Custom Travel Itineraries to
New Zealand since 1990
Custom Travel Itineraries to
New Zealand since 1990
For nearly a century, Huka Lodge has held its place as New Zealand’s grande dame of luxury lodges. Set on the banks of the Waikato River just upstream from Huka Falls, it has hosted royalty, heads of state and generations of returning guests drawn to its intimate scale and quiet sense of place. After a year long, $25 million renovation, the lodge has reopened, and the results offer a compelling look at what it takes to modernize an icon without losing what made it beloved in the first place.
Huka Lodge began life in 1924 as a fishing camp founded by Alan Pye, later becoming the luxury retreat guests know today under long time owner Alex van Heeren in the 1980s. The property had not seen substantial work since that era, and current owner Baillie Lodges, led by founder James Baillie, set out to bring it into its next century while protecting its character.
The brief given to Auckland based Christian Anderson Architects was ambitious: double the lodge’s guest amenity space while retaining the low, intimate profile that has always set Huka Lodge apart. As lead architect Christian Anderson explains in the project’s video walkthrough, one of the lodge’s defining qualities has always been how it sits quietly within the trees along the river, and any expansion needed to honor that scale rather than overwhelm it.
Rather than building an obviously modern addition beside a historic lodge, the design team worked to blur the line between old and new. Structural beams were extended through the common ground floor spaces, using the same bandsawn, painted timber approach found in the original architecture. New panelling was layered across the ceilings, walls and floors to reinforce that established language of craft and warmth.
Much of that material work was delivered in partnership with Forte, whose commercial range and flexibility helped the team navigate a complex, time sensitive build. Interior designer Virginia Fisher, who has shaped Huka Lodge’s look for decades, and landscape designer Suzanne Turley also returned to the project, ensuring the interiors and gardens evolved alongside the architecture rather than against it.
The result, according to the architects, is a lodge where longtime guests struggle to tell where the original building ends and the new work begins, which is precisely the point.
One of the most striking changes is in the River Room, long considered the heart of the guest experience. The architects removed an existing terrace and extended a new glazed bay out toward the Waikato River, bringing guests closer to the water than ever before. The result is a space that opens the lodge to the east, layering choices between intimate indoor corners and open air river views in a way that has always defined the Huka Lodge experience.
The renovation also introduced an entirely new wellness offering, a first for the property. The new wellness grounds include a gym, sauna, spa and treatment rooms, styled as a series of huts inspired by the traditional Kiwi bach. A durable decking material suited to both indoor and outdoor use was chosen to handle Taupō’s damp conditions while keeping the huts connected to the surrounding native garden, reinforcing the lush, green setting the lodge is known for.
Huka Lodge reopened in March 2025 to guests who found a property that felt both familiar and elevated: a new reception and gift shop, a dining room that has doubled in size, a spacious outdoor terrace, and the reimagined River Room and wellness grounds described above. Several new experiences have launched alongside the physical renovation, including a Hawke’s Bay culinary escape built around Craggy Range winery, a Rotorua culture and adventure day, and a scenic helicopter experience over the surrounding landscape.
For clients who have visited Huka Lodge before, the renovation is a reason to return and see a familiar favorite refreshed. For those considering it for the first time, it is a rare chance to experience one of New Zealand’s most storied lodges at the very start of its next chapter, still carrying the intimacy and warmth that built its reputation over the past hundred years.
The Best of New Zealand
Our team has been designing New Zealand trips since 1990.
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New Zealand`s grande dame of luxury lodges just got a $25 million refresh. Huka Lodge has reopened with an expanded River Room, brand new wellness grounds, and doubled guest spaces, all while keeping the intimate character that made it iconic in the first place. See what changed and what stayed exactly the same.
Read the full story, link in bio.
📸 Huka Lodge
#hukalodge #newzealandluxury #luxurylodges #nztravel #bestofnztravel
https://thebestofnewzealand.com/news/huka-lodge-reopens-after-25m-renovation/
Air New Zealand’s New Business Premier Suite
Big news for your next trip to New Zealand. Air New Zealand is unveiling a brand new Business Premier suite for its Boeing 777 fleet, complete with lie-flat beds, sliding privacy doors, and a sleek 18-inch entertainment screen at every seat.
Read more through link in our bio.
#airnewzealand #newzealandtravel #luxurytravel #travelnz #bestofnztravel
Hawke’s Bay sits on the eastern coast of New Zealand’s North Island, and most visitors pass through without stopping long enough to see what the region offers. That is a mistake worth correcting. From ancient geological formations to one of the world’s most accessible wildlife colonies, Hawke’s Bay rewards travelers who take the time to go beyond the obvious.
