It’s love at first sight at Huka Lodge, a 20-suite, two-cabin retreat on New Zealand’s North Island. (Some might say all of New Zealand is love at first sight, TBH.) The lodge, fronting a manicured lawn on the banks of the Waikato River, first opened as a trout-fishing camp in the 1920s; today, fly-fishing on nearby Lake Taupo is still one of the most popular diversions for guests, along with tennis, yoga, and scenic helicopter tours.
Scenes from the Waikato River.
Staff can arrange private outings, from soaking in geothermal pools and learning about Maori culture in Rotorua to biking across suspension bridges in Pureora Forest Park. At a property beloved for its seclusion (suites are tucked within lush gardens), slowing down is welcome: Guests can play a round of croquet, book a massage, and linger over a long meal at one of 20 private-dining spots across the property. The ideal nightcap: a soak in your bathtub, perfectly positioned beneath a picture window framed by a canopy of ferns. Virtuoso travelers receive most meals.