Alex van Heeren’s Huka Lodge
It is a jarring and pleasant sight to see luxury springing out of raw wilderness. It makes for a wonderful holiday, enjoying comforts beyond what you can have at home, surrounded by a gorgeous natural setting that offers many outdoor options.
Such is the case of the well-decorated Huka Lodge on the shore of Lake Taupo in the centre of New Zealand’s North Island. Owned and operated by Alex van Heeren, who is known worldwide for his top-quality resorts both in New Zealand and elsewhere, Huka Lodge rises out of a forest with five-star accommodations that are a welcome contrast to the pure nature of New Zealand.
At the lodge, Junior Lodge Suites feature a large bedroom, sitting area, dressing room, bathroom and private terrace. The resort also offers four-bedroom Owners Cottages and the two-bedroom Alan Pye cottage for those who desire even more room. All of the rooms have air-conditioning, a mini-bar, Wi Fi access and twice-daily maid service. You can also have a television and DVD/CD player if you’d like, but most people enjoy the total escape to a simpler setting. For those who stay in the Alan Pye Cottage or Owners Cottage, a private butler service is available.
On the grounds, one can take a nice tour of the prizewinning gardens, play tennis on the all-weather court and take one’s meals in the wine cellar, by an outdoor fireplace or under the stars. New Zealand’s climate is quite temperate, never steaming or freezing, so outdoor dining is almost a year-round possibility.
Alex van Heeren worked hard to create a world-renowned retreat in the heart of New Zealand, and he oversees the continued maintenance of its first-rate service. He picked a great, unspoiled spot to entertain the likes of Bill Gates and Queen Elizabeth II. Huka Lodge has earned a place among the very top resorts in the world.
Alex van Heeren’s Huka Lodge Voted “Best for Rooms”
The Condé Nast ‘Traveller’ magazine is well known within the travel industry as a rigorous reviewer of resorts and hotels around the world. Because of its dedicated staff and forthright opinions, holiday destinations fight vigorously for coveted spots on the magazine’s “Best” lists. To earn a place in Traveller is equivalent to an AAA rating by a bond agency, a sure-fire way to earn the status of one of the top resorts in the world.
How Alex van Heeren’s Huka Lodge ended up on ‘Gold 2012’ list…
Traveller recently released its “Gold List 2012” and Huka Lodge in Taupo, New Zealand, again earned a spot. Owned and operated by Alex van Heeren, who has earned high praise for his resorts worldwide, Huka Lodge snagged a “Best for Rooms” designation, which only highlights part of the lodge’s immense appeal.
True, the rooms at Huka Lodge are fantastic, with its Junior Lodge Suites each having a large bedroom, sitting area, dressing room, bathroom and private terrace, and its Owners Cottages spread out over four bedrooms and the Alan Pye cottage having two. All of the rooms have air-conditioning, a mini-bar, Wi Fi access and twice-daily maid service (private butler available for the larger cottages), as well as the tasteful interior design that one would expect from an Alex van Heeren property. Virginia Fisher is again enjoying her place in the sun as the primary interior designer of Huka Lodge’s rooms.
The outstanding rooms and incredible location of Huka Lodge on the riverside branching off Lake Taupo make it a prime destination for people like Bill Gates and Queen Elisabeth II. Once guests can be persuaded to leave their luxurious accommodations, they discover a wealth of outdoor adventures, ranging from fly-fishing to helicopter trips to an adjacent island.
Huka Lodge has been on Traveller lists before and plans on staying there for years to come. Alex van Heeren has made it a prime destination for nearly 90 years among travellers in the know, including the staff at Condé Nast.