Spend a total of nine nights at three of New Zealand’s finest lodges, Kauri Cliffs, Huka Lodge and The Farm at Cape Kidnappers.

All three properties offer a unique experience on an individual basis, however collectively it can only be described as exceptional. All the lodges enjoy locations of great natural beauty that embody the qualities so admired in the New Zealand landscape.

The cost of this 3 x fabulous package is NZ$26,470.00 including Goods and Services Tax of 12.5% for two guests on a double occupancy basis and is valid 15 December 2009 – 31 March 2010. This package is subject to availability and the terms and conditions that apply to all properties on an individual basis, including those that are applicable to the Christmas/New Year period.

Kauri Cliffs, Northland

Start your journey in Northland near the magnifi cent Matauri Bay at Kauri Cliffs a 6,500 acre coastal farm with 180-degree panoramic views of Pacific Ocean. Guest accommodation is available within 22 well-appointed suites and a two-bedroom Owner’s Cottage nestled on the edge of a native forest overlooking the ocean and golf course.

The property also boasts a spectacular 18 hole par 72 golf course. Three private beaches and a waterfall can be explored on foot, by mountain bike or luxury 4WD. A private spa offering a wonderful variety of treatments on site invites guests to rejuvenate and revive both body and spirit while feeling at one with nature.

PACKAGE INCLUDES:

• Three night stay, on a double occupancy basis, in a regular suite.
• Pre-dinner drinks with hors d’ oeuvres, three-course à la carte dinner, full breakfast, non-alcoholic mini bar and use of complimentary lodge facilities.
• One gourmet picnic lunch for two.
• Return transfers Kauri Cliffs/Kerikeri Airport.
• Three rounds of golf and two 50-minute spa treatments per person at either Kauri Cliffs or Cape Kidnappers or spread between the two properties.

Huka Lodge, Taupo

Travel to the stunning Central Plateau region with its spectacular landscape of snow-capped mountain peaks, wild tussock, green lush forested wilderness, with the clear blue waters of the many lakes and streams. Sought by the world’s most discerning travellers since the 1920s Huka Lodge lies nestled within 17-acres of manicured grounds on the banks of the Waikato River. With the hypnotic deep turquoise green waters of the river surging downstream to the mighty Huka Falls, the property offers every attention to detail and a perfect retreat.

With just 18 Lodge Rooms, one suite, the four-suite Owner’s Cottage and new two-suite Alan Pye Cottage, the property is truly exclusive. Over 20 deliberately romantic and sublime private dining venues offer every opportunity to relax and unwind. Tennis, pétanque, croquet, swimming and spa pools available on site as well as in-room massage and facials.

PACKAGE INCLUDES:

• Three night stay, on a double occupancy basis, in a Lodge Room.
• Pre-dinner drinks with canapés, fi ve-course dinner (menu changes daily), full country breakfast, non-alcoholic beverages and use of all Lodge facilities daily.
• Return transfers Huka Lodge/Taupo Airport.
• 18 holes of golf for two at renowned Wairakei Golf Course nearby.
• A 4-hour cruise aboard a private launch on Lake Taupo with opportunity to catch one of Taupo’s legendary Rainbow trout and/or clay target shooting.
• A delicious lunch incl. of beverages is provided as well as fi shing licences.

Cape Kidnappers, Hawke’s Bay

Your next destination is Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand’s equivalent of the Napa Valley. Wineries and gourmet producers fl ourish in this bountiful region providing gourmands with many exciting opportunities to indulge in some of the country’s fi nest wine and food. The Farm at Cape Kidnappers is set atop 6,000 acres of rolling pasture land with terrain reminiscent of the American West but plunging 800 metres to the sea.

Guests are accommodated within 22 extremely comfortable guest suites and a four-bedroom Owner’s Cottage. Private balconies ensure guests enjoy the superb coastal views, pastoral scenes and the spectacular golf course.

PACKAGE INCLUDES:

• Three night stay, on a double occupancy basis, in a Hilltop suite.
• Pre-dinner drinks with hors d’ oeuvres, three-course à la carte dinner, full breakfast, non-alcoholic mini bar and use of complimentary lodge facilities.
• Return transfers Cape Kidnappers/Napier Airport.
• Three rounds of golf and two 50-minute spa treatments per person at either Kauri Cliffs or Cape Kidnappers or spread between the two properties.

Huka Lodge was placed second for service within the top 10 properties listed for Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific – this is not the first time this property has drawn awards attention for the quality of its impeccable service.

