Looking at the early QF flight back to SYD after a few days tacked on after Oz-fest. Mrs WF is along, so sleeping upstairs is a big no-no.
The issue is whether the Ibis is truly walkable at 0430, or how much (and how reliable) is their shuttle. I understand it is about 500m.
The complication is that at the moment for the day I want the Novotel is three times the price of the Ibis.

And I don't want to be in the position of paying more for the hotel on the way out than any of the places I stayed elsewhere in NZ. And that will include a night in Queenstown.
Happy wandering
Fred