Wharekauhau

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Wharekauhau

Style: Contemporary Classic

Atmosphere: Secluded

12 Rooms

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Wharekauhau (pronounced, apparently, Forry-ko-ho) is New Zealand lodge living writ large — a spectacular location, a fantastic building, and all the manor-house luxury you can stand. The site, on the south coast of New Zealand’s North Island, is a short flight or a circuitous 90-minute drive from Wellington, and spans some five thousand acres of land, a functioning sheep station between the Rimutaka mountain range and the waters of Palliser Bay.

The main lodge building, a modern take on an Edwardian country mansion, is Wharekauhau’s social hub, home to the living room lounge and the restaurant’s dining room, lined with long communal tables. Guest rooms, however, offer quite a bit more privacy; each suite occupies a self-contained cottage, complete with fireplace, super-king four-poster bed, and a view of the sea. Under-floor heating keeps the cottages cozy even in winter, and a fully stocked bar means you don’t need to visit the lodge unless you want to.

For all the pastoral calm of the place, you’ll be spoiled for choice of activities here, from the typical, like swimming and tennis, to the slightly less common, including croquet, petanque, and trap shooting. The outdoors are Wharekauhau’s strong suit, and there’s no end of options — four-wheeler tours, horseback treks, even helicopter tours, whether scenic flights or day trips touching down in any number of picturesque locations. And at the end of the day, it’s back to the dining room, for a smart-casual multi-course meal, drawing on European influences, local ingredients, and New Zealand’s finest wines.

How to get there:

Wharekauhau is approximately a 1 1/2 hour drive from Wellington International Airport.