New Zealand—a country with 5.6 sheep for every person—is the perfect place to escape people-packed cities and delve into Mother Earth. Colloquially known by its Maori nickname, “land of the long white cloud,” the country hosts a wide variety of charming boutique hotels amidst captivating landscapes. Below, we’ve spotlighted the best NZ hotels to visit when you need a break from people.
Hapuku Lodge (Kaikoura, New Zealand)
| Key Points: • Website • 5 Stars • Rooms: 6 • Airport: Kaikoura Airport | Amenities: • Outdoor swimming pool • Spa • Fitness center • 1 Bar & Restaurant |
If you aim to satisfy your childhood fantasy of living in a treehouse, it will materialize here at Hapuku Lodge, New Zealand. Guests will be provided with the whimsical experience of sleeping 30 feet above the ground at the base of the Kaikoura Mountains on the South Island. Suppose it’s a traditional experience you’re after. In that case, Hapuku Lodge will accommodate you with their luxurious Japanese-style lodgings housed in the main building, which offer heated bathroom floors, oversized soaking tubs swathed in marble green tile, plush king-sized beds, and personal balconies that look over the farm’s deer grazing in paddocks adjacent to the Kaikoura mountains.
Rosewood Matakauri (Queenstown, New Zealand)
| Key Points: • Website • 5 Stars • Rooms: 16 • Airport: Queenstown Int. Airport | Amenities: • Outdoor swimming pool • Spa • Fitness center • 1 Bar & Restaurant |
Nestled on the banks of the blissful Lake Wakatipu, Rosewood Matakauri is the ultimate destination for outdoor enthusiasts and travelers seeking an intimate, relaxing getaway. This chic stay features 16 guest rooms and villas, including a private terrace, an expansive walk-in wardrobe, a complimentary in-room mini-bar, and floor-to-ceiling windows, giving way to pristine lakefront views. Guests can indulge in modern New Zealand cuisine at the onsite restaurant called The Dining Room, where a variety of libations, such as Cuvée Dom Perignon, Cristal Rose, and Chateau Angelus wine, are served alongside a daily à la carte menu, including Kingfish Sashimi, Venison Tenderloin, and North Island Gumard, that are sure to satisfy the gourmand. Open-air outdoor fire pits provide the perfect ambiance to unwind. If it’s more excitement you desire, Queenstown is just a seven-minute drive away.
Huka Lodge (Taupo, New Zealand)
| Key Points: • Website • 5 Stars • Rooms: 25 • Airport: Taupo Airport | Amenities: • Outdoor swimming pool • Spa • Free breakfast • 1 Bar & Restaurant |
Sophistication is supreme here, at Huka Lodge in Taupō, New Zealand. With 20 junior lodge suites and two exclusive cottages—including the Alan Pye Cottage and the Alex van Heeren cottage—these quaint hideaways are ideal for large travel groups and honeymoon excursions. Experience culinary excellence in various interesting locales like the Orchard, Wine Cellar, and Library, where guests can savor a curated selection of seasonal wines and fresh local fare. Guests will find a luxe tennis court amidst award-winning gardens and trout-rich streams that meander gracefully into Huka Falls, serving as a delightful haven for avid fishermen. Many illustrious clients will be among its visitors, perhaps even Bill Gates, who proclaim its utter brilliance.
The Landing (Bay of Islands, New Zealand)
| Key Points: • Website • 4 Stars • Rooms: 4 • Airport: Kerikeri Airport | Amenities: • Fitness center • Beach access • Free WiFi • 1 Bar & Restaurant |
The Landing—a compelling, luxe hotel set on 1,000 acres within New Zealand’s Bay of Islands region—comprises six private beaches, an accoladed vineyard, and four fetching residences. Garden-to-table dining is significant at The Landing—which utilizes on-site orchards—plus vegetable and herb gardens. DIY sea-to-table dishes can be arranged as the hotel offers the chance to catch your own crayfish and scallops in nearby coves.
Wharekauhau Country Estate (Palliser Bay, New Zealand)
| Key Points: • Website • 5 Stars • Rooms: 17 • Airport: Hawke’s Bay Airport | Amenities: • Outdoor swimming pool • Spa • Tennis court • 1 Bar & Restaurant |
The sheep-outnumber-people statistic is exhibited at the secluded Palliser Bay hotel, Wharekauhau Country Estate, which hosts 13 freestanding cottage suites set amongst the seafront grassy fields of 5,500-acre working sheep and cattle farm with streams, woodland, and pasture. A scenic 1.5-hour drive from Wellington, the hotel is located on the southern edge of New Zealand’s North Island, in Wairarapa. When inside, guests will love the Edwardian-style estate’s vantage point of the glistening sea from its windows and balconies, paired with thoughtfully selected antique furnishings, courtyards, and grand fireplaces.
Otahuna Lodge (Christchurch, New Zealand)
| Key Points: • Website • 5 Stars • Rooms: 7 • Airport: Christchurch Airport | Amenities: • Outdoor swimming pool • Spa • Gardens • 1 Bar & Restaurant |
The five-star, 18th-century Victorian mansion, Otahuna Lodge, is set amidst herbaceous fields, with a backdrop of New Zealand’s Southern Alps—conveniently, just a 30-minute drive from Christchurch. The hotel’s history starts with its inception in 1895 when high-profile pioneer Sir Heaton Rhodes built the England-country-estate-inspired residence for himself and his family. A lover of topiary, Rhodes plotted a botanical garden that features fruit trees and daffodil fields—the perfect view from the lodge.
