2011 Discover southern lands and southern islands
ALL AROUND THE WORLD, UNIQUE IN THE WORLD
Australia, New Zealand, Tahiti, Vanuatu
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Nespresso adds the finishing touch to your moment of pure indulgence A perfect coffee to an excellent meal is an essential part of a truly reďŹ ned gastronomic experience. Nespresso perfects this ďŹ nishing touch with a variety of highly qualitative Grands Crus. As a guest you can be certain that the establishments serving Nespresso are passionate about coffee and will guarantee the highest quality serving, every time. Enjoy pure moments of indulgence in select hotels and restaurants.
www.nespresso.com/pro
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Index
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A WORD FROM the President
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Information and reservations
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Maps of our Australian, New Zealand and South Pacific properties
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Discover your Route du Bonheur
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AUSTRALIA A Route du Bonheur around Victoria
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Jacques Reymond Restaurant, Melbourne
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Chateau Yering, Yarra Valley
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A Route du Bonheur around New South Wales
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Jonah’s, Whale Beach, Sydney
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Tetsuya’s Restaurant, Sydney
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Tower Lodge, Hunter Valley
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Otahuna Lodge
NEW ZEALAND A Route du Bonheur around New Zealand
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The Lodge at Kauri Cliffs, Northland
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Mollies, Auckland
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The Farm at Cape Kidnappers, Hawke’s Bay
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Otahuna Lodge, Christchurch
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Whare Kea Lodge & Chalet, Central Otago
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Matakauri Lodge, Queenstown
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Whare Kea Chalet
SOUTH PACIFIC around Ratua Private Island, Vanuatu
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around Le Taha’a Island Resort & Spa, Tahiti ISLANDS
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Ratua Private Island, Vanuatu
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Le Taha’a Island Resort & Spa, Tahiti ISLANDS
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Thanks to OUR Partners
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Jonah’s Whale Beach
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A WORD from the President Dear Friends, In a perpetually evolving world, seizing the moment almost becomes audacious. Of course, we all need to recharge our batteries, to savour taking that precious time out... Offering you moments of “being” where all the senses are awakened in breathtakingly beautiful settings is the very essence of Relais & Châteaux. Thanks to the enormous talent of our hoteliers and Grands Chefs, our Association helps to spread this unique “Art de Vivre” around the world. This is something we have been doing well for more than 50 years. It all began in 1954, when a number of hoteliers and restaurateurs merged to create a way for holidaymakers on the road from Paris to the French Riviera to seek out places with the same level of excellence and a passion for fine cuisine and the art of living. In the beginning, there were only eight establishments along that route. Today, there are 500 members present in 60 countries. Relais & Châteaux properties and restaurants are both all around the world and unique in the world. From Africa, through China, the Pacific Islands or Australasia, our member properties open their doors to you in breathtakingly beautiful settings. Perhaps your next Route du Bonheur will be an unforgettable experience in an antipodean paradise! Jaume Tàpies International President of Relais & Châteaux
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Information & reservations Visit our Maisons des Relais & Châteaux...
Discover and book Relais & Châteaux properties Visit www.relaischateaux.com or call our Central Reservation offices. If you are calling from the following countries, please dial:
0 825 32 32 32 *
Austria, Benelux, Germany, Ireland, Italy,
Italy Russia, Kazakhstan Ukraine
00 800 2000 00 02 ** + 39 02 6269 0064 + 7 495 933 0960 + 38 044 272 4190
The Americas United States, Canada
+ 1 800 735 2478 **
Spanish-speaking South America
+ 54 11 4326 3861
Brazil
+ 55 11 3255 2324
Japan
+ 81 3 5472 6789
China
+ 86 21 5212 2067 + 852 3121 3616
Thailand & rest of Asia
+ 66 (0) 2258 5060
Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia
1-800 733 2460 **
Australia
1300 121 341
New Zealand
0800 540 008
AFRICA *€0.15/min ** Toll-free numbers
rc-uk@relaischateaux.com SPAIN-PORTUGAL Rambla de Catalunya, 62 3° 1A E-08007 Barcelona rc-spain@relaischateaux.com
Jonah’s Whale Beach
Italy Via Principe Amedeo 1, 20121 Milano rc-italy@relaischateaux.com NORTH AMERICA
Asia-Oceania
Hong Kong
UNITED KINGDOM 10 Beauchamp Place London SW3 1NQ
Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland & United Kingdom.
