Hotel Review: Hapuku Lodge + Tree Houses

There’s a special kind of energy at Hapuku Lodge + Tree Houses in Kaikoura, New Zealand, that makes you drop your guard. Maybe it’s the familiar friendliness of its small staff, the casual comfort of its interiors or the way the property is nuzzled between the snowcapped Kaikoura Seaward Mountain Range and the dolphin-filled Mangamaunu Bay.

The vibe was immediately apparent when we first arrived, as Chris Sturgeon, general manager for Hapuku Lodge + Tree Houses, gathered us around the large stone fireplace in the main sitting area to tell us a little bit about the property and its history.

Having just spent a few hours on the road, and a couple more exploring the sleepy town center of Kaikoura in the cold, we wanted nothing more than to retreat into our individual rooms — maybe take a hot dip in the tub. But the sitting room was impossibly cozy, with the fire crackling in front of us and the nostalgic wintery scent of pine cones filling the air. And so we found ourselves settling in, unable to move a muscle and sinking deeper into the plush sectional.

Hapuku is located on a deer-breeding farm on the South Island, and guests can find deer, chickens and pigs wandering its grounds. 

It’s also very much a hideaway where clients can experience the true Kaikoura, in part thanks to the owners, who have worked for many years to bring the land back to its original state. Case in point: Most of the food clients eat at the hotel’s restaurant — from the veggies to the seafood and cheeses — either comes from the property’s own garden or from local Kaikoura producers.

As with many small, family-owned properties, this lodge prides itself on intimacy and on making its guests feel like they’re at home. Dining at its unassuming yet incredible restaurant, helmed by executive chef Fiona Read, is a social affair — an opportunity to rub elbows with fellow guests/short-term neighbors. And with just five treehouses, two lodge suites and the three-bedroom, standalone Olive House, the property almost always feels private and exclusive. It’s posh yet laid back, opulent but also accessible to all.

Lodge suites have large soaking tubs, king-size beds and balconies, while treehouses — located at least 30 feet off the ground — have either one bedroom or two. Kitchenettes come stocked with fresh-baked, addictive homemade cookies — a warm welcome from Fiona’s kitchen. Notably, at Olive House, the former site of the property’s olive press and latest accommodation addition, the television is mounted on a remote-controlled sliding panel so that it disappears into the ceiling, out of sight. And, naturally, the stand-alone tub offers a stunning view.

Although Hapuku obviously spared no expense on design flourishes, folks who might splurge for a few nights’ stay here are never in any danger of feeling out of place or even guilty for being overly indulgent.

Hapuku is, after all, still very much the unpretentious country lodge its Kiwi owners intended it to be.

The Details
Hapuku Lodge + Tree Houses
www.hapukulodge.com