A decade ago in New Zealand, luxury travel was an oxymoron, writes Susan Bredow.
The very good things about luxury travel in New Zealand have always been there - genuine warmth towards outsiders, an open fireplace, well-cooked meals and excellent wines. But they're an austere lot, the Kiwis. Whereas most locals have been happy to tramp around the long, remote trails of their back country, carrying their own supplies and bunking down on mountain slopes in shepherd's huts, they have learnt that tourists want to explore the same places, but in five-star comfort.
The bar has been lifted to meet these expectations. The South Island, in particular, now has lodgings to match the glorious mountain settings.
It seems about time to do a lap of luxury, so we choose a scenic route of about 1500 kilometres, starting and ending in Christchurch, taking in the mountain and lake scenery of the Canterbury, West Coast and Central Otago districts, and staying in the best places we can find.
Christchurch is a special place. It looks like a British city - or Disney's re-creation of one. There's a combination of architecture styles - Queen Anne, Italianate, Georgian, Spanish Mission and, in the city's art gallery, the ultramodern. The best way to get an overview of life here is on the tram, which does a short, informative circuit of the city centre.
There is a choice of top-end places to stay, but The George, in Park Terrace overlooking the Avon River and Hagley Park, is a stand-out. Its modest '70s exterior hides an elegant interior. It's all style, from the apple-green and cream stripes of the wallpaper along the quiet corridors to the tastefully decorated rooms.
Of the major components that go with top-end travel - sumptuous surrounds, fabulous locations and wonderful service - it was the service that constantly let the Kiwis down. Now things have changed.
Special touches such as a cute bear to keep, unique art work and decanters of port and sherry make it feel more like a home than a hotel. The refurbished suites have wide-screen plasma screens in the sitting room and the bedroom. There is enough space, glassware and supplies to host a small party.
The hotel's premier restaurant, Pescatore, is an excellent introduction to fine dining across the Tasman. Rooms start at $310 a night (www.thegeorge.com).
Head west from Christchurch along the SH73 and stop at the town of Arthurs Pass in one of New Zealand's oldest national parks (of the same name). This is a great place to see the world's only mountain parrot, the kea. These cheeky green birds have been known to steal windscreen wiper blades, destroy ski racks and pull the rubber seals from car doors, though, so be careful. In some remote areas, trampers have left their vehicles for a few days and returned to find them undriveable.
Over the pass, the scenery changes from wide plains and beech-covered mountain foothills to denser rainforests on the remote West Coast. The first things to strike you are the quietness and darkness of the nights.
There are many good-quality walking tracks along the journey. They are well marked and often start from the roadside. Times are given for the round trips. Jump out every now and then to stretch your legs.
About an hour from Arthurs Pass and a little short of 300 kilometres from Christchurch, Lake Brunner is an ideal place to stop for the night. It is said to be the last place in New Zealand in which cannibalism was practised. (The only remaining flesh-eaters are the sandflies, so insect repellent is a must.)
Thankfully, the locals have swapped cannibalism for fly-fishing. For a day, local guides cost about $525 for two anglers (or $290 for half a day), gear can be hired for about $50 and a licence costs $16. The open season for trout is October 1 to April 30 but several lakes, including Lake Brunner, and rivers are open from May to the end of September.
The recently updated Lake Brunner Lodge looks like a gracious old country homestead but was built as a hotel in the 1930s. A recent makeover has kept original features such as wood-panelled walls and big rooms with bay windows and has added luxuries such as underfloor heating in the bathrooms and tasteful furniture.
Brunner Lodge is a few metres from the lake's edge and beau tiful walking tracks. The comfortable rooms are named for fishing flies, such as Iron Maiden, Twilight Beauty, Kakahi Queen and Mrs Simpson. The lodge generates its own power and gets its water from a waterfall behind it. The food is prepared by a local chef who uses the best local ingredients, such as salmon and lamb, to good effect. Prices start from $240 a person for accommodation, pre-dinner drinks with hors d'oeuvres, dinner and breakfast (www.lakebrunner.co.nz).
From here, a side trip to the Pancake Rocks and blowholes at Punakaiki won't take you too far out of the way and is well worth the excursion.
Turn south and head for the Franz Josef Glacier and The Guiding Company. There are many ways to explore the 11-kilometre-long iceflow and the temptation is to jump in a helicopter or fixed-wing plane and do it from the air. But walking there with a guide on a half- or full-day excursion is the way to really appreciate its size. With crampons strapped to your boots, you get a feel for real mountaineering and a great view of the crevasses and ice walls of one of the world's few "growing" glaciers.
The Franz Josef Glacier Country Retreat was built in 2005 and is a re-creation of an original hotel from the 1880s. The two-storey building is hard to miss, sitting in a bare paddock six kilometres north of the tourist town. But while the landscaping might be unfinished, the interior is cosy and the welcome from the owner Marie - whose family has been in the district for more than 100 years - is warm.
The polished timber tables in the dining room are made of logs from local bogs. The rooms are uniquely decorated - the star being the Wallace room, which has romantic reds, crisp, white linen on a four-poster bed and a claw-foot bath. The homestead is surrounded by wide verandas and has views to nearby Lake Mapourika.