Tower Lodge
rc-paris@relaischateaux.com
Europe France
France 33, boulevard Malesherbes 75008 Paris
+27 217 941 723
10 East 53rd Street New York, NY 10022 rc-usa@relaischateaux.com BRUSSELS
Cape Kidnappers
65 avenue Louise, B 1050 Bruxelles rc-benelux@relaischateaux.com The Maisons des Relais & Châteaux provide information, take reservations, develop à la carte itineraries, and present our collection of Gift Certificates and special offers.
Or contact your travel agency.
Ratua Private Island
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Maps PROPERTY
TOWN
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AUSTRALIA 29
Jacques Reymond Restaurant Melbourne
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Chateau Yering “Historic House Hotel” Yarra Valley
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Jonah’s Whale Beach
Sydney
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Tetsuya’s Restaurant
Sydney
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Tower Lodge
Hunter Valley
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NEW ZEALAND
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Kauri Cliffs Matauri Bay
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Mollies
Auckland
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The Farm at Cape Kidnappers
Hawke’s Bay
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Otahuna Lodge
Christchurch
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Whare Kea Lodge & Chalet
Lake Wanaka
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Matakauri
Queenstown
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Vanuatu
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Tahiti Islands
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VANUATU Ratua
FRENCH POLYNESIA Le Taha’a Island Resort & Spa
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discover YOUR OWN Route du Bonheur Travelling with Relais & Châteaux is to experience the world in a extraordinary way. Whether it’s a night in a restaurant or a few nights in a hotel, a resort or private island, enjoying the hospitality of a Relais and Châteaux property is like spending time with an erudite, generous and well-travelled friend. A journey to Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific takes the traveller into the far reaches of the imagination. Here is one of the world’s oldest continents, Australia, an extraordinary landscape with a history of human habitation that dates back more than 50 000 years and its neighbour, New Zealand, where no human had had ever set foot until 1000 years ago. Here too are the serene and captivating islands of the South Pacific—islands that have teased the European imagination ever since the first Pacific mariners returned with reports of an earthly paradise. Something else that sets Relais & Châteaux apart is the Route du Bonheur, literally ‘the road to happiness’. It reflects a principle at the heart of the Relais & Châteaux ethos—the belief that the journey should always be engaging, illuminating and satisfying. Each Relais & Châteaux property is not only a remarkable place to savour the pleasures of fine dining and stylish living but also an entrée to a Route du Bonheur of special places, sights, sounds and tastes that elevate the journey into the realms of revelation.
Mollies
Nine Restaurant
Chateau Yering
Tower Lodge
Ratua Private Island
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A Route du Bonheur around Victoria The drive time between Jacques Reymond Restaurant and Chateau Yering is barely an hour, yet the journey becomes an adventure par excellence when you travel via the Mount Dandenong Tourist Road. Almost immediately the road enters a lush forest of mountain ash surrounded by a lacy understorey of tree ferns. Stop and listen and you might hear the tinkling calls of bell birds.
Melbourne
Victoria Yarra Valley
Stop at the Alfred Nicholas Gardens, where paths wind through a dense forest planted extensively with rhododendrons. Don’t miss the waterfalls and the ornamental lake, which is at its photogenic best when its waters reflect the surrounding autumn foliage. At Olinda, the National Rhododendron Gardens reach a spectacular climax in spring, when rhododendrons, azaleas, camellias and daffodils light up the hillside in a blaze of colour. From Olinda, it’s just a short drive north into the Yarra Valley and Chateau Yering. These flowing hills are one of the most dynamic cool climate wine regions in the country. The famous French Champagne house, Moët & Chandon, chose this area to grow the chardonnay grapes for its Champagne-style wine, Domaine Chandon. One of the novel ways to see this illustrious winegrowing area is from the basket of a hot-air balloon. An hour before dawn, fliers lift off from nearby Chateau Yering for a one-hour flight at the whim of the wind. The flight ends with a sparkling wine breakfast, and sublime memories of sunrise over the vineyards.
