Mt Cook Lakeside Retreat

The view across Lake Pukaki to Aoraki Mount Cook is the kind that makes you forget what you were worried about. This small, Michelin-selected retreat runs just a handful of one-, two-, and three-bedroom villas with a European-tinged luxury feel and a chef-driven, garden-to-table restaurant on site. The nearby Pukaki Observatory means the stargazing, on clear southern nights, is a legitimate reason to stay up past your bedtime.