CMV

Help my fiancee and I plan our honeymoon in New Zealand. We're going for 12 days this September and are looking for some remote luxury, wine tasting and excellent food.

Any and all suggestions re: where to stay, where to eat and what to do will be appreciated. Our trip begins in Auckland and our tentative plans are to spend a few days there, a few days in Napier and then head to the South Island.

Thanks a lot.

DavidO

What a great honeymoon location!

My suggestion would be to look at Southern Crossings. They are a wholesaler representing 98 luxury properties in New Zealand, 52 on the North Island and the rest on the South Island. Send me a PM if you'd like me to send you their brochure. They feature all sorts of properties from luxury hotels, boutique hotels, upscale B&Bs, eco lodges, and private retreats.

The one Virtuoso property in Auckland, possibly a good place to crash after your trans-Pacific flight, is Mollies, a small luxury boutique hotel named the best new small hotel in the world in 2005 by Harper's Hideway Report. The pictures look absolutely gorgeous, though I haven't been there. Booked through a Virtuoso agent, your amenities are:

• Upgrade on arrival, subject to availability
• Complimentary continental breakfast daily
• One spa bath treatment, drawn for guests' arrival
• 12 Noon early check-in, subject to availability
• 4 PM late check-out, subject to availability

It's not a FHR property.

number_6

There are some wonderful places in NZ but no luxury hotels, a few luxury lodges and B&Bs (these run in the USD 1000+ per night range). Otherwise not much in between (hard to spend over USD 100 per night). If you are looking at the top end, Huka lodge is it (one of the best in the world). http://www.hukalodge.co.nz/

Otherwise, see http://www.friars.co.nz/

Fliar

What's your budget? What do you like? Are you driving? Give us a bit more info and we can help.

September will be cold, wet and windy so come prepared.

Kagehitokiri

how are the NZ SLH properties, like Huka Lodge, in terms of recognizing Club status?
http://www.slh.com/search2.shtml?Com...h+10=&x=19&y=8

there are 6 virtuoso listed here, plus Mollies >
http://hotels.dinersclubus.com/australia.htm

and 3 FHR >
http://www134.americanexpress.com/tr...g=289&srg=1017

also a NZ thread >
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=413675

CMV

We like wine and good food, we like hiking and we want some days to do not very much in a beautiful location.

Budget-wise, we are considering places like the Hilton and Mollies in Auckland and the Fiordland Lodge in Te Anau.

We will likely drive as needed. Hope this helps and thanks a lot.

Nachria

You may want to check out the non-luxury hotel forums for Hilton hotels in New Zealand.

CMV

Thanks, but the only Hilton we're considering is the one in Auckland. We're interested in people's thoughts on the luxury options.

Blanket Bay and the Huka Lodge are oft mentioned, but we're interested in hearing about other options and people's experiences.

number_6

My own experience is that NZ is such a charming country that the non-luxury B&B options are preferable to the luxury accomodation (which is severely limited, in any case). But I also think the Hilton in AKL is poor, with about 10 good suites and the rest of the hotel is not up to standard -- I would rate it the 6th best hotel in AKL, and not the #1 that it is often touted as.

Some of the *great* non-luxury B&B options in NZ are at http://www.bnb.co.nz/index.html

As an example of what I mean by a great non-luxury B&B, see http://www.bnb.co.nz/coromandel/resu...s.html?lid=816

Very memorable, comfortable, great food (both the B&B breakfast and in the area). But the opposite of luxury. But that is what I would pick. And a car is a must in NZ, all the best parts of NZ can only be reached by car.

Kagehitokiri

South Island list by area - http://www.friars.co.nz/listing_reg.php?s=2
discussion - http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=413675

Napier has some B&Bs, and one lodge - http://www.breckenridgelodge.co.nz/ from USD350

Auckland - Mollies (Virtuoso) from USD350

Eagles Nest on the North Island also has private pools http://www.eaglesnest.co.nz/eyrie.htm from USD700

are there any South Island properties that have private pools?