Dandenong Ranges
Chateau Yering
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Jacques Reymond Restaurant www.relaischateaux.com/reymond Unique in the world: adventurous and often playful cuisine, an adroit and erudite integration of European and Asian influences that sings on the palate Originally from Burgundy, Reymond found the inspiration for the style of cuisine that would dominate his life’s work when he was exposed to the electrifying flavours of ginger, lemongrass, Kaffir lime leaves and chilli on a trip to Brazil in 1976. Arriving in Melbourne a few years later, Reymond immediately made an impression on the city’s fine dining. It was the beginning of his mission—to integrate Asian flavours and textures into his classically-based cuisine, long before ‘fusion food’ became fashionable. Reymond does not imitate. Originality is the hallmark of every dish, combining mastery of technique with a subtlety of understanding that allows the natural flavours to speak for themselves. Located inside a stately Victorian mansion that owes its ornate architectural flourishes to the boom time of colonial gold rush, Jacques Reymond Restaurant is a family affair, with service and style that evoke the finest traditions of European dining. As you might expect of a chef with his roots in the soil of Burgundy, the wine cellar is superb.
T: +61 (0)3 9525 2178 F: +61 (0)3 9521 1552 E: reymond@relaischateaux.com • 78 Williams Road, Prahran, Melbourne 3181, Victoria, Australia • Owners: Jacques and Kathy Reymond • Grand Chef Relais & Châteaux: Jacques Reymond • Maître de Maison: Nathalie Reymond
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Chateau Yering www.relaischateaux.com/chateauyering Unique in the world: The Chilean Wine Palm that soars above the house was planted in 1867 by Baron von Mueller and is classified by the National Trust Set in the precise green geometry of the Yarra Valley’s vineyards, Chateau Yering is an exceptional country house hotel: a small, historic property that elevates good living to an art form. Chateau Yering was built in 1854 as a private residence for the owners of the sprawling cattle station that covered most of the Yarra Valley. Today this homestead—just a one-hour drive from the heart of metropolitan Melbourne—offers 32 suites preserving the original home’s opulent character while offering a high level of contemporary comfort. T: +61 (0)3 9237 3333 F: +61 (0)3 9237 3300 E: chateauyering@relaischateaux.com • 42 Melba Highway, Yering 3770, Victoria, Australia • Owners: Len Milner & partners • Maître de Maison: Sue O’Brien Special activities: wine touring, hot-air ballooning, Healesville Sanctuary, horseback riding Melbourne International Airport 60 km
The sumptuous Yering Suite has its own private staircase, while the four-poster beds and open fireplaces in the Stables Suites evoke the warmth and personality of the homestead’s origins. Surrounding the house are 100 hectares of mature, heritage-listed gardens, rolling lawns and farmland sweeping down to the Yarra River. Chateau Yering offers a choice of dining in Eleonore’s, the opulent fine-dining room, or the conservatory-style Sweetwater Cafe. Chef Mathew Macartney offers a refined Modern Australian menu with a Mediterranean accent, based on outstanding produce from the local farms and fields and complemented by the prodigious cool climate wines for which the Yarra Valley is famous.
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Pommery Cuvée Louise 1999 “… a beautiful expression of a classic, restrained vintage, 1999 Cuvée Louise is all class …” Tyson Stelzer The Champagne Guide 2011
Pommery Brut Royal NV “This has intense appley flavours and some toasty yeastiness, and is tight and powerful with lively zippy acidity.” Peter Forrestal Australian Gourmet Traveller WINE, December 2010
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A Route du Bonheur around New South Wales
Sydney
New South Wales
Palm Beach, Sydney
Tower Estate
From Tetsuya’s Restaurant in the heart of Sydney, the drive to seafront Jonah’s Hotel and Restaurant takes about 90 minutes, delivering stirring views over some of Sydney’s glorious northern beaches. Or for an unforgettable transfer, consider a 12- minute seaplane flight from Rose Bay taking in a sublime panorama of Sydney Harbour, the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge before turning out to sea with the blue infinity of the Pacific Ocean on one side and the golden beaches of Sydney on the other. The plane splashes down among the yachts of Pittwater where Jonah’s own vehicle awaits at the jetty to whisk you up to the hilltop retreat. Relaxation is a specialty at Jonah’s. There is nowhere better to soak up Sydney in barefoot mode. Palm Beach, to the north of Jonah’s is a classic sweeping scimitar of sand where the hammerhead peninsula ends at Barrenjoey Lighthouse. Palm Beach is a favourite weekend retreat for some of Sydney’s leading lights of film, media and finance. From Jonah’s, the 2.5-hour road journey to the Hunter Valley and Tower Lodge takes you around the fringes of Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park. Another intriguing possibility is a 25-minute helicopter flight from Terrey Hills near Jonah’s direct to Tower Lodge’s own helipad in the Hunter Valley. Surrounded by some of the most distinguished vineyards in Australian winemaking, wine touring comes naturally at Tower Lodge. The Hunter Valley’s broad repertoire extends to epicurean delights, several outstanding golf courses and historic villages that date back to the earliest days of Australia’s settlement, where every creaking door has a story to tell.
