sunday star times march 2010 - otahuna luxury lodge new zealand

12 SundayStar★Times / March 21, 2010escape / travel

New brochure out now! Call us to receive your copy today.

This 10 day South America tour has it all! Discover the romance of Buenos Aires, spectacular Iguazu Falls andsoak up the sun in beautiful Rio de Janeiro.Tour includes: 9 nights accommodation, breakfast daily, transfers and sightseeing.

LATIN RENDEZVOUS10 days from $1899* per person

LATIN AMERICA ON SALE!Marvellous Mexico!Explore historic Mexico City and the lost world of the Mayans inChichen Itza then relax in beautiful Cancun.Tour includes: 9 nights accommodation, most meals, transfers and sightseeing.

MAYAN HEARTLAND10 days from $1719* per person

Call: 0800 955 855 Click: mondotravel.co.nz Visit: your Mondo store Orewa • Whangaparaoa • Takapuna • Auckland CBD • Mt Eden • Remuera • Kerikeri • Whangarei • Chartwell, Hamilton • Cherrywood & Devonport Road, Tauranga • New Plymouth • Motueka • Richmond • Christchurch

TERMS & CONDITIONS: *Prices are correct as of 15 MAR 2010 and are subject to change without notice. Prices shown are based on low season per person twin share and do not include airfares.

Otahuna Lodge

CHRISTCHURCH

Banks Peninsula

TRAVEL / 36 hours

[escape]

OtahunaMonique Farmerleaves behind thechildren andenjoys the charmsof a historicCanterbury lodge.

There are more than 120types of fruit andvegetables grown for thelodge’s kitchen, all labelledfor the benefit of guests,and the vegetable gardenertakes a big tray to thekitchen daily.

Bucolic bliss: Reflecting on Otahuna.

Fact file:Where to stay:

Otahuna Lodge is at Tai Tapu,about 25 minutes drive fromChristchurch. High-season tariffs(October-April inclusive) for twoguests start from $1500+GST, orfrom $1100 from May-September. This includespre-dinner drinks and canapes, afive-course degustation dinnerwith matching wine, cooked and/or continental breakfast and useof all lodge facilities.Ph (03) 329-6333,www.otahuna.co.nzWhat to do:

At Otahuna Lodge – privategarden tours, cooking classes,cycling in the grounds orsurrounding area, relax poolsideor in the hot tub. The lodge canarrange horseback riding, golf,fishing, hunting, wine tours,helicopter trips to the SouthernAlps and excursions to Akaroa.In spring, Otahuna has an openday – Daffodil Day – which lastyear saw 2500 visitors enjoy theone million bulbs planted in thelawn. Groups of 15 or more canenjoy a guided tour of the lodgegardens with advancereservations.

The lodge’s dining room.

Saturday, 9am: The house is tooquiet. It doesn’t sound right withoutsquealing and squabbling. Our kidshave headed out the door withfriends without a backward glance,and for the first time in three yearswe’re off on a weekend for two. Themother guilt starts to ease theminute we leave for Aucklandairport.12.15pm: From Christchurchairport we are whisked towards thePort Hills by Range Rover. Twenty-five minutes of pretty countrysidelater, we sweep up the graveldriveway to a grand old countryhome called Otahuna Lodge, whereHall Cannon and Miles Refo greetus like lords of the manor. Theyoung Americans have owned thisbeautiful building (Queen Annestyle for architecture buffs) forabout three years. It was built in1895 as the home of NZparliamentarian Sir Heaton Rhodesand was later a Christian Brothers’monastery, a commune and afamily home, before Cannon andRefo restored it to its present glory.They have done an impeccable job:every room is sumptuouslydecorated yet not stuffy, and everywhim is anticipated.1pm: We take advantage of thehead gardener being on duty on aSaturday to have a guided tour.Steve Marchan shows off his hardwork to guests about three times aweek and it’s a delightful hourthanks to his contagiousenthusiasm. Marchan shares someof Otahuna’s history as we stroll inthe afternoon sunshine. In the firsttwo years Rhodes’ gardenersplanted 20,000 trees on 1215ha,largely English-style oak, pine andcedar. These days, nine hectaresare garden and 4.5 are paddocks,housing sheep and cattle in thelodge’s efforts at self sufficiency.We admire the formal ‘‘Dutchgardens’’, bordered by hedges in awindmill pattern, the organicorchard where trees are laden withpears and apples, and a vast,stonewalled vegetable garden,which would make any home cookgreen with envy. There are morethan 120 types of fruit andvegetables grown for the lodge’s

