'Tatler' recognises Huka Lodge

Already rated as one of the best places to stay in the world, New Zealand’s Huka Lodge in Taupo has received another prestigious award for excellence - this time for maintaining consistently high standards for 25 years. 

Multi award-winning Huka Lodge was New Zealand's first luxury property, and remains the best known. 

The latest accolade is the Tatler Enduring Excellence Award for 2010 - a highly regarded and prestigious international award that recognises Huka Lodge’s "outstanding consistency in maintaining the highest standards of excellence for the last 25 years". 

Unflagging efforts 
Huka Lodge’s owner Alex van Heeren personally received the award at a gala dinner attended by leading travel writers and members of the hospitality industry at The Ritz hotel in London. 

He sent a memo to Huka Lodge staff in New Zealand immediately after the event saying "this award is for you all, for your unflagging efforts to ensure we maintain the highest levels of consistency and excellence in everything we do, every single day." 

In January Huka Lodge made the Condé Nast Traveler 2010 Gold List scoring 90.8 of a possible 100 points and joining Blanket Bay Lodge as the only New Zealand properties to be featured. 

High profile guests 
Alex van Heeren purchased Huka Lodge in 1984. The property’s secluded location on the banks of the Waikato River, near the popular tourist town of Taupo, has attracted many profile guests from royals and heads of state to Hollywood movie stars. 

The 20-room lodge also has two exclusive cottages - the Owner’s Cottage and the Allan Pye retreat. 

The property is set just above the world-famous Huka Falls and is surrounded by native bush and gardens. The location provides privacy and seclusion as well as being on the doorstep of some of the region’s top trout fishing spots. 

Huka Lodge also has a vast cellar and a reputation for fine dining, and there’s easy access to Taupo’s many attractions which centre around the vast lake and the volcanic central plateau. 

More information: 

Conde Nast gold for NZ luxury resorts 

NZ lodges featured among world’s best 

NZ hotels on world’s hot list 

Unspoiled NZ offers luxury destinations