Whale Beach, Sydney
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Jonah’s Hotel and Restaurant on the seafront www.relaischateaux.com/jonahs Unique in the world: on Sydney’s world renowned northern beaches, Jonah’s is one of Australia’s most stunning ocean retreats Poised on a hilltop near the tip of Sydney’s northern peninsula, Jonah’s is the perfect beach retreat—an enclave of style and good living overlooking the golden sands of Whale Beach. Décor in the 10 guest rooms plus the Executive Ocean Retreat private pavilion features natural timbers and soothing colours, a restrained, muted style that allows the stunning blue-water views to dominate. Even the jacuzzis in the limestone bathrooms are positioned to make the most of the view, and each room has its own private balcony. Jonah’s Private is a secluded, selfcontained residence with three guest rooms, a swimming pool and cliff top verandah with expansive ocean views. Jonah’s is also an exceptional dining destination. Classics of the European kitchen feature on a menu animated by local seafood and herbs, chillies and heirloom tomatoes. The wine cellar features some of the most distinguished wines from Bordeaux and Burgundy, German Rieslings and a premium Australian selection. Polished but relaxed, Jonah’s is an outstanding example of a Sydney specialty. It draws its inspiration from the wider world, applies this to a magnificent setting and comes up with a result that is uniquely Australian.
T: +61 (0)2 9974 5599 F: +61 (0)2 9974 1212 E: jonahs@relaischateaux.com • 69 Bynya Road, Whale Beach 2108, New South Wales, Australia • Maître de Maison: Ali Pinnington Special activities: swimming pool (outdoor), surfing and water sports, golf nearby Airport: Sydney Kingsford Smith (International) 58 km
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Tetsuya’s Restaurant www.relaischateaux.com/tetsuya Unique in the world: Tetsuya’s signature dish—confit of Petuna Tasmanian ocean trout with konbu, apple, fennel and witlof Tetsuya Wakuda has been a towering figure on Sydney’s dining scene, if not the world’s, for the past two decades. His sublime dishes based on the Japanese philosophy of natural seasonal flavours enhanced by classic French technique have taken the city’s palates into a fresh and exciting new gastronomic landscape.
T: +61 (0)2 9267 2900 F: +61 (0)2 9262 7099 E: tetsuya@relaischateaux.com • 529 Kent Street, Sydney 2000, New South Wales, Australia • Owner and Grand Chef Relais & Châteaux: Tetsuya Wakuda • Maître de Maison: Jerry Jones
Photos by: Nicky Ryan
Japanese-born Tetsuya arrived in Australia in 1987 and worked under several of Sydney’s seminal chefs before he established his own restaurant. Today, Tetsuya’s is one of the few restaurants to have featured in the San Pellegrino World’s 50 Best Restaurants year after year. Set in a Japanese garden in the heart of Sydney, his cool elegant restaurant has become an essential dining experience for lovers of fine food, including many world renowned chefs and industry professionals. The menu at Tetsuya’s is a fixed-price degustation consisting of ten courses with seafood as a predominant feature. Tetsuya Wakuda’s cuisine is an outstanding example of the cross-cultural culinary melange that has become Sydney’s signature style. This style is often referred to as Modern Australian and carries a promise to tantalise, challenge and invigorate.
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Tower Lodge www.relaischateaux.com/towerlodge Unique in the world: uninterrupted views of the famous Hunter Valley wine region from the lofty heights of the tower Lapped by a sea of vines, Tower Lodge sets a new benchmark for style and fine living in the Hunter Valley, one of Australia’s most illustrious winegrowing regions. This adults-only retreat is also a tribute to eclecticism, whimsical at every turn. The centrepiece of Tower Lodge is a Tuscan villa-inspired courtyard with a loggia and a splashing water fountain. Each of the 12 extraordinary suites has its own distinct personality, enhanced by a fine collection of antiques, treasures and collectables finessed with rich fabrics and recycled timbers. The Oriental Room features Chinese paintings, carved screens and a Japanese-inspired hot tub on the deck, while the Chairman’s Suite has a 300-year-old, hand-carved Rajasthani bed and its own tower, complete with viewing platform. Nearby, Roberts Restaurant is the region’s premier gastronomic experience, located amongst the vineyards in a National Trust-listed slab cottage. Tower Lodge’s own Nine Restaurant serves a degustation menu in a warm and intimate sandstone-panelled room—three metres underground. Tower Estate’s own limited edition wines are a highlight of this sublime dining experience.
