The NZ-style of accommodation that showed Australia how it’s done

One of the best cups of morning coffee I’ve ever had was at Mahu Whenua, a luxury lodge on New Zealand’s South Island. It wasn’t the brew itself that made it so memorable – it was everything around it. The way I wandered from my bedroom into the open kitchen where the lodge chef took a break from prepping for breakfast to brew me up a caffeine hit. The comfy armchair where I settled to drink it down, drenched in early-morning sunshine with a million-dollar view across Lake Wanaka. What a way to start the day.

New Zealand’s luxury lodges are famous for delivering such magic moments. Over the past three decades or so, this small country has developed a reputation for delivering outsized luxury experiences, so much so that many of the people behind Australia’s luxury lodges first went to New Zealand to see how it’s done.

Million-dollar views at Mahu Whenua.Credit: Marina Mathews

No two lodges are quite the same – they include everything from alpine retreats and sheep station stays to coastal getaways – but there are some things they have in common. Don’t expect ornate interiors; the vibe is very much low-key luxe. Many of them resemble private homes, albeit the homes of the very wealthy (which is exactly how some of them started life), and the fact that meals are usually included in the tariff adds to the overall impression that you are a guest rather than a customer.

The service has that typical Kiwi blend of friendliness and reserve – always up for a chat, never too intrusive – which immediately puts you at ease, and staff are always happy to help you plan your activities. The experience is always relaxed: most lodges don’t have any sort of dress code for dinner, and if you want to chat with the chef about what’s going to be on today’s menu, that’s never a problem.

In fact, lodge staff love working out what makes you happy. One morning at Wharekauhau Lodge near Wellington I ordered the corned beef hash for breakfast at the urging of a staffer who was sure I would love the homemade Worcestershire sauce that accompanied it.

He was right, I did, and we got into an enthusiastic discussion about the joys of Worcestershire sauce.

Next thing you know I was working my way through an impromptu sauce tasting, including not only bought and homemade varieties of Worcestershire but several other homemade sauces, with in-depth explanations about the distinctive properties of each. It might not have appealed to everyone but I loved every moment of it. And that’s what New Zealand lodges are all about.

Here are some of our favourites.

North Island

Huka Lodge

Huka Lodge prepares for a revamp.Credit: Huka Lodge

How do you celebrate 100 years of hospitality? Huka Lodge, now a Baillie Lodges property, is opting to mark its centenary in 2024 with a facelift, closing for several months for a refresh. Whatever new look is unveiled, many of the signature elements of this riverside lodge – a favourite of the late Queen Elizabeth II – are bound to remain largely unchanged.

That includes the inviting cottage suites and the remarkable range of places you can enjoy a private dinner, from the wine cellar to a hedged garden warmed by braziers. Speaking of which, Huka’s gardens are an attraction in themselves, with the extensive plantings including no fewer than 40 different types of giant tree ferns.

Helena Bay Lodge

The exclusive lodge enjoys access to four private beaches.

Is there anything worse than running out of rose while you relaxing on the beach? At Helena Bay Lodge, that tragedy need never befall you. Should the rose run dry while you are relaxing in the pavilion at Mohei Beach, one of Helena Bay’s four private beaches, simply give the lodge a quick call and someone will promptly deliver another bottle. It’s this attention to detail that has won this five-suite retreat at the top of the North Island such a devoted following. Not a beach lover? Other activities include kayaking, fishing and diving as well as sessions in the spa (the hammam is a great place to warm up in winter).

Wharekauhau

Seaside serenity with farm stay charm.Credit: Grant Sheehan

Torn between a farm stay and a seaside getaway? At Wharekauhau, you can enjoy both, waking up to the sight of sheep contentedly grazing against the backdrop of bright blue sea. This lodge is all about contrasts: between the dramatic interiors of the main lodge and the tranquil tones in the suites, between the sophisticated meals and rustic activities like the four-wheel drive farm tour that lets visit shearing sheds as well as the estate’s beaches, rivers and wetlands.

Just 90 minutes from Wellington, Wharekauhau is well-placed for visiting attractions such as the seal colony at Cape Palliser and the acclaimed Martinborough wine region.

Delamore Lodge

Secluded beach luxury on Waiheke Island.

Sometimes all you want is for the world to go away. That is when it is time to head to Delamore Lodge, an exquisitely private hilltop retreat on Waiheke Island, a 40-minute ferry ride from Auckland. The Mediterranean-inspired feel extends from the four bedrooms and two apartments to the main lodge, from where you can gaze down at the photogenic rock pool and the secluded beach below. Meals shine a spotlight on local ingredients such as Te Matuku oysters teamed with bottles from the island’s wineries, and the clifftop sunsets are spectacular.

South Island

The Lindis

A cosy, stargazing sanctuary.Credit: Shaun Jeffers

Buried – almost literally – in the landscape, The Lindis is the luxury lodge equivalent of a stealth fighter. Discreetly built into a hillside in the isolated Ahuriri Valley, The Lindis combines bluestone walls with a coffee-and-chocolate colour palette for maximum cosiness.

Explore the 2600-hectare estate on horseback or e-bike during the day before returning for your evening feast of Fjordland venison or South Island shrimp. Skip the late-night TV for a star-gazing session: here on the edge of a Dark Sky Reserve, the stars burn more brightly than you ever thought possible.

Rosewood Matakauri

Views don’t get much more majestic.

Whatever you do, don’t draw your curtains. Waking up to the magnificent views across Lake Wakatipu to The Remarkables is one of the best things about a stay at Matakauri Lodge (you can also soak in the views from your bathtub instead of your bed, if you prefer). This gorgeous lodge – a sister property to Kauri Cliffs and Cape Kidnappers Lodges, and just a 10-minute drive from Queenstown – is about savouring the finer things in life, from outstanding food to superb treatments at the spa, not to mention the lodge’s art collection, which includes a couple of works by Pablo Picasso.

Whare Kea Lodge

The stylish mountain chalet makes the most of its location.

For some people, their happy place is behind the stove. If that sounds like you, Whare Kea Lodge is your kind of getaway. Unlike other lodges, the six-bedroom Whare Kea is rented out on an exclusive basis, which means you can decide whether to use the services of the lodge chef, or tackle kitchen duties yourself. Other highlights of a stay at Whare Kea, overlooking Lake Wanaka, include a helicopter trip up to the lodge’s alpine chalet, 1750 metres above sea level, for a hike, lunch or even an overnight stay.