The Hermitage Hotel, the Hermitage under the snow mountain

Driving along Highway 80 deep into the ice lake and snowy peaks, the closer you get to the Cook Valley, the more humid the air becomes. Mist and light rain alternate on the road, like a quiet welcome🌫️. ✨ The Hermitage Hotel is located on the higher slope of the valley, directly facing Aoraki / Mount Cook. It is far from the hustle and bustle, a place reserved for travelers under the snow mountain, a "hermitage" in the valley🛖. We stayed in a high-floor room type, and the moment we opened the door, the snow mountain was almost in your face—the huge mountain body was unrealistically close, and the view outside the window seemed ready to burst into the room at any moment🏔️. Looking around the room, it is simple, warm, and stable. The design is based on the local landforms and light and shadow, using low-saturation, rock/glacier tones, making the "mountain view outside the window" the main character of the room. I curled up in the fabric armchair, listening to the sound of wind and rain outside, the snowy peak quietly in front of me. I was scrolling through my phone, relaxed. That night, due to strong winds and fog, the originally planned stargazing activity was canceled; the next day's helicopter glacier hike was also forced to stop due to weather conditions. A bit of a pity. But being in nature, surrounded by clouds and fog, watched over by the mountains, there seems to be nothing to regret🤔. Recently, because of the itinerary, I went to the Hermitage several times in a row, hiking the trails around Mount Cook, taking a boat on the ice lake to the Tasman Glacier🧊. Mount Cook is still so beautiful, and being there makes you feel small and real. 🏔️ The Hermitage Hotel 🏔️ Interior Design: Outline Design 🏔️ Hermitage was once listed as one of the "Best Hotels in New Zealand 2024" by Grand Pacific Tours' annual selection. With its front-row view facing Aoraki / Mount Cook, combined with stargazing and glacier tour bases, it makes it the most worthwhile accommodation choice for exploring this area.