T: +61 (0)2 4998 7022 F: +61 (0)2 4998 7164 E: towerlodge@relaischateaux.com • Cnr Halls & Broke Roads, Pokolbin 2320, New South Wales, Australia • Maître de Maison: Andreas Breitfuss Special activities: swimming pool, golf, private wine tours Sydney International Airport180 km, Newcastle Airport 80 km
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A Route du Bonheur around New Zealand From the charming opera-themed hotel Mollies in Auckland, a half-day drive north through the undulating farms and forests of Northland takes you to Kauri Cliffs. The handsome lodge overlooks Matauri Bay near the Bay of Islands, a natural harbour sprinkled with 144 islands and boundless sailing, fishing and scuba diving spots.
Matakauri Lodge
New Zealand
Commercial aircraft operate from nearby Kerikeri to the art deco city of Napier, gateway to The Farm at Cape Kidnappers. Set on 2600 hectares of rolling green pastures that rise from the sea, Cape Kidnappers is close to one of New Zealand’s premier wine regions and the lodge’s grounds include a cliff top golf course. The nearby gannet colony, a crowded home to 20 000 of these majestic sea birds, is something no visitor should miss. The South Island city of Christchurch is a gateway for international flights as well as a hub for domestic air services. Set in park-like grounds on its outskirts, Otahuna Lodge is a historic homestead that has been restored to a stylish and sophisticated retreat. From Christchurch, a five-hour drive across the Canterbury Plains will take you into the Southern Alps, where Whare Kea Lodge & Chalet is the perfect entrée to the splendour of New Zealand’s alpine region: trout fishing on the doorstep, winter heli-skiing and summer hiking trails lace through the mountain peaks. It’s only a short drive to Queenstown and its heart stopping views. Poised on the shores of Lake Wakatipu, Matakauri is a window on a pristine world. There is nowhere better to experience the magic of Queenstown, New Zealand’s alpine adventure playground.
Otahuna Lodge
Mollies
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The Lodge at Kauri Cliffs www.relaischateaux.com/kauricliffs Unique in the world: the golf course right next to the hotel perched on a cliff overlooking the sea Perched on 2500 hectares of rippling green hills overlooking the Cavalli Islands, Kauri Cliffs is a superlative base from which to experience the Bay of Islands, one of New Zealand’s most inspiring landscapes. Built in a neo-classical style with tall chimneys and wrapped in a broad verandah, the main lodge is the centrepiece for a well-tailored resort that includes a spa, a restaurant, golf course and 22 guest suites along with a two bedroom Owner’s Cottage. Each suite is sumptuously equipped with a sitting area and open fireplace, a walk-in wardrobe, a spacious bathroom and marvellous views from the private verandah across the golf course to the ocean.. The island-studded waters, beaches, native bushland and streams cry out not just for admiration but for participation. Kauri Cliffs comes with a full complement of activities, but the standout is golf. With a long list of accolades from the arbiters of golfing excellence, the 6510 metre, par 72, championship course drapes a seahewn coastline with astonishing views from virtually every hole. Six holes are played along the tops of rearing cliffs, while those set inland weave through marsh, forest and farmland.
T: + 64 (0)9 407 0010 F: + 64 (0)9 407 0061 E: kauricliffs@relaischateaux.com • 116 Tepene Tablelands Road, Matauri Bay, Kerikeri (Northland), New Zealand • Owner: Julian Robertson • Maître de Maison: Kerry Molloy Special activities: indoor & outdoor swimming pool, spa, golf, helicopter tours, pheasant shooting, quad bikes Auckland International Airport 280 km, Kerikeri Airport 40 km • Closes each June
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Mollies www.relaischateaux.com/mollies Unique in the world: where else does dinner usually start with live singing or a short opera recital? Small, cultivated, relaxed, brimming with charm and style—all the good adjectives apply at this romantic hotel overlooking Auckland Harbour. Cloistered within a mature subtropical garden just a few minutes from the heart of the city, Mollies juxtaposes the classic and avant-garde—with a touch of fantasy. Along with the old-world comforts of antique furnishings, sumptuous fabrics and bountiful floral displays, Mollies also features sharp-edge design, high speed internet access, underfloor heating and the serene Sanctuary Day Spa.
