New Zealand lodges in 2011 world's best
06 Jan 2011
New Zealand luxury lodges - The Lodge at Kauri Cliffs and Huka Lodge at Taupo - have been named among the world’s best places to stay, according to US magazine Condé Nast Traveler.
The prestigious 2011 Gold List, selected by 25,000-plus Condé Nast readers, ranks the two NZ lodges in the top echelon of international lodge / resorts - and at first and second for Australasia and the Pacific.
For Kauri Cliffs, which comes in at No. 1 for the region, it is the second major accolade in less than a year. In November, the Northland lodge was selected as the region’s top luxury resort in Condé Nast Traveler’s 2010 reader's choice awards survey.
Readers judged the five-star lodge the world's third best hotel in the top 100 hotels category, giving its location, design, rooms, dining, facilities, activities and service a score of 98.4.
Kauri Cliffs managing director Jay Robertson says the listing "is a great testament to the excellence of our team without whom none of these awards would be possible."
The Lodge at Kauri Cliffs
Condé Nast Traveler describes Kauri Cliffs as "an oceanfront newcomer with a rash of perfect scores - stunning, as if you were airlifted to heaven."
"Plantation-style buildings have perfect-scoring suites where ceiling fans, light colors, and subtle patterns create a country feel. The restaurant changes its menu daily- you'll want to stay all day and just order another bottle of wine on the outdoor terrace."
The Lodge’s international standard golf course is described as challenging with "perfect-scoring staff" and "caddies with knowledge of many topics, not just golf."
Owned and developed by New York’s Robertson family, Kauri Cliffs is a sister property to The Farm at Cape Kidnappers, Hawke's Bay in the North Island, and recently reopened Matakauri Lodge, at Queenstown in the South Island. All are members of the exclusive Relais & Chateaux collection, and have won many international awards.
Huka Lodge, Lake Taupo
New Zealand’s original international fishing lodge, Huka Lodge - on the banks of the Waikato River and near Lake Taupo - has also scooped a raft of international awards and is making its fifth appearance on the Condé Nast Traveler Gold List.
Huka Lodge is described as "peaceful through and through ... done in a low-key Kiwi style ... and designed to blend into the surroundings" with food that "single-handedly moves New Zealand restaurants up a notch."
Over the years, the lodge has hosted many famous names including Queen Elizabeth and other members of the British royal family.
Condé Nast Traveler - Gold List
The Gold List is based on data collected from annual Condé Nast Traveler reader surveys.
Entries include edited comments of readers and are intended to reveal a property's character rather than to catalogue its facilities.
Hotel rankings are based on ratings of activities, facilities, food / dining, location, design, rooms and service.
The complete 2011 Gold List of the world's best places to stay features in the January 2011 issue of Condé Nast Traveler.
Background: Bay of Islands
The Lodge at Kauri Cliffs is located at Matauri Bay, east of Kerikeri, in the heart of Northland’s Bay of Islands.
The Bay of Islands region encompasses Kerikeri, Waitangi, Paihia and Russell and a multitude of small off-shore islands. The area was first discovered by legendary Polynesian navigator Kupe, long before British explorer Captain James Cook visited in 1769.
Kerikeri is a fertile orchard town - famed for its New Zealand tamarillos, avocados and citrus - with a strong arts community. As well as checking out the local farmers’ market and orchards, visitors can follow a wine trail, and walk ancient kauri forests.
Paihia wharf is the stepping off point for water-based adventures in the Bay of Islands. Visitors can set off on a dolphin and whale watching safari, walk the island conservation paradise of Urupukapuka, experience the bay’s famed ‘hole in the rock’, take New Zealand’s highest tandem paraglide above the water, or hop on a ferry across the water to Russell.
Russell was a whaling station in the 1800s and was once described as ‘the hellhole of the Pacific’. Today, it is known for its carefully-preserved historic buildings, amazing ocean views and as a tranquil oasis for seaside holidays.
Close to Paihia, Waitangi is the birthplace of the Treaty of Waitangi - New Zealand’s founding document. It was there that important Māori chiefs and key European representatives met in 1840 to sign the charters that formed the Treaty.
The waterfront Treaty Grounds are home to the Treaty House, a fully carved whare runanga / Māori meeting house, and New Zealand’s largest ceremonial Māori waka / canoe.
Background: Lake Taupo
Huka Lodge - New Zealand’s oldest luxury resort - sits in private surroundings beside the deep flowing waters of the Waikato River, and just a few minutes from the shores of Lake Taupo, in the central North Island thermal region.
Lake Taupo, which fills a gigantic crater left by an ancient volcanic explosion, is 46km long and has a surface area similar in size to Singapore.
The thermal region offers a huge range of outdoor leisure activities - on and off the water - including trout fishing, hunting, golf, trekking, horse riding, boating, snow skiing, thermal bathing and sightseeing, and adrenalin experiences such as bungy jumping and skydiving.
The region boasts some of the world’s best fly fishing rivers and hunting locations, and the famous Tongariro Crossing - rated one of the best one-day walks in the world. It also has two internationally-rated golf courses.
Mt Ruapehu is a 60-minute drive from Taupo, and the two adjacent ski resorts make up New Zealand’s most expansive ski area.
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