Three NZ lodges make top 20 hideaways list

Three of New Zealand’s top luxury lodges have been included in the world's Top 20 Hideaways listed in Andrew Harper’s Hideaway Report.

Queenstown’s Blanket Bay, The Farm at Cape Kidnappers in Hawke’s Bay, and Taupo’s Huka Lodge have all made the reader’s choice international list, which reviews hotels and resorts with 75 or fewer rooms.

The Hideaway Report is a well-respected monthly newsletter which reviews luxury hotels and resorts. It was founded in 1979 by a travel writer under the pseudonym Andrew Harper. The publication prides itself on its impartiality, as Harper always travels incognito and pays his own way.

New Zealand is the only southern hemisphere country to have made it into the top 20.

Luxury reputation
This is the second time that Blanket Bay, near Queenstown, has made the list. The luxury lodge has also previously received the Hideaway Report’s Grand Award.

Sitting at the northern end of Lake Wakatipu, Blanket Bay’s name recalls the 19th century farmer workers who made rough shelters from blankets to use when shearing their sheep. The 13-room lodge has lake views and an award-winning kitchen.

Taupo’s Huka Lodge received Tatler’s Enduring Excellence Award in early 2010, an award recognising its "outstanding consistency in maintaining the highest standards of excellence for the last 25 years". The 20-room lodge is set on the banks of the Waikato River - just above the world-famous Huka Falls - and surrounded by native bush and gardens.

The Farm at Cape Kidnappers in Hawke’s Bay is set on a 5000-acre farm on a steep bluff above the Pacific Ocean. The ‘rustic’ setting of the lodge, which is built from a combination of river stone and weathered wood, makes it popular with honeymoon couples and romantic getaways.

Jewel of the world
Luxury travel is one of the fastest-growing sectors in New Zealand’s tourism industry.

Luxury travellers have almost doubled their spending here in the past decade and, as high-end lodges and tourism experiences notch up international awards and recognition, New Zealand is now firmly fixed on the luxury radar.

Drawn firstly to the unspoilt landscape, international visitors are often blown away by the sophisticated infrastructure and services providing all the trappings of a first-class experience - topped off with peace, privacy and safety.

Discerning travellers are continually voting New Zealand their favourite destination. Condé Nast readers recently voted New Zealand their favourite country in the world for the fifth year in a row. And, even in times of economic downturn, those with money are spending it in New Zealand, showing they're prepared to go the extra mile for a quality experience.

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