Wharekauhau Country Estate, Wairarapa 

A Luxury Lodge of New Zealand with an enviable location, excellent food and a range of activities.

You’ll find this world-leading lodge 90 minutes’ drive outside of Wellington, on a 3200-acre working sheep farm by the coast. It has all the classy features that you’d expect from a Relais & Châteaux member, from elegant Edwardian interiors to croquet, and great facilities which include a spa, small gym, indoor pool and games room. But the experiences here are rightly geared towards the dramatic surroundings; lace up your hiking boots, sample sumptuous Pinot Noir in local wineries, go mountain biking and take a 4x4 vehicle tour of the working sheep station.

The food is a big part of the experience here. The farm incorporates on-site ingredients into your meals, including fruit from the orchard, produce from the herb and vegetable gardens, fresh eggs courtesy of the estate’s 25 chickens and Manuka honey. You can enjoy pre-dinner drinks & canapés, as well as a five-course tasting menu for lunch on selected days.

Recharge in one of the 16 swish cottage suites – each has underfloor heating and an open gas fireplace, and includes full country breakfast plus a four-course dinner in the evening. Or you can splash out on the luxurious three-bedroom Wharepapa Cottage where the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have stayed, which is a short two-and-a-half-mile drive from the main lodge. Wherever you stay, you’ll have amazing hilltop views over Palliser Bay.