The Huka Lodge

We invite you to enter a world where elegant and generous hospitality meets sophistication and style – creating a welcoming haven, whose reputation and awards are richly deserved.

Founded in the 1920s, Huka Lodge is considered to be the iconic New Zealand retreat. Sought by the world’s most discerning travellers – enjoying an unrivalled riverside location, offering superb hospitality and an attentiveness as palpable as the force of the Waikato River itself.

More about this hotel

Facilities

Massage

In the peaceful surroundings and privacy of your own room. Our massage therapists can give Deep Tissue, Remedial or Soft Tissue Massages to relax your tired muscles and rejuvenate your body.

Beauty Treatments

Lie back and enjoy a wonderful facial, with our qualified beauty therapists, in the comfort of your room. These treatments are provided by either Phoebe or a Thalgo therapist.

Facials

Phoebe

Offering a range of facial treatments using top-of-the-line, award-winning, Pola and Chanel products – with a choice of seven ranges depending on your skin type and needs.

Thalgo Skincare

Experience and gain knowledge from these internationally qualified therapists about your skin, body and various relaxation treatments.

Manicure

Indulge in a deluxe shape and polish manicure. Designed to nourish and protect your hands and nails, it includes exfoliation and a warming hand and arm massage.

Hair Dressing & Treatments

Hair styling, blow waves and treatments are available in the privacy of your room.

Tennis

Tennis court on site. Racquets and balls can be collected from Reception.

Pool

Comprising one swimming pool and two spa pools, with towels provided at the poolside.

Pètanque & Croquet

Can be played in a private, secluded area near the tennis court.

Mountain Bikes

Three mountain bikes and helmets are available for your use.

Meetings and Events

Every year we present a programme of events featuring an irresistible offering of unique special occasions, to be presented here at Huka Lodge.

Our blazing log fires and our reputation for spoiling you are both legendary – so we do look forward to welcoming you to share our beautiful property over the autumn-winter season 2013. Gourmet food, fine wines, candlelight and rich ambiance, along with some of the most romantic dining venues imaginable – await your arrival.

Treat yourself to a short break at Huka Lodge during our Autumn-Winter tariff period, from 01 May – 30 September 2013, and all these events are yours to enjoy on a complimentary basis, within our normal tariff.

Weddings

Huka Lodge has organised and hosted many gala events and receptions and continues to do so regularly. These range from a corporate client taking over the entire property as an incentive reward for staff and customers to some of the most beautiful weddings imaginable.

We are able to re-configure and completely transform spaces according to the event and have specialist staff available to facilitate and plan all this on your behalf.

The Lodge lends itself perfectly to the extra layering required for a gala event with generous fireplaces, room for large arrangements of the most beautiful flowers and masses of candles.

Accommodation

Within 17-acres of magnificent manicured grounds, nestled along the banks of the Waikato River, accommodation is available within just 25 rooms.

These comprise 18 Jnr Lodge Suites, one Lodge Suite and the two exclusive Huka Lodge Cottages. The Owner’s Cottage provides secluded accommodation for a maximum of eight guests within four bedrooms and the superb Alan Pye Cottage has two bedrooms for four guests.

Jnr Lodge Suites

True retreats in every sense, the rooms are harmonious and deliberately simple in approach. Designed to allow the beauty of the landscape to dominate while providing soft light and layers of well appointed luxury.

Every last detail required for guest comfort has been carefully considered, from the finest monogrammed bed linen, to the freshly baked biscuits. The bathrooms offer every indulgence as well as being spacious and light. Dressing rooms are both large and generous.

The Owner’s Cottage

One of the world’s most exclusive hideaways, offering the best of both worlds, total independence and privacy as well as all of Huka Lodge’s amenities.

The Owner’s Cottage at Huka Lodge sits on an elevated and sunny promontory above the spectacular Waikato River, within the grounds. Virtually completely hidden from view, this secluded hideaway enjoys stunning views downstream to the mighty Huka Falls.

Four superbly decorated spacious en suite guest rooms are anchored by a central living room, dining area, kitchen and den. The colour palette is deliberately muted with elegant use of soft cream and caramel hues for the walls and bleached oak wooden parquet floors throughout. This all contributes to an ambience of calm restful relaxation within the Cottage.