T: +64 (0)9 376 3489 F: +64 (0)9 378 6592 E: mollies@relaischateaux.com • 6 Tweed Street, St Mary’s Bay, Auckland 1011, New Zealand • Owners: Stephen Fitzgerald and Frances Wilson-Fitzgerald • Maître de Maison: Joanna Bourke Special activities: live opera recitals, sailing, spa Auckland International Airport 16 km
Accommodation consists of 13 suites, each with its own distinct personality. Villa Suites and Premier Suites feature a spacious lounge and separate bedroom with ensuite bathroom and spa bath, while in the Junior Suites, the bedroom opens to a private balcony overlooking the garden. One of the suites has a grand piano, another a harp. The owners are music devotees, and their passion shines through in the choice of music that wafts through the hotel. The dining room at Mollies provides an opulent showcase for the talents of Chef Lance Tripp. His cuisine brings a twist to the classical repertoire, drawing inspiration from around the culinary globe to ignite the palate with fresh and exciting combinations of ingredients, sourced from the local markets, farmers and fishermen.
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The Farm at Cape Kidnappers www.relaischateaux.com/kidnappers Unique in the world: the moving experience of getting up close and personal with the endangered Kiwi Carved from rolling pastures beside one of the most magnificent golf courses ever created, this striking retreat combines the stirring landscape of Hawke’s Bay with a stylish array of sophisticated pleasures. Borrowing its architecture from the stone-walled outbuildings of the surrounding farms and vineyards, the main lodge building carries the rustic iconography of its exterior inside, with chunky timber beams and big open fireplaces. Among its accoutrements, the lodge features an opulent spa, a fitness centre and an acclaimed dining room. Guest suites are located within separate cottages or in the main lodge building, each with soothing vanilla tones and big picture windows framing views across the fairways to the Pacific Ocean. Each of the 22 suites comes comprehensively equipped for the tech-savvy traveller. Ideal for a family or a small group, the fourbedroom Owner’s Cottage is the very pinnacle of boutique hotel accommodation. The links-style course advancing across the headland from the lodge high above the Pacific has been voted one of the world’s finest. At 6510 metres, the par 71 course throws down a challenge to the keenest golfers, especially when the sea breeze is blowing. Holes 14 to 17 are some of the most spectacular you will ever play.
T: + 64 (0)6 875 1900 F: +64 (0)6 875 1901 E: kidnappers@relaischateaux.com • 446 Clifton Road, Te Awanga, Hawkes Bay 4102, New Zealand • Owner: Julian Robertson • Maître de Maison: Julia Carlsen Special activities: Golf, tours of Art Deco town, nature tours, spa, wine tours Auckland International Airport 434 km, Napier Airport 30 km
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Otahuna Lodge www.relaischateaux.com/otahuna Unique in the world: more than 120 different kinds of organic fruits, vegetables, nuts and mushrooms in the historic gardens Set in a glorious garden brimming with botanical wonders on the outskirts of Christchurch, Otahuna Lodge stylishly brings the atmosphere, the manners and the architecture of another era into the present.
T: +64 (0)3 329 6333 F: + 64(0)3 329 6336 E: otahuna@relaischateaux.com • 224 Rhodes Road, Tai Tapu 7672, Canterbury (Christchurch) New Zealand • Owners & Maîtres de Maison: Hall Cannon and Miles Refo Special activities: helicopter tours, swimming with dolphins, historic garden tours Christchurch International Airport 25 km
Built in 1895 by the New Zealand lawyer and politician Sir Heaton Rhodes, new vigour has been introduced into the white timber mansion by two energetic young refugees from Manhattan who recognised a potential Cinderella in the sprawling Queen Anne mansion. While preserving Otahuna’s original character, they have revitalised the house with a collection of antique furnishings that match the aristocratic dimensions and a notable collection of contemporary New Zealand artworks, many of them commissioned specifically for these walls. Otahuna has seven palatial suites, each decorated in the same opulent style as the rest of the Lodge. In the Rhodes Suite, the four interconnected rooms include an octagonal study, while The Clark Suite, named after Heaton Rhodes’ wife, is suitably soft and feminine. Otahuna’s 13 hectares of sublime gardens include a sweeping front lawn with a reflecting lake, a formal parterre with mature exotic trees, a secret frog pond in the forest and a vast working potager garden. Cuisine plays a major role in the Otahuna repertoire. Served in the opulent dining room, Otahuna’s sophisticated menu is based extensively on the vegetables from its gardens, meats raised organically on site and mushrooms foraged from its woodlands.