This place is, indeed, a retreat in an area where 2500 beds fill fast in summer and where rundown motels and hotels seem to be the mainstay. Bed and breakfast for two costs from $260 (www.glacier-retreat.co.nz).
Take another night on the West Coast and go to Jackson Bay, the most southerly place reached by road on this side of the island. The walks in this peaceful little fishing village are delightful. Seals and penguins abound in the warmer months, especially in November, but at any time near the coast you can be rewarded with a view of surfing dolphins and all sorts of birdlife. Big hawks feast on road kill - mostly possums - and seem to play chicken with the cars.
Collyer House in nearby Haast is a glimmer of glamour in a remote pocket of the world. About 12 kilometres from the main road and metres away from the rugged, driftwood-strewn coastline, this modern single-storey homestead features pillars of local river stone along a veranda accessible from each of the four guest rooms.
The owner, Neroli Nolan, grew up in the area and returned a few years ago after 28 years away. Her attractive B&B is furnished with antiques and big cosy beds. Make a special request for dinner at Collyer House as the pickings in Haast are pretty lean, especially in the off-season. Sitting on the deck watching the sun go down is a must. Bed and breakfast is $220 for two (www.collyerhouse.co.nz).
Save the journey over the southernmost pass through the Southern Alps for daylight. The road across Haast Pass was opened in 1965 and is one of the most glorious drives in the world. Apart from a fairly basic cafe at Makarora, there isn't much in the way of pit stops along the way but plenty of places in which to pull over and enjoy a picnic.
Coming from the lush forest of the West Coast back to the open spaces of the east is like emerging from a cocoon. The first major settlement after Haast Pass is Wanaka, a beautiful lakeside town that many visitors have come to and never left. It is a base for winter sports and if you haven't tried skiing or boarding, head for the beginner-friendly slopes of Cardrona. You can hire your gear and an instructor on the slopes. Afterwards call in for a cup of mulled wine at the old Cardrona Hotel.
Stay the night, though, at the world-class Whare Kea Lodge, built on the edge of Lake Wanaka by members of the Australian Myer dynasty. It was originally for their own use but the family decided it wasn't being used enough so opened it to guests. The two wings house up to 12 guests, who enjoy impeccable service and delicious food.
The views across the lake, from the comfort of a mix of modern Scandinavian and rustic recycled furniture, are stunning. The lodge has its own helicopter, piloted by the manager, Grant Bisset, and guests can book excursions to just about anywhere. Privacy is the key here. The entry gates from the road are so subtle you could miss them if you didn't know what you were looking for. Rates, from $440 a person a night, include a four-course dinner and breakfast (www.wharekealodge.com).
About 80 kilometres over the Crown Range from Wanaka is Queenstown, the best-known resort town in the South Island. We feel as if we are bursting back into civilisation. The town is filled with good-quality shops, restaurants, hotels and bars. The streets are lined with outlets selling excursions ranging from thrill trips to luxury wine tours.
Eichardt's Private Hotel is the place to stay. The town's second-oldest building has a colourful past as a local watering hole, nightclub and strip club but has been transformed into one of the world's most luxurious boutique hotels. After it was flooded in 1999, the building was transformed (but kept many of its 1860s features) and reopened in 2001 with five suites, a romantic parlour, a cafe and a bar.
Each suite has a lounge area and fireplace, split-level bedroom and vast marble bathroom. The base colours are chocolate, pearl and Spanish white built up in rich layers and topped with cushions, rugs, lamps, coasters, candlesticks and lanterns. It's a masterpiece of decoration, design and practicality. Nothing is too much trouble for the well-trained staff. Double rooms are from $1200 a night, including breakfast and pre-dinner cocktails in the house bar (www.eichardtshotel.co.nz).
But the best parts of the South Island are found by going bush. About 30
kilometres up the road is the little town of Glenorchy, home to World Heritage beech forests and magnificent scenery best viewed from the Dart River. If you book only one jet boat ride, do it with Dart Wilderness Adventures, the only company allowed to travel the length of the river. A half-day trip costs from $165 a person.
Here, Blanket Bay is a big, bold and stunning building, completed in 1998. The beautiful exterior is packed with 2000 tonnes of local schist and the cathedral window gives astonishing views of the Humboldt Mountains across the lake. The "great room" features three giant chandeliers of stag antlers. Use Blanket Bay as a base for a heli-fishing trip to a remote mountain stream or just sit back and enjoy the view from the sumptuous lodgings while you work up an appetite for the gourmet dinner. Rooms start at $1130 for two, including a five-course dinner, pre-dinner drinks and breakfast (www.blanketbay.com).
The trip from Queenstown to Christchurch takes about six hours, so it's worth stopping at Matuka Lodge in Twizel, three hours south of Christchurch. The rooms are spacious and the welcome warm from the Australian owners, Russell and Rosalie Smith. The little B&B sits on the side of a fish-filled pond and looks out to the mountains. There's good fly-fishing and Russell is an expert. Rooms are from $335, with breakfast. Dinner is $60 (www.matukalodge.co.nz).
You can take an inland tourist route along SH72, after Geraldine, that is more interesting than the main road. It brings you out closer to the airport, too - not that you'll want to go home.
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