NZ ski town face off: Arrowtown vs Albert Town

We’re on the hunt for New Zealand’s best ski town.

Do you prefer a busy resort town, brimming with people and ? Or prefer the quieter, off-the-beaten-track villages to unwind after a day on the slopes?

Stuff wants you to decide where the best can be found in New Zealand.

We're pitting some of the country's most-loved hotspots against each other. All you have to do is vote for your favourite, and let us know what you love about it in the comments.

Once we have the top picks, we'll let you come up with the grand winner.

Who will emerge victorious? A tiny town in the North Island? Or a bustling resort area in the South? You be the judge.

Still looking like the gold rush settlement it once was, this Central Otago town sits on the banks of the Arrow River about 20 minutes drive from Queenstown, and 15 minutes from Queenstown International Airport. If you don’t have your own wheels – or plan to imbibe at Arrowton’s many enticing drinking dens – you can catch the bus from Queenstown or Frankton for $2 with an Orbus Go Card.

The town was home to 2814 people at the time of the last (2018) Census but, as a popular tourist destination, it can get pretty busy.

The ski fields of Queenstown are within easy reach, and those of Wānaka are an hour to an hour-and-a-half away. Coronet Peak is about a 20-minute drive away, The Remarkables 45 minutes, Cardrona and the Snow Farm an hour, and The Remarkables an hour-and-a-half.

Visited by Māori on seasonal trips to hunt native birds and source pounamu before European settlers arrived in New Zealand, the glacier-carved Arrow Basin found fame after Jack Tawa, a Māori shearer for local farmer William Rees, struck gold in 1862. By the end of the year, 15,000 miners were camped out beside the Arrow River in an effort to do the same.

When the gold ran out, the town’s population dwindled, but it was born again in the 1950s as a tourist town. These days, visitors still flock from far and wide to see its gold rush era buildings, photograph its blazing autumn leaves and, in winter, relax by roaring fires in its cosy restaurants and pubs.

The place has character in spades, channelling a Wild West mountain town vibe. Coronet Peak’s just down the road and, come evening, there’s no shortage of places to fill your belly with quality Central Otago kai.

Located down a laneway opposite renowned northern Italian restaurant Aosta and , the Blue Door Bar is a local institution. Settle into a leather armchair with an Old Fashioned as the open fire blazes and the jazz tunes crank.

Set in an old stone building, the Fork & Tap is equally atmospheric, offering an impressive selection of local craft beers and wines, and crowd-pleasing comfort food such as fish and chips, burgers and pizza. The take-away menu is enticing too – barbecued jackfruit sandwich with red cabbage, onions and buttermilk aioli anyone? – and the in-house mulled wine is addictive.

Admire the Wild West-style storefronts and cute cottages, check out the old Chinese miners’ settlement, pan for gold, or catch a flick under a Chinese silk ceiling at the boutique cinema.

Described as one of the best small museums in New Zealand, the Lakes District Museum will give you the lowdown on the town’s gold rush glory days and has an excellent gallery and bookshop attached.

If you’re up for something more active, take a stroll along the Arrow River or hire a bike and hit up one of the numerous cycle trails – the 12km Arrow River Bridges Trail and 100km Queenstown Trail, which can be tackled in sections, are popular options.

Bordered by the bright blue Clutha and Hāwea rivers and just a five-minute drive from Lake Wānaka, From Queenstown Airport, it’s just over an hour’s drive via the spectacular – and often spectacularly snowy –Crown Range Road, and about an hour and a half via the easier going Kawarau Gorge.

Albert Town had a population of just over 2000 at the time of the 2018 Census, but it’s had a growth spurt.

Cardrona and Treble Cone ski fields are both within a 35-minute drive. The Snow Farm is about 45 minutes away.

The first settlement on the Upper Clutha River, Albert Town started life as the site Wānaka Station farmers used to cross the river. Eventually, buildings sprung up to accommodate gold miners seeking their fortunes in Arrowtown, and it went on to become a service town for the surrounding area. Now essentially an extension of central Wānaka, it makes a great base for exploring the region.

You have the ski fields of Wānaka on your doorstep without the tourist crowds, making you feel like you’re getting an authentic slice of local life.

With its convivial country pub vibe, The Albie Tavern is a good spot to pull up a pew when your thirst needs quenching. Look forward to Kiwi craft beers, Central Otago wines, and good, honest Kiwi kai such as beer-battered blue cod and lamb shanks.

Walk or bike the Upper Clutha Track, which follows the river for 21.5km, with spirit-lifting mountain views around almost every bend. You can walk or bike all the way to Luggate, or create a loop by returning to Albert Town on the equally scenic 12km Newcastle Track.

World-famous trout fishing spot, Deans Bank, is on your doorstep, and jet boating, kayaking, rafting, river surfing, and natural swimming spots are all within easy reach.

Back in town, pop into Pembroke Patisserie to wash down a butter almond croissant or chocolate and salted caramel brownie with a strong coffee or rich hot chocolate.