The Cottage displays work by some of New Zealand’s foremost artists – Max Gimblet, Mervyn Taylor, Don Binney, Paul Dibble and Dick Frizell to name a few. The entire retreat is furbished generously with unique pieces chosen for their comfort, beauty and history – like the wonderful 1920s French oak chairs in the living room.

Living/Dining

The Living Room is the centre of the cottage with a magnificent stone fireplace for blazing log fires, high ceilings, cream suede couches, antique leather club chairs – everything you need to absolutely relax.

Guest rooms

The en suite rooms all have super-king size beds, comfortable chairs for lounging and the romance of their own fireplace.

Two of the guest rooms face the river while the other two enjoy a beautiful private courtyard garden aspect. These gardens also feature one of the magnificent outdoor fireplaces that can be found tucked away within the environs of Huka Lodge.

Bathrooms

The bathrooms are beautifully appointed with twin basins, deep baths, separate showers and heated towel rails. The cathedral-style ceilings bathe the rooms in a high level of natural light. The floors are made from wood and all enjoy under floor heating. Large and generous walk-through dressing rooms are adjacent to all of the bathrooms.

The Den

The Den has a workstation, computer, plasma screen television and DVD player, extremely comfortable leather chairs and a cosy fireplace complete the picture. A laundry service is also available with the Cottage.

The kitchen

A well-equipped kitchen is set up for use by guests or a personal chef, with butler service also available if required. Guests may choose to stay in or to wander over to the main Lodge and dine there. Guests at the Owner’s Cottage have use of all Huka Lodge facilities and services as a matter of course.

Outdoor living

A large outdoor deck extends in a continuous line from the living room until it meets the amazing cantilevered infinity pool. The grounds within the Owner’s Cottage also feature a heated spa pool, outdoor furniture suitable for dining, sunbathing, reading or a quiet nap.

Alan Pye Cottage

Named after the charming Irishman who established Huka Lodge (along with its reputation for matchless hospitality), the Alan Pye Cottage opened in late December 2008. Designed by interior designer Virginia Fisher and Christian Anderson, Sumich Architects, the Alan Pye Cottage builds on and continues many of the themes established earlier in 2005, with the stunning Owner’s Cottage, also within the Huka Lodge grounds.

The Cottage takes every advantage of a superb location and sits above lush rolling green lawns and manicured gardens on the banks of the Waikato River, where the powerful and hypnotic turquoise green waters surge downstream on their way to the Huka Falls.

Built to exacting standards and utilising the finest quality heritage materials – cedar, heart timbers, stone and brick, the cottage draws on architectural elements from the 1920s and 1930s with strong reference to the sophisticated elegance of the English Arts & Crafts movement. This influence, in a contemporary re-interpretation, clearly pervades both the exterior and interior design of the Alan Pye Cottage.

The Alan Pye Cottage is certain to carry on the fine tradition of generous hospitality and elegant living established by Alan Pye and his wife at Huka Lodge so long ago. A legacy that drives Huka Lodge to this day to continue to find more ways to define the experience for its guests and to make it truly extraordinary.

View Alan Pye Cottage Floor Plan.

Style

Whilst spacious and faultlessly generous in execution, it boasts a cosy and intimate atmosphere due largely to an extraordinary level of attention to detail, combined with a deliberately eclectic style of furnishing and interior direction. Country antique furniture is overlaid museum-quality Maori antiquities, wonderful paintings and textiles rich in texture and design and the colour palette draws together stunning combinations of deep teal, lime and turquoise for moments of bold punctuation and excitement.

Living/Dining

A magnificent open plan living room, featuring a very high ceiling, with an open fireplace and dining taking place within. This room offers decadently comfortable furniture and everything guests will need to feel this is a true ‘home away from home’. Tall glass doors on both sides of the room face the river on one side and the enclosed courtyard garden and outdoor pavilion on the other.

Guest rooms

The Cottage boasts two large and stylishly appointed bedrooms, with fireplaces, en suite bathrooms and generous walk-through dressing rooms. Both bedrooms are superbly decorated and offer a highly considered level of comfort.

