The Queenstown Fire Brigade spent nearly an hour at The Spire Hotel yesterday, after a small fire in one room.
A Fire Service spokeswoman said staff at the scene reported the fire was caused by occupants about 1.50pm.
''They think it was started by clothes left near a gas fire.''
The Spire guest services manager Elsa Velazquez said the fire at the five-star boutique hotel in Queenstown's CBD was caused by some Christmas presents catching fire.
Guests in the hotel's 10 rooms were forced to evacuate.
Queenstown Police stopped traffic at either end of nearby Church St for about an hour while fire crews dealt with the incident.
The Fire Service spokeswoman said the fire did not spread
and no-one was injured. Damage was limited to room six and the first level was operational again by 4pm yesterday. The second level reopened an hour later.
''It was an accident. It's just one room unavailable for a little bit,'' Ms Velazquez said.
