Local Foreigner advisors Nancy Novogrod, Kate Mitchell, Maggie Ryan, Brooke Lavery, and Jenny Plungis in the Bay of Islands, New Zealand

Earlier this year, five members of the Local Foreigner team made the journey to Middle Earth. While not technically New York City’s antipode, New Zealand is still quite a trip - though the non-stop service between JFK and Auckland that Air New Zealand launched in September 2022 takes a bit of the travel sting out of it. Read on for the highlights of their whistle-stop tour of the best of Aotearoa.

Lodges in New Zealand are intimate, but the landscapes that can be accessed from each doorstep are vast and epic. This is a destination for adventure travelers, view seekers, hikers, golfers, families, and foodies. In fact, one of the main takeaways the team had was the incredible culinary and wine experiences. “The food across the board was amazing-- super fresh organic produce, clean cooking methods, not heavy. Kiwis are very understated, and they are massively underselling what a highlight the cuisine is, so we’re shouting about it,” Local Foreigner partner Brooke Lavery says. Peak time to visit is during winter in the northern hemisphere, making it an ideal destination for the holidays or spring break; given the size of the properties, you’ll just want to book now for the 2025-2026 season, and it’s not too early to start thinking about Christmas 2026.

100,000 square miles of the world’s most beautiful landscapes is the birthright of every New Zealander. Luckily, the Kiwis are willing to share their splendid land with those who take the time to visit. While the Local Foreigner team blazed through the country in just eight nights, do as we say and not as we do and stay a while - this is a place worth savoring. “With more than 13 high-end lodges throughout a country the size of Colorado, every itinerary is going to be very particular to each traveler’s niche interests and priorities. Do you want to golf? Is someone a die-hard fisherman?” Brooke asks as she paints the picture of all the types of travelers the country is right for. “What about hiking... an hour-long hike or would you like to include one of New Zealand's 10 Great Walks? Do you have a favorite wine region? What about the adrenaline-junky experiences around Queenstown, like a Shotover Jet or bungee jumping? Are you open to including a helicopter?” As travel advisors, it’s our job to say yes to all of those questions.

After landing Auckland, the team hopped on a short domestic flight to the Bay of Islands, on the north end of the North Island. We’re big on running on adrenaline around here, so on landing in Kerikeri, they were off for a round of golf, lunch, and a 4WD tour to take in the views and learn a bit about the region’s Maori history. After this mega-day, they flopped into the cloud-like beds of Rosewood Kauri Cliffs. “Kauri Cliffs is in such a beautiful setting, sitting on 6,000 acres of coastal farmland with a stunning championship golf course that is the star of the show. The highlights of the main lodge are the side and back porches, with gorgeous views of the putting tee and panoramic view of the water and coast,” Local Foreigner advisor Maggie Ryan says.

The next morning after breakfast overlooking Takou Bay, the group boarded a boat to The Landing. With four private villas decked out in cool woods and sleek stone, the architecture also make the most of the jaw-dropping surroundings, with huge windows at every turn overlooking the vineyards and views over the water. “The Landing feels special and remote. It’s set on a peninsula, on 1,000 acres or farmland with six beaches, 11 miles of walking paths, and a vineyard. Every view is more stunning than the next from each of the 4 villas,” Maggie continues. A private host services each villa, handling concierge requests like transfers and pantry stocking, and coordinating with the private chef for all meals, which are prepared and served in-villa.

After a wine tasting and dinner, they headed out on a nighttime walk in search of the elusive iconic bird, the kiwi. These shy little creatures live all over The Landing’s property, and while they mostly stick to their burrows during daylight hours, at night, it’s possible to spot them foraging for food.

While kiwis don’t migrate, the next morning, the team’s plan was to fly south to Hawke’s Bay, but weather interfered. Often as advisors, we travel in shoulder or off season, so we’re used to a little hiccup or two caused by seasonality - fortunately, our on-the-ground partners in New Zealand were on top of it and rearranged the next three days’ worth of the itinerary while the group enjoyed a cappucino.