Huka Lodge is the vision of entrepreneur Alex van Heeren and along with sister properties Grande Provence, South Africa, and Dolphin Island, Fiji, comprises The Huka Retreats.

Away Resort Pranburi, a beachfront tropical resort situated only 30 kilometres south of the popular beach town Hua Hin, offers a combination of five Thai-style villas, a 55-year-old traditional Thai teakwood house and swimming pool. The villas and the house, with facilities such as king-size beds, air-conditioning, indoor bathrooms and traditional outdoor garden showers, are spacious and well appointed for relaxation and ease. The resort, set in an oasis of tranquillity, offers outstanding views on a group of islands lying south on the eastern tip of Dolphin Bay, with the spectacular Sam Roi Yod National Park mountain ranges as a backdrop. The area between Pranburi and Hua Hin is famous for its large number of championship golf courses and its fair amount of National Parks.

Astudo Hotel & Resort Group already has three properties open under its Away Brand naming Away Koh Kood, Away Tusita Chumphon and Away Maerim Chiang Mai, another one in Koh Pha Ngan due to open in 2010 and one others in the pipeline.

Privacy for guests staying in the Alan Pye Cottage is paramount and to this end the property has its own entrance and is gated. It is sited to take every advantage of the unrivalled Huka Lodge aspect of the deep turquoise green waters of the Waikato River.

The Alan Pye Cottage has been built to exacting standards using the finest heritage materials – cedar and various heart timbers, stone and brick. It draws on design elements from the 1920s and 1930s and is a slightly eclectic yet very elegant retreat, with a definite English Arts and Crafts influence pervading the interior and exterior design.

The Cottage boasts two large and stylishly appointed bedrooms, with fireplaces, en suite bathrooms and generous dressing rooms. Both bedrooms are superbly decorated and offer a highly considered level of comfort.

A generous open plan living room features a large brick fireplace, decadently comfortable furniture and everything guests need to feel this is a true ‘home away from home’.

A well-equipped kitchen is set up for a personal chef – guests may choose to stay in or to wander over to the main Lodge and dine there. Guests at The Alan Pye Cottage have use of all Huka Lodge facilities and services as a matter of course.

A study is tucked away with desk, plasma flat screen television and sound system. This room also has its own complete bathroom should it be required to accommodate an accompanying party. A laundry is also available with the Cottage.

A heated infinity-style swimming pool and a separate private spa pool have been integrated into the outdoor landscape. There is also a fabulous stone outdoor pavilion within a courtyard garden.

The Alan Pye Cottage is certain to carry on the fine tradition of generous hospitality and elegant living established by Alan Pye and his wife, at Huka Lodge so long ago. A legacy that drives Huka Lodge to this day to continue to find more ways to define the experience for its guests and to make it extraordinary.

Depending on the season The Alan Pye Cottage daily rate ranges from NZ$3,060.00+GST – NZ$7,640.00+GST for two guests to NZD $4,595.00+GST – NZ$8,075.00+GST for four guests.
Rate includes pre-dinner drinks, a five-course dinner (menu changes daily), accommodation at The Alan Pye Cottage and full country breakfast.
Use of all Lodge facilities and Taupo Airport transfer.
• A surcharge applies on Christmas Eve and New Years Eve of NZ$400.00+GST per person.

The year concludes spectacularly for New Zealand’s iconic Huka Lodge

Two announcements within the same week draw 2008 towards an exciting close for this exclusive New Zealand property. With the fabulous new Alan Pye Cottage about to welcome its first guests, as well as a steady stream of awards and recognition from the world’s travel industry, it truly has been a big year for Huka Lodge.

The winners of the fifth annual Luxury Travel Magazine Gold List survey were announced in Sydney, Australia this week amidst great anticipation. Huka Lodge, Taupo, New Zealand was voted Best Overseas Boutique Hotel by tens of thousands of Luxury Travel Magazine’s subscribers and readers as well as Virtuoso travellers.

On the other side of the world in the USA, the 2008 Forbes Traveler 400 List, comprising the world’s very best hotels and resorts was announced. This annual list is arrived at by a panel of top international experts drawn from amongst the ranks of the most respected travel professionals. Huka Lodge proudly takes its place amongst the worlds very finest properties featured within this prestigious list.

Huka Lodge is the vision of entrepreneur Alex van Heeren and is a sister property of Dolphin Island, Fiji and Grande Provence Estate, South Africa. All three properties comprise The Huka Retreats – born from a desire to create the most exceptional hospitality for the world’s most discerning travellers.

