). There's even wireless internet connection. Across the road was Lake Wakatipu and the Remarkables beyond, and town just a 10-minute walk along the lakeside. All the boxes and several more were ticked.

A scout around the hostel (it has 80-plus beds in single, twin, double and shared rooms) showed we weren't the only ones staying there who fell outside the "youth" tag. While most guests seemed to be 20-something Poms and Europeans (are there any left in the northern hemisphere?), there was still a number of visitors in their 50s and 60s from all parts of the world.

For the next four days, we played. First up was the Kawarau Jet ($225 for two adults and two children; under-fives are free). A warning: if you're planning on doing this in winter, wear as many warm clothes as you think you'll need, then double that. Thankfully, the staff are armed with beanies, gloves and waterproof ponchos. Yes, it was freezing, but exhilarating (although despite his mother's screams, our two-year-old slept through the whole trip), and the whole journey takes place in postcard scenery. Thrill rating: 9.

The Skyline Gondola, while more sedentary, is a 40-year veteran of the Queenstown tourism scene. It's been decades since my last ride 450 metres up Bob's Peak (at an angle of about 37 degrees), and I still felt the same sense of awe and a small degree of vertigo that I felt on my first ascent as a child. The kids loved it. The top of the hill is now an adventure wonderland, with the AJ Hackett bungy and swing, tandem paragliding and luge at the top. Did I mention the views? The husband and 10-year-old took off on the luge and came back buzzing, so two days later we made the trip up the hill again so we could all have a go (children under-six need to double-up with an adult).

Incredibly good fun and safer than it looks. It's a very reasonable $69 for a family pass that includes the gondola ride and one luge ride each, and you can buy more luge passes at the top. You'll want to. Gondola thrill rating: 7 1/2; 9 with luge.

The TSS Earnslaw might not be fast but it's a thrill of an altogether different kind. For two young boys obsessed with Thomas the Tank Engine, the ship looked like something that would sail the seas off the Island of Sodor, and to the 10-year-old it was a history lesson come to life. For the husband and me, it was just really rather gracious, and, thanks to a glass of wine or two, supremely relaxing. I can't think of another experience in New Zealand quite like it. For our 90-minute cruise across to Walter Peak and back, we paid $89 (we booked through the youth hostel reception and saved 10%. Kids under five travel free. During school holidays, pupils under 18 travel free). Thrill rating: 8.

And then there was the bungy jump at the AJ Hackett Kawarau Bridge Bungy. The two youngest boys were too small, the two adults too chicken. Which left my stepson, who at 10 is the minimum age, and at 39kg, just 4kg over the minimum weight. I should've known it would take no convincing (honest!) to get him out on that ledge on the Kawarau Bridge, 43m above the icy blue river. His jump more a confident and very well-executed swan dive; we have the DVD ($80 including photos) to prove it left him unusually quiet for about 10 minutes. Money well spent. ($110 including T-shirt). Thrill factor: 10.

By the end of day three, the camera's memory card was almost full and our wallets were nearly empty. It was time for cheaper thrills. Like snow; a drive to Coronet Peak rewarded us with enough snow for a short-lived snowball fight. Petrol costs aside, good free fun. Back in town there was outdoor mini-golf ($40 for the family). There's a flashy indoor mini-golf centre across the road but young children aren't welcome (we initially thought that was a bit mean but reconsidered our view after watching the two little ones in action at the outdoor course).

With our last dollars spent and half an hour to fill before heading to the airport, we played at the park across the road from the YHA, where the trees were golden, the lake and sky were blue and the snow-kissed mountains, were, of course, remarkable. Thrill factor: 10 out of 10.

Angela Walker was hosted by YHA New Zealand.

Fact file
Queenstown is home to two YHAs: the YHA Queenstown Lakefront (88-90 Lake Esplanade) a 10-minute walk along the lake from town, and the Queenstown Central (48A Shotover St), in the heart of the resort. Queenstown Lakefront (beds from $23, rooms from $54) is quieter and larger, with a very well-equipped kitchen, common room, TV room and computer room. The smaller Queenstown Central (beds from $27, rooms from $82) is perfectly located to make the most of the town's nightlife.

Other YHAs to offer self-contained units are YHA Auckland International, YHA Christchurch City, YHA Dunedin and YHA Franz Josef. Most hostels have family rooms available so you can all stay in the same room, but use communal facilities.

You don't need to be a member of the YHA to stay at one of its hostels, however members do receive a small discount.

The old rule of YHA guests having to help with the day-to-day cleaning of hostels is no longer in use, however guests are encouraged to tidy up after themselves, especially in the kitchen.

There are YHAs in 51 locations around New Zealand from Ahipara in the Far North to Stewart Island and every hostel offers something different. YHAs also offer discounts to hundreds of activities around the country. Very useful brochures and the NZ YHA Map 2008 are available from the YHAs. Check out www.yha.co.nz for more details or ph 0800 278-299.

- © Fairfax NZ News