SaraC

We spent 11 nights in NZ a couple years ago and had great experiences almost everywhere we stayed. We did stay a couple nights at Grasmere Lodge and Blanket Bay, which were extremely expensive, but our lodging budget actually worked out to be ok by mixing in very nice B&B type lodgings that were reasonably priced. I will say that I felt that both Grasmere Lodge and Blanket Bay were well worth their cost and we loved both of them. They really provide a unique, intimate luxury experience that I have not found elsewhere in the world. Some of the other places we stayed, which I also highly recommend: Old Saint Mary's Convent in Blenheim (for food and wine), Bronte Lodge near Nelson (great base for hiking/kayaking in Abel Tasman National Park, also some good wineries and seafood), and Evergreen Lodge in Queenstown. We also stayed at Villa Polenza on the West Coast and Glenfern Villas for the glaciers. Both were perfectly adequate but not my favorites (Glenfern is like a basic but clean apartment/motel, which is probably the best you can hope for in its location, Villa Polenza was a small and beautiful B&B, but I thought our room was a bit small and not as private as the other places we stayed). Let me know if you have any other questions and good luck planning--this was one of our favorite vacations, you will love NZ.

Fliar

I totally agree with the above. NZ is just not the country to spend big money on accommodation. Although I am not dissing anyone who spends US$1,000 per night (I do that myself in places like Paris), in NZ it just defeats the purpose. It's the small, homely places that give you suprises and memories that will last. I'd say, get off the beaten track, avoid the 3,4 ,5 luxury properties that are out there and rent a bach (NZ slang for holiday home) near a secluded beach somewhere.

SaraC mentioned Bronte Lodge. This is indeed a nice place. Slightly cheaper and, to my mind, slightly better is the B&B across the road. The name escapes me now but if you search in www.friars.co.nz for Bronte you'll find the other one. The views are fantastic.

BTW, for what it's worth - I love the Hilton in Auckland and do think it's the number 1 choice by far, far, far (except perhaps for Mollies where I have not stayed). The recently renovated Langham looks much improved but I haven't stayed there since it was done up. The location is still terrible, though.

I'll second the need for a car.

Kagehitokiri

Most of the expensive places are all inclusive.. How good is the food, and is alcohol(edit- wine) ever included?

edit - thanks sarah for the info!

SaraC

Breakfast and lunch were included at Blanket Bay and Grasmere Lodge, breakfast only was included at most other places I stayed. The breakfasts were universally good (the best was at Old Saint Mary's Convent). Dinner at Grasmere Lodge was some of the best food I have ever had (as was the picnic lunch they packed our last day for an extra charge), Blanket Bay was just ok, certainly good but nothing overly impressive. Both lodges had complimentary mini-bars in your room I think, and Blanket Bay had complimentary beer in the game room and Grasmere Lodge had a complimentary cocktail hour before dinner. Otherwise alcohol was not included. We never felt the need to order any except maybe a bottle of wine with dinner.

LuxTraveler

You will love New Zealand, and September is a quieter time to visit and get around the country than the high season summer months.

Having recently returned from my second trip there, I would strongly recommend Otahuna Lodge outside of Christchurch on the South Island. It is an incredible former homestead--the largest in the country--with an exceptional staff. Jimmy McIntyre, the head chef, provided consistently the best meals on our trip in New Zealand.

Furthermore, it has been recently purchased by two American-expats. They have shut the Lodge for four months to carry out a series of sweeping renovations. From what I understand it will set a new standard of lodging in New Zealand once they are finished. The GM of another property on the South Island even told me about Otahuna, "they are going to be the Lodge to beat in the country, once they are up and running again..." The website says that the Lodge will be open again in May, so it should be going at full speed by the time you are there in September.

One other place not mentioned in these posts--and worth considering--is the Lodge at Paratiho outside of Nelson. It is in a stunning region with many beaches and great food and wine pursuits. The rooms are first-rate, and the kitchen is fantastic. Plus, it gives you access to an area that is somewhat off-the-beaten track for many overseas travelers to New Zealand.

Hope this helps.