Anthony McDonald, Owner and Chief Executive Officer of Astudo Holdings and Klaus R. Rauter, Group General Manager, have developed the success of the Thai-based company on its ability to work closely with small to medium sized local hotels and resorts to offer what the larger international chains cannot – highly personal service and distinctive local character, most often in locations away from the obvious tourist destinations. 

Astudo Hotel & Resort Management currently manages seven resort properties of different sizes, brands and market segments, with others set to open in 2009. The existing portfolio includes:-

• X2 Resorts (www.X2resorts.com), pronounced ‘cross to’ because it conveys guests to another state of mind which is laidback luxury, is Thailand’s first chain of designer resorts. It launched its first resort in 2007 in Kui Buri, Prachuap Khiri Khan, and more recently added another X2 resort in Koh Samui located on Hua Thannon Beach (South Lamai), surrounded by an ancient forest. Both hotels are members of the Design Hotels.
• The Away Resorts (www.awayresorts.com) name was introduced with the opening of another resort on Koh Kood, one of Thailand’s most beautiful yet undiscovered islands, with individual beachside bungalows aimed at promoting a more casual style which they describe as ‘slow tourism’. Since then, the company has added Away Maerim in the Maerim Valley, Chiang Mai and Away Tusita Chumphon to its portfolio, with resorts scheduled to open in 2009 in Koh Pha Ngan and another in Koh Samui.
• Le Bayburi (www.lebayburi.com), also managed by Astudo, comprises four luxury private villas for rent, each differently themed and situated on the tranquil beachfront of Pranburi, on the south west coast of the Gulf of Thailand. 

Based on the success of its operation since starting in 2007, the company is currently looking to expand its operation into destinations such as Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam.

The Unique Tourism Collection specialises in representing luxury properties around the world.

Le Bayburi – Luxury Vacation Residences – Design Themes

There are four interior designs developed by international interior design firm DWP (Cityscape); Mediterranean Retreat, Pacific Hideaway, Modern Tropical and Scandinavian Vacation. Although each Villa is structurally almost identical, the interior and landscape designs are each unique.

• Mediterranean Retreat – Designed in an award winning Mediterranean theme, this villa is romantic, comfortable and completely relaxing. Guests enjoy a feeling that unique to the region, adding to what will no doubt be an experience of a lifetime.
• Pacific Hideaway – Pacific Hideaway villa is inspired from pacific island and northern Australian beachfront homes. The villa has a warm natural feel to it, with an island hideaway feeling that supports a relaxing and private vacation break. Like all the villas, the Pacific Hideaway is directly on the beachfront, with absolutely uninterrupted views from almost every area of the villa and outdoor areas.
• Modern Tropical – A more traditional Asian tropical design so popular in the regional is reflected in the contemporary design of this villa. For those guests who either haven’t experienced that Asian tropical experience or enjoy this style of accommodation, then this villa is one of the best you will ever find. Very much in keeping with the surrounding area and resorts the tropical feeling of the villa is only further improved by the glorious outdoor living areas and absolute beach frontage enjoyed from every area of the villa.
• Scandinavian Vacation – For those people who want a completely new vacation experience, this beachfront villa is decorated in a blend of modern and traditional Scandinavian material and furniture. It provides a refreshing change for those people who are looking for something different in terms of a vacation experience. The design makes the most of the indoor – outdoor living area, and the fabulous ocean views from all areas of the villa.

Condé Nast Traveler magazine (USA) is celebrating the 21st year of its celebrated annual Reader’s Choice Awards. The November 2008 edition contains the highly anticipated results with nominations from the 32,633 readers who participated in the Top 100 Reader’s Choice Awards, acknowledging the best in the world for hotels, resorts, cruises, islands and cities.
Huka Lodge, Taupo, New Zealand is ranked as the top New Zealand property within the Top Australia/Pacific Resorts section of the awards, taking second place overall out of 20 properties throughout the region.

Huka Lodge has been consistently listed amongst the world’s top resorts for many years, a reputation deservedly gained for maintaining the highest levels of service, cuisine, hospitality and style as enjoyed by the world’s most discerning travellers.

Huka Lodge is enhancing the guest experience even further with the opening of the Alan Pye Cottage in December 2008. This new exquisite two-suite cottage will become a companion to the existing and celebrated Owner’s Cottage at Huka Lodge.

Huka Lodge is the vision of entrepreneur Alex van Heeren and has two sister properties Dolphin Island, Fiji and Grande Provence, South Africa. All three properties comprise The Huka Retreats, sharing extraordinary global locations and offering a sublime hospitality experience to guests.