It’s the silence you first notice at Otahuna Lodge, a beautifully preserved historic mansion on the outskirts of Christchurch, New Zealand’s second largest city. As soon as the car comes to a halt on the manicured gravel driveway, a tsunami of silence, punctuated by distant bird’s song and hints of an evening breeze through the willow trees, washes over us. It’s utter bliss.
This is just a hint of the kinds of experiences people are seeking when they travel to New Zealand, known as Aotearoa or the Land of the Long White Cloud in the Maori tongue. But in the age of mass tourism (even here, in this remote South Pacific locale) it can sometimes be hard to really experience a destination, meet its people, and understand their way of life. That’s where luxury lodges come in.
Travelling via New Zealand’s luxury lodges, which slowly developed from humble fishing cabins to world-acclaimed houses of slumber, is slow travel at its very best. At each fascinating property, guests delve into the personalities and histories of the property’s owners and hosts, kick off their heels amidst lavish accommodation, sample the best of local produce, and do so against some of the country’s most stunning landscapes.
A Queen Anne-style home lovingly reborn, wreathed by 12 hectares of stunning gardens, and staffed by hospitality innovators, Otahuna was built in 1895 and brought by Americans Hall Cannon and Miles Refo in 2007. With the help of kiwi manager and executive chef Jimmy McIntyre, they have created a sublime property that welcomes visitors from across the world. Its five sumptuous, guest rooms, including our spacious Rhodes Suites, named for the mansion’s first residents, are each decked out in ancient wood, bespoke furnishings and subtly integrated technology. They feature Victorian fireplaces, balconies with views to the Southern Alps, and plenty of little nooks and snugs to explore. All this lavish living is complemented by a stunning art collection by kiwi artists like Peter Hackett and Virginia Leonard, and some cute touches, such as the ironic bedside tome A Short History of Sheep in New Zealand.
Chef McIntyre is renowned for his simplified yet elegant approach to fine dining, a philosophy that places locally sourced ingredients, including 130 varieties of vegetables, fruit and nuts from the lodge’s own gardens and meats from Otahuna’s own smokehouse, front and centre. Along with Austrian sous chef Thomas, McIntyre serves freshly shucked Bluff oysters with glasses of chilled Central Otago Riesling in the Lodge’s leather-clad lounge, followed by a delectable five-course dinner in the dining room, a fire-warmed space dressed in timber the colour of molasses. As part of the all-inclusive package, McIntyre thrills with fat chipotle prawns with tomato and roasted pepper soup; locally caught monkfish with saffron risotto and a decadent lemon and vanilla sauce; and Canterbury duck breast with quince jus, kumara (sweet potato) purée and autumn vegetables, all from Otahuna’s gardens.
It’s with honest reluctance that we leave the next morning, driving east into the deep valleys and hidden bays of the Banks Peninsula, stopping at the Trading Rooms in charming Akaroa for lunch, before climbing the switchbacks to Hilltop Tavern and descending down into Pigeon Bay, home to New Zealand’s newest luxury lodge property.
Envisioned by New Zealand-born real estate tycoon Mark Palmer, Annandale isn’t really one property but a collection of four, each vastly different and spaced a good 30-minute drive across a working farm from each other. There’s the historic and beautifully restored Homestead, the rustic elegance of Shepherd’s Cottage, the open plan, family-friendly living of Scrubby Bay, and then there’s Seascape.
We arrive at Seascape after a 45-minute drive (although you can choose to arrive by helicopter) along spectacular clifftops that plummet to the mussel beds of Pigeon Bay far below, the farm’s Black Angus cattle watching our progress. A simple farm track leads steeply down into a remote bay wreathed by a stony beach, and rocky headlands. Nestled into the hillside, Seascape is stunning from first glance. A spacious, unashamedly modern one-bedroom space, the open plan villa offers spectacular views and beside the outdoor Jacuzzi, there’s a simple kitchen and a deep soak tub that looks out across the secluded bay. There’s literally nothing between the king-sized bed and the expanses of the Pacific.
