Waiheke lodges named in world hot 100

By JULIET ROWAN

Three New Zealand luxury lodges, including two on Waiheke Island, have made an illustrious list of the world's top 100 new hotels.

The three named on the Conde Nast Traveler magazine 2004 Hot List were Delamore Lodge and the Glass House, both on Waiheke, and Otahuna Lodge, near Christchurch.

Only one Australian hotel is on the list, the Moog Hotel in Sydney.

Delamore, which has been open about 18 months, is nestled on a hillside overlooking Owhanake Bay on the northwestern tip of the island and has views of Rakino Island.

Local architect Ron Stevenson designed the plaster building to look like a bone fish-hook.

The Glass House, on a ridge above Rocky Bay on the west of the island, features cool, minimalist design.

Both resorts have their own chefs and offer beauty treatments.

Prices start at $420 a night at the Glass House and $695 at Delamore.

About half the guests at Delamore come from the United States and Britain, and most of the others from New Zealand, said owner Roselyn Barnett-Storey. Australians make up an increasing number.

The lodge also attracts its fair share of celebrity clients. Jonah Lomu and wife Fiona held their wedding there in August last year.

Ms Barnett-Storey would not divulge other names, but said inquiries from overseas had been coming in thick and fast since the lodge made the Conde Nast list.

Glass House manager David Eyre said his clients were mainly locals, but there were growing numbers of Americans and Australians.

Otahuna, the third New Zealand hotel on the list, is a grand white mansion built in 1895 for Sir Heaton Rhodes, one of the pioneers of Canterbury. It is one of Australasia's finest examples of Queen Anne architecture.