Understated Elegance

Anyone who truly understand New Zealand understands that the true style of hosting here is something which I call "understated elegance".  People do their very best for you, while not breaking a sweat or making a fuss.  They spend days and days and enormous budgets on materials, landscaping, equipment and - when complimented - say "yes, we put some work in".  Understated.  A stunningly beautiful day elicits one of my favourites "shame about the weather" - I'm afraid I overuse that one.  Comments on my lifestyle - "yeah, terrible job, difficult country".

So, no surprise that my favourite lodges are places which embody that modesty.  Places we treat casually, all the time aware of the effort, vision and sacrifice which have gone into making them what they are.

I believe that the future of New Zealand luxury hosting is with such places.  Small, sophisticated, with great character, and run with sensitivity.  Luckily, more and more of them are appearing.  I can now think of at least 7 off the top of my head, from Northland all the way to the bottom of the South Island.  These places typically have between 3 and 6 rooms, charged out at between NZ$500 and NZ$1,000 per night per room with dinner included at the higher ends.  This undercuts the "super lodges" by at least half and provides clients with a clean, ego-free experience, closer to the land, locals, and with more say as to how they run their day.

The purpose of this article is to draw your attention to one which has been around for a while.  Lodge at 199 in Rotorua.  I stayed there a few weeks ago with some top Russian agents who loved it.  Better than its website (like many of our favourites), the property's lease has now been taken over by its manager, Kay Shortland.  She runs the place with great warmth, sensitivity and understatement.  A lovely place to be, it wraps itself around you and soothes any tensions you may have brought in - and then makes it difficult for you to say goodbye (which we did on one of Volcanic Air's floatplanes, which made it easier!)

Strongly recommended!  Can't really say more...did I mention Lake Tarawera?