While not a traditional Lodge, Seascape offers the same chance to become a part of the landscape, to slow down, sleep in, and leave the rest of the world behind. To that end, guests can choose to have a chef cook up a storm in the butler’s pantry; have raw ingredients delivered and be left to one’s own devices; or, like us, opt for the “we create, you serve” approach, which has executive chef Paul Jobin prepare a gourmet dish that’s then vacuum-packed for minimal preparation. That evening, we dine on local green-lipped mussels with tamari cured egg yolks and tomato jelly; Canter valley black lacquer duck leg with banana lychee relish and scallion pancake; and lemon passion fruit curd and honey macadamia wafers with the farm’s own raspberries. As you might have already guessed, all the ingredients either come from Annandale’s farm and extensive gardens, or from producers within 50 kilometres of the property.
After dinner, my wife Maggie and I curl up on a duo of daybeds beside the outdoor fireplace, the waters of the bay before us cast in the lingering light of a startling canopy of stars, the inky landscape surrounding us unmarred by manmade light. It’s nothing short of magical.
From Annandale we drive west, back up the winding valley roads of Banks Peninsula, and then south towards Tai Tapu. We reach Oamaru by late afternoon, the shadows of this historic little town, which was recently named New Zealand’s Coolest, already growing long. We climb the hill to Pen-y-Bryn, a category one heritage-listed home nestled in dazzling gardens overlooking the township.
Built in 1889, Pen-y-Bryn was bought by former World Bank economist James Glucksman and dentist James Boussy in 2010. Of the historic Victorian home’s five rather cosy guestrooms, three will become suites by September, complementing Pen-y-Bryn’s beautifully preserved living rooms, dens, and lounges. Filled with beautiful art and artefacts from the “Jameses” many years spent in Asia, Pen-y-Bryn is a traditional lodge, where the Old World hospitality of the owners, married with fantastic local fare, are the major drawcards.
In fact, the communal atmosphere and warm welcome of our hosts is second to none; evenings commence with cocktails and canapés by the roaring fire, followed by a five-course dinner that includes South Island salmon and seasonal Bluff oysters with greens from the gardens and indulgent roast pork with homemade lemon curd. Slow food lover James Glucksman is an Officier Maître Hôtelier in the Confrérie de la Chaîne des Rôtisseurs, the Paris-based gourmet society, and serves up dishes that are not only inventive and delicious but are almost entirely sourced from the lodge’s own gardens, homemade in its kitchens, or brought from local suppliers. Much of Jameses’ years travelling the world comes through their world-class cuisine and not only from lodge’s décor, making a visit to Pen-y-Bryn a sensory journey as well as a night at a homely inn.
From Oamaru we drive up the glorious Waitaki Valley, passing through Central Otago’s wine belt and the all-year Alpine playground of Queenstown towards Glenorchy, taking a scenic road that’s regularly listed among the top ten in the world. At its end you’ll find Blanket Bay, the Grand Dame of New Zealand’s modern luxury lodge era.
Unlike Otahuna or Pen-y-Bryn, Blanket Bay was purpose built as a luxury lodge, designed to attract the well-heeled from the US and Europe (though today, you’re as likely to hear Arabic or Chinese spoken in its Great Room than English or French). The lodge, flanked by Lake Wakatipu on one side and imposing peaks on the other, is a destination in itself. Designed by US architect Jim McLaughlin and built using locally sourced schist rock and recycled timber, Blanket Bay boasts 12 luxurious guest rooms and suites, including four elegant standalone chalet suites. In addition, there are cavernous living areas and towering fireplaces, intimate bars, a modern games room, wine cellars (plural), a spa and fitness centre, a seasonal outdoor pool and an indoor spa that looks through French windows to the western tip of the lake.
Located at the base of the Southern Alps, the lodge is the perfect jumping off point for travellers looking to explore the Dart River by high-powered speedboat, or the ancient rainforests and towering peaks of Middle Earth, with a hike in the Mount Aspiring National Park. Here the fly-fishing is phenomenal, the heli-skiing the best in the Southern Hemisphere, and the horse riding is sensational. Guests return to dinner cooked by multi-award winning executive chef Corey Hume and served in the cosy Lake View Dining Room. His culinary creations range from Canterbury quail with celeriac purée and chorizo through to Port Nicholson crayfish tail with coral and miso emulsion, seared scallop and roasted vegetables from the lodge gardens.
It sums up the luxury lodge scene to perfection – world class cuisine, in a world-class setting, with a touch of the inherent humility that makes New Zealand such an alluring destination.
