Looking to indulge in some New Zealand luxury travel this year? There are a number of high quality destinations in this scenic country where you are practically guaranteed to have a peak experience. Below, we profile where to have a luxury holiday in New Zealand…
1) Queenstown
In the shadow of the Remarkables and sitting on the placid shores of Lake Wakatipu, the Kiwi mountain resort community of Queenstown offers dramatic views. The best way to take it all in is on a lake cruise, where you will get the chance to be filled in on the area’s human and natural history, in between moments of wonder and awe as you get smashing looks at this region’s geological assets.
If you‘d prefer to get up high instead, there are many companies that offer sightseeing trips by helicopter and small aircraft. This way, you’ll get to see glaciers and other alpine features that those in the valleys would never get the chance to see.
When the time comes to relax for the day, have dinner at Bella Cucina (Italian) or at Fishbone Queenstown (fresh New Zealand seafood), and then retire for the night at Queenstown Park Hotel, whose sophisticated yet rustic design blends in well with the surrounding wilderness that lies just beyond town limits.
2) Wellington
Rating as one of the world’s most scenic and intimate capital cities, Wellington will grow on you within hours of your arrival. There are a number of viewpoints across the city where memorable photos can be snapped (the easiest being the atop the Wellington Cable Car), but if the weather isn’t cooperating on your first day here, spend a large part of it in Te Papa – New Zealand’s national museum.
Here, the story of its original Maori inhabitants, the first instances of European settlement, and its natural history from time immemorial are all covered in one of the better museums of its kind in the world.
Before moving on, be sure to have a meal at The White House Restaurant, where the seafood is legendary, and before you even get here, book at Bolton Hotel Wellington, as their emphasis on comfort and style will leave you nothing short of impressed.
3) Bay of Islands
Many assume that there is nothing north of Auckland in New Zealand. This assumption couldn’t be more wrong, as any visitor to the Bay of Islands can attest. Here, sailing trips through blue green ocean waters and between emerald islands are the main attraction, The region’s playful dolphins and whales are the star of these outings though, as they seem to have a bond with the humans that come out to visit them.
Bistro40 in Paihia is one of the area’s best restaurants, as its location in a colonial era home adds ambiance to the top shelf dishes served here. When it comes down to finding a place to bed down for the night, there are few better places than Eagles Nest, which is an estate of 75 acres near Russell. You‘ll have a choice of one of five luxury villas here, all of which have infinity pools, a home cinema and one of the best views of the Bay of Islands you’ll see in the area.
This article was originally published on www.theworldiscalling.com. Read the original here.
