Blanket Bay named one of best hotels in the world

Blanket Bay named one of best hotels in the world for food

New Zealand’s multi-award-winning Blanket Bay has been named one of the world’s best hotels for food in the prestigious 2007 Conde Nast Traveller Gold List.

The Conde Nast Traveller Gold List is the ultimate guide to properties around the world.

The third annual Gold List, published by the UK-based magazine, features hotels around the world that have the best service, rooms, food, ambience and design, location and leisure facilities, voted for by readers and by editors choice.

In its award, Conde Nast Traveller calls the lodge a “gourmet haven” in a stunning location, surrounded by trout-filled rivers and snow-capped mountains, and praises the artistry of award-winning Executive Chef Jason Dell.

According to the magazine and its readers, the Blanket Bay ‘X-factor’ lies with the chef combining “classic French and contemporary cuisine with stunning visual flair”.

Blanket Bay is keeping good company – other hotels on the list include Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons with its two Michelin stars, Raffles in Singapore, the Ritz Paris, and Italy’s Capri Palace Hotel, another Michelin–starred establishment. Blanket Bay is the only New Zealand property to feature on the food Gold List, while elsewhere Wharekauhau, Kauri Cliffs and Huka Lodge are lauded for ambience, design and rooms.

The luxury Queenstown lodge has reason to be proud of its culinary team – Executive Chef Jason Dell won New Zealand’s Chef of the National title in 1996, and Sous Chef Mark Sycamore won the same title this year.

Mark also fought off some stiff competition to be awarded a Gordon Ramsey Scholarship in 2004.

Blanket Bay General Manager Philip Jenkins said the Conde Nast Traveller Gold List accolade topped off a fantastic year for the property and in particular its culinary team.

“We’re absolutely delighted to see Jason and Mark’s culinary expertise and passion for top quality ingredients rate so highly among the magazine’s extremely well-travelled readership,” he said.

“It says a lot for their dedication to quality, presentation and the freshest of produce that they are ranked alongside Michelin-starred properties from around the world.”

In 2006, Luxury Travel Magazine named Blanket Bay one of New Zealand's Top 10 Luxury Lodges and one of The World's Ultimate Hotels in its Luxury Travel Awards, and within the last 12 months it has also featured in National Geographic’s Traveler magazine and the Robb Report in Luxury Resorts magazine. Blanket Bay was also named The Ultimate Escape in the Editors Awards section of the 2004 Sunday Times Travel Magazine Awards.

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