Like all those great homesteads that have been converted into resorts, in the British Isles and from Maine to Miami along the Atlantic seaboard, the Mangapapa Lodge intones the ambiance of an aristocratic yesteryear from the moment once passes through the pillared gateway, flanked as it is by two lion statues that protect the property with pride. This whitewashed colonial estate exists in harmony and memory with the traditions and cultures of generations past, from the impeccable service bestowed on guests from the moment they pass through the gates, to charming touches in the guest rooms, and to the gardens that splay outward into the contours of the New Zealand countryside. On the senses, this is high-test country, in a host of ways. Silver birch trees that line the drive shimmer, and peach and apple orchards release their fragrance into the sharp temperate air. From the lodge’s veranda, which wraps around two sides of the lodge, the view of rose gardens, finely landscaped copses of established trees, and the fruit orchards stretch 20 acres out into the hills, bringing to life imagined rapture. The virility of the land is well-noted in Hawkes Bay; it is the North Island’s finest wine country, just far enough inland to feel immersed in the countryside, but close enough to the sea that the faint scent of salt lingers when the breeze is right. With world-class golf, hiking, and wine tours, and a year-round climate conducive to time well spent outdoors, Mangapapa Lodge’s location and exclusivity make it one of the finest country retreats in the world.

For 115 years, Mangapapa Lodge has been, in order, the hub of a thriving cannery business, an equestrian center, on which horses reared have won the Melbourne and Caulfield Cups. Mangapapa means “fertile land,” and on the traditions that had been sown in the soils for decades, European business emigrants purchased the Lodge in 1993, renovating it by bringing in the entire contents of their home abroad. When the Lodge was again sold in 1999, a new renovation brought it back in line with local traditions, and strong ties with the local community were re-established. Today, guests of Mangapapa Lodge check in to one of a dozen unique private suites, ranging from the Lodge Rooms to the expansive, three-room Mangapapa Suite, each with its own unique décor and views of the surrounding orchards and manicured gardens. Each room features standard luxury amenities and fixtures, along with a pair of exquisite regional touches – fresh-cut flowers and a complimentary fruit basket perfume each suite. An on-site pool, spa, and sauna serve to help steer guests towards a state of complete bliss and relaxation.

Down the road from the Lodge’s location within the triangle of towns made up of Napier, Hastings, and Havelock North, the Cape Kidnappers Golf Club, Travel + Lesiure Golf’s 2004 Best New International Course, draws the world’s most enthusiastic golfers to a Tom Doak creation along the bluffs of Hawkes Bay that is certain to occupy a high spot in any list of best international courses for years to come. But long before Doak left his innocuous mark on the coast, Hawke’s Bay has drawn wine aficionados and the outdoor set, and that calling has not quieted. Winery tours on the region’s ‘Wine Trail’ can take up several days of sampling the best from the region’s ubiquitous vineyards, and a trip to the Hawkes Bay Farmers Market in Napier yields seasonal delights: crisp greens in the spring, sweet corn, eggplant, and stone fruits in the summer, apples and pears in the fall and citrus fruits in the winter months. The countryside also yields superb flyfishing, hiking, trekking routes, and the Gannet Colony, a unique sanctuary for both the rare island bird and the most fervent ornithologists who wish to observe this winged friend in its natural habitat. A three-hour round trip from the lodge, either by four-wheel bus or a tractor-trailer that runs along the cliff's bluff, the trip times actually vary according to the tides; either at the break of dawn or in the early evening, it still makes for a thrilling trip.

In a region so replete with fresh and organic ingredients, it should be expected that the region’s best restaurant offer fine interpretations, but even those lofty assumptions are almost infallibly exceeded. The Lodge restaurant offers a menu and wine list among the very best anywhere in the world. Among starters, the pork fillet and pear salad with candied walnut dressing is sinful, the scallops and chorizo an eloquent reading of land and sea. While most of the chef’s creations aspire to clarity, some consider international influences, like the chili and garlic prawn with squid ink noodles. Mains are divine and uncomplicated – classic takes on free-range chicken, rack of lamb, and beef fillet are each memorable, and executive chef Bryan McGruer does inspired takes with the market catch. Of five desserts, the poached pear with mascarpone and chocolate torte with raspberry coulis are extraordinary. The Mangapapa Lodge menu usually offers four- or five-course set menus, which varies seasonally to accommodate the freshest ingredients.

The extensive wine list draws heavily from regional vineyards, and the Lodge’s own reserve label are a welcome pairing for the regional creations on the menu. In food, wine, and leisure, the Mangapapa Lodge conveys the richest virtues of rural Kiwi culture, an experience from the other side of the world that is destined to lodge in one's memory for life.