So while, geographically, the next logical spot on the map was Rosewood Cape Kidnappers, instead, the five Local Foreigners rolled with the punches and arrived a day early for their stay at Wharekauhau Country Estate in Palliser Bay. “Wharekauhau was the only place we stayed for two nights during our trip, and I am so glad it was here,” says advisor Kate Mitchell. “There’s a fabulous woman who runs the farm tours and can hop on an ATV or grab an eel out of the water with her bare hands like she’s folding laundry on a Tuesday. The staff feels like family.” All five took a turn behind the wheel of the property’s ATVs, bombing over scenic riverbanks and whipping some pretty respectable donuts on the black sand beaches. They capped things off with dinner and plenty of local wine.

With the weather behaving, after waving goodbye to Wharekauhau’s sheep, the group doubled back to Hawke’s Bay to check out Rosewood Cape Kidnappers. While New Zealand is one of the world’s great golf destinations, the mention of Cape Kidnappers carries extra weight; it’s consistently ranked in the world’s top 100 courses. “The golf course is pretty epic here. Incredible course and amazing views. It's also in wine heaven,” Kate says.

After five epic nights in the North Island, it was time to make the hop over the Cook Strait to the wilder, woolier South Island. The final ripple of the shifted schedule allowed for a stop in Christchurch, for lunch and a visit to Otahuna, a nineteenth-century mansion that has been impeccably restored by Hall Cannon and Miles Refo, American ex-pats who uprooted their lives in New York in 2006. They now run one of Local Foreigner’s favorite boutique properties in the world, with just seven suites set in the middle of 30 acres of botanic gardens. “Otahuna is Relais & Chateau at its finest,” Kate says. “Huge focus on the food. King Charles and Queen Camilla have stayed here, and it’s all charm. This is a place where you sit outside at a table, sipping coffee, reading a book.”

“Otahuna is also a great place to bring a family - given its size, it’s a fabulous buy-out,” adds advisor Nancy Novogrod.

“Taking this over for Christmas morning would be right out of there fairytale,” Kate continues.

Back on schedule after a delicious lunch, the five landed in Queenstown, and then it was a quick transfer to Lake Wakatipu and the cozy, stone-and-timber Blanket Bay. “Blanket Bay almost felt like it could have been located on a ski mountain, and we loved that it had a different feel to it than many of the other options in the area. Think antlers on the walls, game rooms, and large glass windows with views of the lake,” says advisor Jenny Plungis.

The South Island is known one of the world’s great adventure travel centers, and the LF team was not about to miss out on the fun. They lifted off from Queenstown by helicopter before landing at a private, restored gold miner’s cottage from the 1860s, complete with al fresco kitchen, player piano, and saloon, that can only be reached by chopper.

“You’re at the end of the earth here, but the lodge has its own dock on the lake where you can be picked up for activities - if you’re a traveler that wants to experience the wilds of the South Island, this is an amazing place to do it,” Jenny says.

Setting off along the Dart River by jetboat

The next morning, they departed by jetboat along the Dart River. These speed demons can travel up to 55 miles an hour, and are a rite of passage for visitors to the South Island. But two of the team members had bigger adrenaline rushes on the brain - Kate and Brooke took the 142-foot leap from Kawarau Bridge Bungy, the world's first permanent commercial bungee site. Nancy, Jenny, and Maggie sensibly watched from the viewing platform while sipping a beer.

For their last night, more views were on order at Rosewood Matakauri. “Matakauri is only about 15 minutes from Queenstown, so you get a great blend of nature and the beauty of the Queenstown region, with easy the access to all the activities. The accommodations have huge windows with views of the mountains and the setting is just stunning,” Jenny continues.

After this fitting finale, all five headed back to Auckland and on to the states, with camera rolls full of videos to make their families (and all of their coworkers) jealous. “Everyone needs to go to New Zealand for the setting - you'll recap your incredible day each evening over high-quality delicious food before retiring to a very comfortable room, “ Brooke says. The scenery and the people of New Zealand will capture your heart.”

Local Foreigner in New Zealand