A purpose-built lodge on Main Road in St Arnaud, on State Highway 63, at the edge of the Nelson Lakes National Park. The lodge is booked exclusively by families, friends and big groups, and the website says schools, universities, corporate groups, clubs and family functions use it regularly. It has a large commercial kitchen with stainless steel benches, two full-size ovens, two large fridge freezers, and cookware and crockery for groups.
The downstairs lounge has a log fire, and upstairs there is a sunny reading room and a small lounge. Rates as at 2026 start at $890 a night for up to 20 people. The lodge is part of Nelson Lakes Motels, which also has self-contained motels and family cottages. It is 150 metres from the St Arnaud village centre, and the village has a store, a takeaway, a petrol station, a bar, a cafe and a Department of Conservation office. Lake Rotoiti is a short walk away. Our pick in St Arnaud for a group getaway at the foot of the Southern Alps.