As it turns out, Middle-earth is real.
Elves, hobbits and trolls may hide in the shadows of the grassy tussocks (lumpy bits of flaxen meadowland), soaring mountains, snow-capped peaks, pink-sanded beaches, craggy canyons and the pine-tree-rimmed sea cliffs that I explore in New Zealand. But, as I trudge through the southern hemisphere’s most captivating island nation, I don’t see any of these magical beings. And yet their presence is palpable in the mystical allure of the landscape.
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The affable denizens I do meet, called Kiwis, are not characters clamoring to reclaim the Lost Dwarf Kingdom. They are earthy humans with a penchant for extreme sports, straight talk, local food, their indigenous Maori culture and winemaking. They welcome visitors like clansmen into their storybook land. Whether it’s a chef cooking with local ingredients, an athlete trekking a wending coastal trail or a farmer tending sheep, the Kiwis root deeply into this soul-gripping terrain. And they don’t take it for granted. Can you imagine a better name for a jaw-dropping mountain range thanThe Remarkables? That sounds like something from Tolkien himself.
Views abound at the Matakauri Lodge. Contributed by Matakauri
On the South Island, I visit The Remarkables. Edging the Otago, a winemaking region praised for its Pinot Noirs, this area may be best known as the birthplace of bungee jumping. But when I check into Matakauri Lodge, just a few minutes from quirky Queenstown, I see a couple taking a leap of another sort. On a grassy knoll hovering above Lake Wakatipu, with The Remarkables’ jagged peaks and the lake’s glassy immensity behind, this bride and groom have picked the ideal spot for their nuptials. An intimate Relais & Chateaux getaway, which hosted William and Kate, among other luminaries, Matakauri Lodge exudes that coming-home-to-be-coddled sensation that travelers long for. Take the book-filled library, with its telescope aimed at the Southern Cross. Or the crackling outdoor fire. Spacious, cottage-like rooms have patios (ideal for breakfast in your bathrobe) so you can begin your day awestruck by the view. And soaking tubs with panoramic windows ensure you end it that way, too. Matakauri’s cliquish complimentary cocktail hour brings guests together to mingle and share their travel tips and experiences of the day (How was your bungee jump? Did you take the helicopter ride to Milford Sound and land in the glacier? Is the Lord of the Rings tour worth my time? Does Amisfield or Peregrine vineyards make the best wine? Was the Fergburger really that good?) before they retire to individual tables (views guaranteed) for dinner.
What we love:
• The lake: Glimmering, magical and edged by a leafy forest, it defines the surrounding.
• The restaurant: As a Relais-Chateaux member, the hotel has a hyper-culinary focus. The restaurant, farm-to-plate, brings locals as well as guests.
• The vibe: Casual but classy and clubby. The all-hotel happy hour truly is a nostalgically edifying and fortifying experience.
Need to know:
• If you can, fly Air New Zealand. It’s the best way to go.
• The small spa offers supreme treatments. Try the Manuka Honey Facial to fight jet lag and immerse into repose.
Room to book:
The outlying Deluxe Suites are worth the short walk to the main building. Commodious, with over-sized bathrooms and and a residential atmosphere, they feel like a place you could stay for weeks on end.
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