These 5 experiences are worth building your itinerary around!
Read more through link in bio.
#hawkesbay #newzealandguide #napiernz #luxurytravel #bestofnztravel
At 399 meters, Te Mata Peak gives you views across farmland, coastline, and the ranges beyond. Drive, walk, or cycle to the top. Either way, the view is worth it. This is the one stop in Hawke’s Bay that puts the whole region in perspective.
#tematapeaknz #newzealandwalks
At 399 meters, Te Mata Peak gives you views across farmland, coastline, and the ranges beyond. Drive, walk, or cycle to the top. Either way, the view is worth it. This is the one stop in Hawke’s Bay that puts the whole region in perspective.
#tematapeaknz #newzealandwalks
Napier is one of the most complete Art Deco cities in the world. Once a year, the whole city commits to it. Music, vintage cars, exhibitions, and architecture that stops you mid-stride. If you time your visit right, this is an experience unlike anything else in New Zealand.
#napierartdeco #visitnapiernz #napiernz #nztouring
Napier is one of the most complete Art Deco cities in the world. Once a year, the whole city commits to it. Music, vintage cars, exhibitions, and architecture that stops you mid-stride. If you time your visit right, this is an experience unlike anything else in New Zealand.
#napierartdeco #visitnapiernz #napiernz #nztouring
Nearly two meters of wingspan, up close, with no fence between you and them. The gannet colony at Cape Kidnappers is the largest accessible mainland colony in the world. Tours run September through April, so the timing of your trip matters. Worth planning around.
#gannetcolonynz #birdtour
Green hills, open coastline, and enough space to feel like you have the beach to yourself. Waimarama is about 40 minutes south of Napier and one of the most scenic stretche
Top 10 Honeymoon Experiences in New Zealand
New Zealand is one of the world`s great honeymoon destinations, and not because anyone designed it that way. It just is. The scale of it gets you first. Those sudden views at the top of a ridge, a fiord opening up around a bend, a sky so full of stars it feels impossible.
From glowworm caves to glacier overnights, here are the top 10 experiences worth travelling for. Link in bio to read more!
#honeymoonexperiences #newzealandtravel #luxurytravelnz #newzealanditinerary #thebestofnz
https://thebestofnewzealand.com/activities/wine-cuisine/new-zealand-honeymoon-10-most-romantic-experiences/
Air New Zealand to Launch Sleep Pods in Economy Cabins
If you have ever dreamed of lying flat on a long-haul flight without paying for a business class ticket, Air New Zealand is about to make that dream a reality. The airline is set to launch the world`s first economy sleep pods, called the Economy Skynest, on select ultra long-haul flights from November 2026.
Read more through our link in bio.
📸 Air New Zealand
#airnewzealand #travelnewzealand #visitnewzealand #explorenewzealand #bestofnztravel
https://thebestofnewzealand.com/activities/wine-cuisine/air-new-zealand-to-launch-sleep-pods-in-economy-cabins/
Craggy Range Signature Gourmet Escape: Hawke`s Bay Luxury
If you`ve been dreaming of a New Zealand escape that goes far beyond a standard hotel stay, Craggy Range in Hawke`s Bay has crafted something truly special. Their Signature Gourmet Escape is a fully all-inclusive, multi-day experience that wraps world-class dining, wine, and luxury lodge living into one seamless package.
Read more through link in bio.
📸 Craggy Range
https://thebestofnewzealand.com/activities/wine-cuisine/craggy-range-signature-gourmet-escape-hawkes-bay-luxury/
Lake Tekapo, New Zealand: What to Do, See, & Experience
Lake Tekapo is one of those rare destinations that genuinely exceeds expectations. Tucked into the heart of New Zealand’s South Island, the lake stuns visitors with its impossibly turquoise waters while the jagged peaks of the Southern Alps rise dramatically behind them. But beyond its picture-perfect looks, Tekapo rewards you at every hour of the day.
Read more through our link in bio.
📸 GoTekapo
#laketekapo #luxurytravelnz #newzealandvacations #nzactivites #bestofnztravel
https://thebestofnewzealand.com/travel-tips/lake-tekapo-new-zealand-what-to-do-see-experience/
Tucked at the foot of Mount Aspiring National Park on New Zealand’s South Island, Wānaka packs paragliding, canyoning, jet boating, skydiving, mountain biking, and so much more into one jaw-droppingly beautiful corner of the world. Whether you’re a first-timer looking to push your limits or a seasoned adrenaline junkie, Wānaka delivers the goods every single time.
Link in bio to read more.
📸 Wanaka Paragliding
#luxurytravelnz #newzealandadventures #wanakaadventures #visitwanaka #bestofnztravel