Bathrooms

The bathrooms are beautifully appointed with twin basins, deep baths, separate showers and heated towel rails. The floors are made from limestone and all enjoy under floor heating. Large and generous walk-through dressing rooms are adjacent to all of the bathrooms.

The kitchen

A well-equipped kitchen is set up for a personal chef – guests may choose to stay in or to wander over to the main Lodge and dine there. Guests at The Alan Pye Cottage have use of all Huka Lodge facilities and services as a matter of course.

The Study

A study is tucked away with desk, plasma flat screen television and sound system. This room also has its own separate bathroom should it be required to accommodate an accompanying party.

Outdoor living

A heated infinity-style swimming pool and a separate private spa pool have been integrated into the outdoor landscape. There is also a fabulous stone outdoor pavilion within a courtyard garden featuring a magnificent fireplace.

Escort Rooms

There are a total of six Escort Rooms available at Huka Lodge. These are very simple single rooms designed for children travelling with parents, for accompanying staff such as nannies, personal security, drivers etc.

These rooms contain a single bed, wardrobe unit, bedside table, desk and en suite bathroom with shower and toilet only (no baths).

The four Lodge Escort Rooms are located with three being adjacent to Jnr Lodge Suites 13, 16 & 19 and one interconnecting to Room 4.

The two Owner’s Cottage Escort Rooms are sited independently, however they are in very close proximity to the Cottage.

Gastronomy & Bar

Cuisine continues to define the iconic nature of the hospitality experience at Huka Lodge. Over the years Huka Lodge has been fortunate to have had many outstanding chefs, cooking superb food for its guests. The tradition of generous and fine hospitality is deeply embedded within the Huka Lodge philosophy and the quality of this bears testament to our commitment.

Main Lodge

Panoramic views of the beautiful river, log fire and an antique table for two tucked into a private corner of this warm and richly atmospheric room.

The Library

A cosy book-lined room with a table in front of the log fire offers a high level of seclusion, suitable for 2-10 guests.

The Study

An antique drop-leaf table can be set up for 2-4 guests and faces an elevated view of the river – cosy and intimate.

Outdoor fireplace

The very first outdoor fireplace at Huka Lodge, now one of many, this area is very sheltered and can be used for semi-outdoor dining over more than just the summer months. Can seat 2-8, located just off the Main Lodge Room.

The Trophy Room

This room was designed for many configurations so can accommodate a large group of up to 20 diners or a table for 2 guests in front of the fire. Two terraces provide opportunity for an outdoor table for 2-4, also with river views downstream towards the Huka Falls.

The Wine Cellar

A spacious underground chamber lined with fine vintages can seat 2-10 guests within the central chamber.

The romantic private side chambers are perfect for a table for 2 guests.

Front Terrace

On a stone terrace looking to the river, outdoor dining is available for 2 couples at 2 separate tables – divine in summer.

Jetty Pavilion

On the bank of the deep turquoise-green waters of the Waikato River, the pavilion can seat 2-6 guests. The clever use of a mirror ensures that whatever side of the table you sit on, you can enjoy the river.

River Terrace

With its own outdoor fireplace this intimate area can cater for 2-4 guests in comfort and style. Close to the Main Lodge building with dramatic views of the river and gardens.

In the Grounds

A table for two under the stars, within 17-acres of manicured grounds is always possible.

The Orchard

On top of the wine cellar is a small orchard of heirloom fruit trees – plums, apples, figs, quince etc and two outdoor fireplaces, supplemented by chiminea with two tables that can seat 2-6 guests.

Green Room

On outdoor ‘room’ with three sides completely enclosed by clipped green ‘walls’ comprised of evergreen hedging. Views to the river and chiminea – perfect for 2-6 diners.

Owner’s Cottage

Dining with own personal chef is possible in many areas – dining table, terrace or outdoor fireplace for 2-10 guests.

Alan Pye Cottage

Dining options include the cosy outdoor fireplace pavilion, on the terrace beside the infinity pool, at the indoor dining table, on the lawn within the courtyard – with personal chef, for 2-8 guests.