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Whare Kea Lodge & Chalet www.relaischateaux.com/wharekea Unique in the world: experience absolute privacy beside glacial Lake Wanaka and venture high into the Southern Alps to a private mountain chalet Set on the shores of a glacier-carved lake, surrounded by soaring mountain peaks, Whare Kea is an ideal base from which to experience the majesty of New Zealand’s alpine region. This striking lodge looks and feels like a sumptuous conservatory, with floor-to-ceiling glass for total exposure to the dreamy views of lake and mountains.
T: +64 (0)3 443 1400 F: +64 (0)3 443 9200 E: wharekea@relaischateaux.com • 494 Mt Aspiring Road, 9343 Wanaka, New Zealand • Owners: Louise and Martyn Myer • Maître de Maison: Pamela Simpson Special activities: mountain hiking, hunting, trout and salmon fishing, alpine skiing Queenstown International Airport 70 km, Wanaka Airport 15 km
The lodge’s six guest rooms and suites are spacious and crisply tailored, from the Bose stereo system to the walk-in dressing rooms. Each guest room has a glass wall that opens to a sundeck with a wide-angle panorama of lake and mountains. Another intriguing option is The Chalet, a unique sanctuary perched high among the mountain peaks, glaciers, residual snow fields and alpine meadows. Accessed by helicopter, this gorgeous hideaway has two double bedrooms plus a loft room and a combined lounge, bathroom, dining and kitchen area. Chef James Stapley came to Whare Kea after four years at the Park Lane Hilton and a subsequent role as Head Chef at Selfridges. James’ inspiration is the classic techniques of European cuisine applied to the finest, freshest New Zealand produce. A four course table d’hôte dinner menu is complemented by a distinguished collection of New Zealand and Australian wines and French Champagne.
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Matakauri Lodge www.relaischateaux.com/matakauri Unique in the world: spectacularly situated on Queenstown’s Lake Wakatipu with stunning mountain views from every angle Clinging to the rim of a glacier-carved blue lake deep in New Zealand’s South Island, surrounded by grey mountain peaks that rear 1500 metres above the town, Queenstown is known for its postcard scenery. Yet even by the exalted local standards, the scenery from this handsome lakeside lodge calls for fresh superlatives. Constructed from local schist stone with extensive use of cedar and beech, Matakauri Lodge looks across dipping lawns to the cresting peaks of The Remarkables on the far side of Lake Wakatipu. Matakauri emerged from a total refit in late 2010 that has seen it reinvigorated with a crisp, clean aesthetic and 11 lavishly appointed all-new guest suites bathed in natural light and bold colour. Chef Dale Gartland orchestrates a menu that showcases the outstanding regional produce. Whether your tastes run to total relaxation in the lodge’s spa, fly fishing in a mountain stream or adventures in the high peaks, the staff at Matakauri will construct a program that will make for an unforgettable stay. Matakauri Lodge is an excellent springboard from which to experience the wonders of Queenstown, New Zealand’s adventure sports capital. Over the past few years, Queenstown has also become the centre for the Central Otago vineyards, the world’s most southerly winegrowing area, with an ever-expanding reputation.
T: +64 (0)3 441 1008 F: +64 (0)3 441 2180 E: matakaurilodge@relaischateaux.com • 569 Glenorchy Road, Queenstown, New Zealand • Owner: Julian Robertson • Maître de Maison: Jay Robertson Special activities: swimming pool (outdoor), spa, fly fishing, skiing, wine tours, scenic flights Queenstown International Airport 12 km
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around Ratua Private Island, Vanuatu
Ratua Private Island
Vanuatu
Ratua is the way the world should be—a castaway, 60-hectare island that might have sprung from a page of National Geographic magazine. Paddle an outrigger canoe, explore by mountain bike or electric buggy, or have a wrangler saddle you one of the 20 horses that roam free on the island. Snorkelling in the pristine tropical waters among corals and swarming, multicoloured fish is as simple as stepping off the beach. Or explore the island’s mysterious blue holes, sparkling swimming holes linked via underwater caverns. Big game fishing is another option. The neighbouring island of Espiritu Santo offers some of the world’s finest wreck diving, while the island of Ambrym offers volcanic ash plains and seeping lava flows.