kitchen, all labelled for the benefitof guests, and the vegetablegardener takes a big tray to thekitchen daily.2pm: A table for two is set in thedrawing room turret, overlooking arose garden and beyond to the pooland spa. Executive chef JimmyMcIntyre serves us a light salad oflocally smoked salmon and freshvegetables from the garden, with aglass of Huia sauvignon blanc.3.15pm: Refo offers to take the lidoff the spa and by the time wechange, the water is bubbling awayat 38°C, two towels placed nearby.The pool is equally irresistible onsuch a lovely early autumn day.6.30pm: Dining at Otahuna Lodgeis communal and served in theopulent dining room but if youcrave privacy you can elect to dinea deux in the drawing room, orcellar, or pretty much anywhereyou want. We meet our fellowtravellers in the drawing room forcocktails and canapes, whereCannon introduces everyone andgets the conversations rolling.Otahuna has seven guest suites andtonight four are occupied. Ourfellow guests are two Americancouples and a couple fromSwitzerland. The majority ofOtahuna’s guests are Americansand Europeans; New Zealandersand Australians are more likely tostay over winter when the tariffsare lower.7.30pm: It’s a sign of how wellwe’re all getting on that chefMcIntyre has to politely tap a glassto get our attention as heintroduces each course. It is a five-course feast, each dishaccompanied by a different local

wine. The sweetcorn in the soup(served with avocado, lime andtiger prawns) is from Otahuna’sgarden, ditto the summervegetables with the free-rangeorganic chicken and red onion tart,and the nectarines and peachesthat accompany the lemoncakesemifreddo. The Americans agreethat it is the best meal they’ve hadin New Zealand.11pm: Thoughtfully, there is acopy of the menu awaiting in oursuite, which has been transformedin our absence: fluffy white rugs oneach side of the bed, handmadetruffles, carafes of iced water, plushcurtains drawn.Sunday, 9am: The dining room isperfect for a lavish dinner butwould feel too formal for breakfast.The nearby breakfast kitchen is asunny and welcoming room with along table in its centre. The kitchenbench is covered with bowls ofcereal, fruit salad and yoghurts.The juicer soon whirs into action asguest host Emma Fergusson loadsit with oranges and carrots thenworks the high-tech coffee machinewith the flair of an Italian barista.Meanwhile, breakfast chef AdrianHarrison is whipping up a smokedsalmon omelette for me and baconand eggs for my husband.10.45am: It’s been at least 20 yearssince I last rode a bike, and I’m alittle nervous. My feet could reachthe ground on my last bicycle and Idon’t recall that crossbar beingquite so high. Refo has given usdirections for a 6km circuit of thesurrounding countryside and as Izoom off between Otahuna’s treestowards the front gate, I hope I lookmore in control than I feel. But the

wobbling soon passes and we spend90 enjoyable minutes exploringquiet, poplar-lined roads, passingEnglish-style manors and deerfarms. At the Raspberry Farm cafedown the road from Otahuna I buya big box of strawberries for thekids to assuage the mother guilt.1.20pm: We reluctantly head backto Christchurch airport, thinkinghow nice it would be to talk aboutthe day’s events with our newfriends over dinner. But that wouldmean another 10km bike ride towork off all that fabulous food.