Taupo's luxury Huka Lodge was named the third best hotel in the world. Photo / Supplied
Taupo's luxury Huka Lodge was named the third best hotel in the world. Photo / Supplied
A Kiwi hotel, island and airline have been named among the world's best by Travel and Leisure magazine.
The luxury travel magazine's annual World's Best Awards resulted in impressively high rankings for the two New Zealand destinations.
The luxurious Huka Lodge in Taupo came third in T&L's list of the 100 best hotels in the world. Most importantly, it was ranked ahead of any Australian entries, with the Southern Ocean Lodge on Kangaroo Island coming in at a tied fourth-place with Montage Kapalua Bay in Maui, Hawaii.
Activities offered included hunting, fishing, golf, on-track motor racing, riding (either equine or quad bike) on a nearby station - and there's a helicopter on offer for scenic flights, naturally.
The lodge has hosted a star-studded array of guests, from royalty to rockstars - including the Queen, Bill Gates and Pink Floyd.
Waiheke Island was named the fourth best island in the world, beating the picturesque Santorini in Greece, as well as the Haiwaiian island of Maui.
Also popular with visiting celebrities, the island has been visited by Taylor Swift, Miley Cyrus, Kendrick Lamar and Jeremy Clarkson in recent years - although Clarkson wasn't very positive about his visit.
Palawan and Boracay in the Phillippines took out the first and second spots respectively.
Waiheke Island has been highly praised, yet again. Photo / Supplied
It's yet another accolade for the small island in Auckland's Hauraki Gulf, which was voted the fifth best destination in the world by Lonely Planet last year.
Air New Zealand was named as one of the best international airlines. Photo / NZ Herald
The magazine also listed the the best cities in Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific. While Sydney took out the top spot, Queenstown made it to number two and Wellington made an appearance at number four.
Queenstown was New Zealand's highest ranked city. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Travel and Leisure World's Best Awards
The 100 Best Hotels in the World
1. Niwhitu, Sumbu, Indonesia 2. The Spectator, Charleston, South Carolina 3. Huka Lodge, Taupo, New Zealand 4. (tie) Southern Ocean Lodge, Kangaroo Island, Australia 4. (tie) Montage Kapalua Bay, Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii 6. The Lodge at Glendorn, Bradford, Pennsylvania 7. The Willcox, Aiken, South Carolina 8. Casa Gangotena, Quito, Ecuador 9. Twin Farms, Barnard, Vermont 10. The Singular Patagonia, Puerto Bories, Chile
The World's Best Islands
1. Palawan, Philippines 2. Boracay, Philippine 3. Ischia, Italy 4. Waiheke, New Zealand 5. Santorini, Greece 6. Cebu, Philippines 7. Maui, Hawaii 8. Hilton Head, South Carolina 9. Kauai, Hawaii 10. Bali, Indonesia
The Best International Airlines
1. Singapore Airlines 2. Emirates 3. Qatar Airways 4. Etihad Airways 5. Virgin Atlantic Airways 6. Cathay Pacific Airways 7. Air New Zealand 8. EVA Air 9. Korean Air 10. Porter Airlines
The Best Cities in Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific
