Mr & Mrs Smith

Capella Lodge

Lord Howe Island, Australia

Blending in with the landscape in bleached wood and glass, Capella Lodge on tropical Lord Howe Island offers Dr No-ish views over jagged mountains, turquoise lagoons, breath-taking coral reefs and an ever-changing seascape flat out to the horizon. Perfect for exploring this natural paradise, packed with rare birds, flora and fauna.

Need to know

• Rooms Nine suites.
• Rates Double rooms from $1356.84 (AU$1,272), excluding tax at 10 per cent.
• More details Rates include breakfast, soft drinks, sunset apéritifs and canapés, three-course dinner with matching wines, and airport transfers.
• Facilities Free WiFi throughout, DVD, CD and book library, board games, Jacuzzi, day spa, gardens. In rooms: flatscreen TV, DVD player, Bose music system (with MP3 input), signature Capella Spa toiletries, minibar.
• Poolside There's an outdoor unheated pool with an infinity edge for making the most of island views.
• Check-out 10.30am. Check-in, 2pm.
• Children Kids aged six and over are welcome at the lodge (age 12 and over at the Lidgbird Pavilion). More...
• Eco-friendly Capella harnesses solar power for hot water, natural ventilation for air-conditioning, and eco-smart fires in winter. It's also committed to a local revegetation project, planting endemic palms and trees in land around the lodge affected by erosion.
• Hotel closed The hotel will be closed for refreshment from 3-30 July 2011 inclusive.
• Also The hotel provides free bikes for getting around, or hire a buggy for the day (a buggy is included in Lidgbird Pavilion rates; pre-book the other one).

Food and drink at Capella Lodge

• Hotel restaurant

  The open-plan Capella Restaurant has a laid-back yet luxurious coastal look, with dramatic floor-to-ceiling windows for stellar skylines. Fans of modern Pacific cuisine will enjoy chef Phil Woolaston’s daily-changing offerings, including locally caught fish, house-made pasta, boutique farmed meats and island-grown tropical fruit and veg. Lunch costs extra, and the lodge can also supply picnic and barbecue packs, for AU$18 and AU$30 a person respectively.

• Dress code

  Sophisticated neutrals – why compete with the view?

• Top table

  New arrivals are always placed at tables 1, 2 or 3 by the window on their first day, and guests are then rotated so that everyone gets a ringside seat. The fab landscape is still visible from most tables though.

• Last orders

  The bar is open from noon till 7pm; dinner is served 6.30pm–9.30pm.

• Room service

  Not available as Capella offers a traditional lodge experience where guests come together to dine, but between the restaurant and bar you should be well catered for.

• Hotel bar

  The Capella Bar boasts a good selection of boutique wines and great espressos. Complimentary sunset cocktails and canapés are served daily on Gower’s Terrace, where you can soak up breathtaking views from chic loungers; or relax on ample banquettes in the Kentia Lounge, with blissed-out beats as a backing track.

Capella Lodge Lagoon Road, Lord Howe Island, 2898