Condé Nast Traveler has named The Lodge at Kauri Cliffs in New Zealand as the No. 1 Lodge/Resort in the Australia-Pacific Region on the 2011 Gold List, The World’s Best Places to Stay.
World-famous for its breathtaking golf course, Kauri Cliffs has also forged a reputation for excellence in dining and luxury accommodation.
Kauri Cliffs, a member of Relais & Chateaux, is the epitome of refinement in a distant corner of the world. The property has a variety of villas dotted along the golf course, each with its own private deck and views across the Pacific Ocean.
Obviously golf is a major draw card, however there are also three fabulous beaches, one a breathtaking pink shell beach, and all are safe for swimming. Likewise fishing charters shouldn’t be overlooked as the area boasts some of the finest game fishing in the country.
The best places to stay in the world are selected by the readers of Condé Nast Traveler. Entries include the edited comments of readers and are intended to reveal a property’s character rather than to catalog its facilities. Hotel rankings are based on ratings in the following categories: Activities/Facilities, Food/Dining, Location, Overall Design, Rooms, Service. Each score represents the percentage of respondents who rated a property excellent or very good on specific criteria. The Gold List is based on data collected from the annual Readers’ Choice Survey; to qualify for inclusion in these rankings, a property had to receive a required minimum number of responses.
This oceanfront newcomer with a rash of perfect scores is “stunning, as if you were airlifted to heaven.” Plantation-style buildings have perfect-scoring suites where ceiling fans, light colors, and subtle patterns create a country feel. The restaurant changes its menu daily-“you’ll want to stay all day and just order another bottle of wine” on the outdoor terrace. Perfect-scoring staff include caddies with “knowledge of many topics, not just golf.” On the challenging course (one of the perfect-scoring activities), “we played four times and only once came close to another group.”
Most recently sister property The Farm at Cape Kidnappers was recognized by Condé Nast Traveler, UK on the Gold List 2011, Best of the Best for Food. “X-factor Chef Dale Gartland makes excellent use of local produce, including seafood and New Zealand lamb and beef. The wine list is excellent.”
Owned and developed by New Yorkers Josie and Julian Robertson, The Lodge at Kauri Cliffs is the sister property to The Farm at Cape Kidnappers, Hawke’s Bay on the North Island and the recently opened Matakauri Lodge, Queenstown on the South Island. All are members of the exclusive and prestigious Relais & Chateaux collection.
