In the know
- Our favourite rooms
- All of Huka’s 19 Lodge rooms are set close by the Waikato River with panoramic views of rushing water amid mature trees. Four have fireplaces, so ask for these in winter for cosy lounging – but all have a secluded, light and flowing feel and bring the outdoors in. If you want more privacy (and have a bigger budget), we recommend the Owner’s Cottage, which sits on a sunny, elevated promontory above the river with stunning vistas downstream to the mighty Huka Falls. Built in 1937, the pretty wooden cottage boasts four spacious guest rooms (two overlook the river, while two give onto a private courtyard garden), a living room, dining area, kitchen and den. Bedrooms and ensuite bathrooms have airy, high-vaulted ceilings and open up to the outdoors, while fireplaces indoors and out will keep you toasty. You can self-cater or a Huka Lodge chef will whip up dreamy dishes for you at the dining table, which seats eight. Decor-wise, elegant cream walls and bleached oak parquet floors will ensure you’ll be as chilled out as the surrounds, and top marks go to the heated al fresco spa pool, ample deck and cantilevered infinity swimming pool, which blends breathtakingly with the river beyond. For a more intimate getaway, the new two-room Alan Pye Cottage, named after Huka's founder, has an Arts & Crafts vibe, plus your own infinity and spa pools, a stone pavilion with outdoor dining table and fireplace and a private chef and butler on tap. Both cottages are for exclusive use only.
- Packing tips
- A Belstaff jacket for strolling the grounds (those motorcycle details are great for rocking a modern country look). Designer shades – past guests include Kate Winslet, Barry Humphries and Bill Gates.
- Also
- Huka Lodge offers a range of special packages from romantic stays with in-room spa treatments and private dining to fly and trout fishing (with expert guides, cooking and casting lessons), gourmet and adventure options. Take your pick from a smorgasbord including massage, horse treks, golf and helicopter trips to acclaimed wineries or active volcanic islands. If you're travelling to the hotel, Huka Lodge is just 10 minutes' drive from Taupo (flights from Auckland to Taupo take 40 minutes, or helicopters can land directly in the lodge's grounds).
Current offers
- Smith card offer
- Lunch for two guests including one bottle of New Zealand house wine, either within the lodge or as a picnic
More photos
Huka Lodge
Lake Taupo, New Zealand[view map]
- Style
- Trad 1920s hunting lodge
- Setting
- Ravishing riverside retreat
Whether you’re into fishing, food or the great outdoors, luxury boutique hotel Huka Lodge is rated as one of the world’s top retreats. Set in Taupo, home to New Zealand’s largest lake in the heart of the volcanic North Island, this heritage 1920s hotel was founded as a simple fishing lodge. Surrounded by lush, green grounds beside the Waikato River and cascading Huka Falls, it’s still a top angling destination as well as an adventurous gourmet getaway, offering al fresco dining under the stars. It also makes a great base for skiing in winter, with the North Island's premier slopes, undulating amid volcanic cones, a short hop from Taupo.
Need to know
- Rooms
- 18 Lodge rooms, plus one suite, and the four-room Owner’s Cottage and two-room Alan Pye Cottage.
- Rates
- NZ$730–NZ$1,375 a person, including breakfast, pre-dinner drinks (7-8pm), five-course dinner and airport transfers. The Owner’s Cottage and Alan Pye Cottage both cost NZ$3,060–NZ$8,400 a room. All excluding taxes at 12.5 per cent.
- Check-out
- 11am, flexible subject to availability. Earliest check-in, 2pm.
- Facilities
- DVD/CD/book library. In rooms: flatscreen TV, free WiFi, CD/DVD player, iPod dock, minibar, dressing room, ensuite bathroom with double sinks, shower, sunken bath overlooking a private garden, own-label toiletries, slatted wooden terrace.
- Poolside
- There are three al fresco pools to soak in: one large and two smaller and more private.
- Also
- The Lodge also has four simple, single Escort Rooms, for use by accompanying children, nannies or staff.
Food & drink
- Hotel restaurant
- Food is a major fetish here, with chef David Griffiths tailoring à la carte choices to suit whatever guests desire. The culinary style is contemporary Australian with French influences, harnessing the finest fresh, flavoursome local ingredients, including fruit from the lodge’s own orchard (used to make delicious jams and chutneys). Menus change daily according to the best produce available, and the lodge’s fine-dining prowess has even spawned its own cookbook (signature dishes include freshwater lobster butter-poached wtih lemon-infused gnocchi and watercress, and chocolate cake with espresso icecream). What's more, when you arrive you're taken on a tour of 22 private, scenic dining spots indoors and out, from the terrace to the riverside, so you can select where you want to eat – an adventurous approach to dining that’s one of Huka's best features. You can also opt for the romantic indoor Dining Room or enjoy country-style breakfast and pre-dinner drinks in the Lodge Room, which boasts trad opulent decor, a log fire, comfy armchairs, fantastic views onto the river and flickering candlelight come evening. Alternatively, the Library can be hired for private dining.
- Dress code
- There are no sartorial rules at Huka – but a dash of fashionable tartan wouldn’t go amiss to channel the hunting lodge vibe.
- Top table
- When dining at the main lodge, ask for a table on the terrace to soak up some rays. Elsewhere, we love the vaulted, wine-rack lined cellar room, the orchard by the fire or riverside under the stars.
- Last orders
- Speak to reception if you want to eat or drink outside regular hours. Huka’s take on service is ‘never say never’.
- Room service
- A varied menu of meals and drinks is available between 6.30am and 11pm. The lodge can also make up hampers for picnics in the grounds or further afield.
- Hotel bar
- Kick back with a drink in the cosy, comfy main lodge, where the magnificent fire is a big draw. The interior works a colourful, trad-rustic look, teaming black floors, a green painted ceiling and checkered rugs for a luxe gent’s club feel. The fab views and soothing sound of the river add to the mellow mood.
Also worth knowing
Smith Members offer
Lunch for two guests including one bottle of New Zealand house wine, either within the lodge or as a picnic
If you're a member of Mr & Mrs Smith, you can get special privileges at every Smith hotel you book through us. Just show your Smith card at check-in to claim the offer featured on every hotel page (like the one above).
Click here to become a Mr & Mrs Smith member
Smith travel team
If you'd prefer to talk to someone, or don't want to book online, call our travel team on 1 866 610 3867. We guarantee you’ll get the best available rates, and we don’t charge a booking fee.
Huka Lodge
271 Huka Falls Road
Taupo 3377
New Zealand
Taupo 3377