around Le Taha’a Island Resort & Spa, Tahiti While Le Taha’a is perfectly sculpted for relaxation, this outstanding coral reef island resort offers a cocktail of activities that can be found only in this part of the world. The waters of the coral-fringed motu on which Le Taha’a sits are warm and intoxicating. Swim out to the fringing reef and you’re surrounded by dazzling colours and darting marine life. Shark feeding is an island specialty, and seasonal whale watching is available. Le Taha’a has its own dive centre and several sensational dive sites. Most of French Polynesia’s crop of vanilla, ‘black gold’, comes from the adjacent main island of Taha’a, and the resort offers excursions to vanilla plantations and black pearl farms. Jet skis are another option, and a choice of theme tours is available on Taha’a Island’s jeep safaris.
Le Taha’a Island Resort & Spa
Tahiti Le Taha’a Island Resort & Spa
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Ratua Private Island www.relaischateaux.com/ratua Unique in the world: A private island at the world’s end Washed by a warm and crystalline sea, bathed in tropical sunshine and immersed in a forest of greenery, life’s simple pleasures are elevated to an art form on this island in the Vanuatu Archipelago.
T: + 678 300 20 F: + 678 300 22 E: ratua@relaischateaux.com • BP 396 Luganville, Vanuatu • Maître de Maison: Christian Succo Special activities: travel the island by horseback, spa, outrigger canoeing, diving, fishing Access: a 30-minute boat ride aboard Ratua’s private launch from the island of Espiritu Santo and its international airport
The resort treads with the lightest of footprints on this Garden of Eden. Thatched palm, bamboo and rattan feature predominantly in the design. Guest accommodation on the 60-hectare island is in centuries-old teak cottages that were imported from Java and fitted out with Indonesian furnishings. Each is sited along the shoreline, allowing the breeze to flow through and eliminating the need for air conditioning. The island’s social nexus is the Yacht Club, which serves as the restaurant, bar, lounge, beach house and jetty. Barefoot and casual is the island’s style, but there is no shortage of creature comforts, including a spa with expert masseuses. Fresh, organic produce from the island’s own gardens is a highlight of the menu. Beef, pork, chicken, milk and eggs come from Ratua’s own free-range animals. Fruit you can pick for yourself, vegetables are grown organically and seafood is fresh off the morning’s boats. Among the 8000 bottles in the wine cellar are some notable wines from the owner’s French vineyard. A private plane from Port Vila direct to Ratua Island’s own private runway is also available on request. (1hr flight)
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Le Taha’a Island Resort & Spa www.relaischateaux.com/letahaa Unique in the world: a black pearl is offered to each guest who reserves via Relais & Châteaux Scattered across the waters of a shimmering, peacockblue lagoon, this superb resort captures perfectly the warmth, the charisma and the romance that are promised by the words ‘South Pacific’. The resort has a stunningly beautiful natural setting on an offshore islet, or ‘motu’, just a five-minute boat ride from the main island of Taha’a. Accommodation at Le Taha’a consists of 2 Royal Villas, 10 Beach Villas and 48 Overwater Suites that fan out from the shoreline. Each is more than 100 square metres. In the Overwater Suites, about half that area is devoted to the deck, which has deck chairs and day beds tucked away under a thatched cabana, as well as a split level that provides easy access to the water. Each suite or villa is a skilful interweaving of local Polynesian culture and craftsmanship with supreme Western world comforts. In the shade of a coconut grove between a small lake and the lagoon, the spa adopts the Polynesian concept of ‘taurumi’, an approach to wellness and relaxation that encompasses spirituality, energy, language and touch. The Polynesian massage uses locally derived scented oils as well as healing hands to relax and enhance the circulation of energy within the body.
T: + 689 60 84 00 F: + 689 60 84 01 E: letahaa@relaischateaux.com • B.P. 67, 98733 PatioTaha’a, Tahiti, French Polynesia • Maître de Maison: Christine Chevalaz Special activities: black pearl farm visits, glass bottom boat, tales and legends of Taha’a, sunset cruises Access: from Raiatea Airport, 35 minutes transfer by boat; from Bora Bora, 10 minutes by helicopter or 1 hour and 45 minutes transfer by boat.
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Thanks to OUR Partners
A great thank you to all Relais & Ch창teaux Official Partners for their support this year.
Photography credits: Tourism Victoria, Tourism New South Wales.
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