BUILT ON GOOD GROUND

A century of stories on the banks of New Zealand’s Waikato River.

Just outside Taupō on New Zealand’s North Island, Huka Lodge sits along the banks of the Waikato River, upstream from the thundering Huka Falls. What began as a simple fishing camp in 1924 has become one of the country’s most celebrated retreats, with 17 acres of gardens and a century of hospitality woven into its story.

LEARN MORE

Readers’ Choice Awards 2026 – No. 9 Best Resorts in Australasia & South Pacific

2026 Star Awards – Four Stars

Best Hotels Asia-Pacific 2025

The World’s 50 Best Hotels 2026 The 51-100 List #82

Readers’ Choice Awards 2026 – No. 18 Best Resort in Australia and South Pacific

Two MICHELIN Keys – September 2026

Fodor’s Finest 2026: The 5 Best Hotels in Australia and the Pacific

The WanderSleeps List

Hotel Awards – Best New Country Retreats

Huka Lodge Recognized in La Liste’s World’s Best Hotels

Huka Lodge building with large windows, chimneys, and covered outdoor seating areas, set against a backdrop of trees and blooming cherry blossoms.

WHERE YOU’LL STAY

Life Along the Waikato

Outdoor seating area with a dining set and sofas overlooking a wide, tree-lined river under a glass roof.

Twenty suites and two private residences are woven throughout the estate, each with its own place among the grounds and the emerald-blue water never far from view. Interiors are relaxed but refined, all warm timber and soft linen, with French doors thrown open to the sound of the river.

BOOK ACCOMMODATIONS

Two people stand on a cliff overlooking a powerful, turquoise waterfall surrounded by lush green forest.

Lake Taupō covers 616 km² of the North Island, an area comparable to the entire city of Chicago.

This land carries centuries of heritage from the Māori people who have called this region home long before it had a name.

At Huka Falls, the Waikato River narrows from 100 meters wide to just 15, pushing 220,000 liters through every second.

More than 40 rivers feed into Lake Taupō, drawing anglers from around the world for some of the best trout fishing anywhere.

Gourmet dessert featuring a golden sphere, fruit slices, cream, and a pink sorbet, artfully presented in a rustic bowl.

DINING

What the Land Provides

Each plate follows the seasons, built from New Zealand ingredients at their peak. The kitchen works closely with local growers, so every dish reflects the land and water beyond it, alongside a cellar of exceptional New Zealand wine.

EXPLORE OUR TABLE

WELLNESS

Restoration Runs Deep

A woman relaxes in a wooden sauna, gazing out a large window at lush green forest foliage.

Huka Spa sits apart from everything, a handful of private huts hidden among the trees with geothermal warmth rising just beneath the surface. Birdsong and the flow of the Waikato are the only sounds that reach you here, as treatments draw on manuka honey, thermal mud, and warmed stone.

VISIT THE SPA

Featured Experiences

Huka Lodge

Fly into Rotorua for a remarkable day of Māori culture, ziplining, hāngī and white-water rafting.

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The People Who Shape Your Stay

Kerry Molloy General Manager | Huka Lodge

Kerry has spent more than a decade quietly orchestrating life at Huka, anticipating what guests need before they ask and preserving the effortless hospitality that keeps generations returning.

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The People Who Shape Your Stay

Clare Walker Assistant General Manager | Huka Lodge

After nearly nine years at Huka, Clare knows no two days unfold the same way, happily stepping in wherever she’s needed to help turn the moving pieces of lodge life into a memorable stay.

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The People Who Shape Your Stay

Perrin Yates Executive Chef | Huka Lodge

Perrin lets New Zealand set the menu, building relationships with local growers, fishers, farmers, and makers to create food that connects what’s on the plate to the place and people behind it.

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The People Who Shape Your Stay

Gloria Blackmore Housekeeper | Huka Lodge

Gloria has spent more than 37 years learning every detail of Huka Lodge, becoming its living encyclopedia and the trusted hand behind countless touches that make the lodge feel like home.

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Kerry Molloy, General Manager at Huka Lodge

Clare Walker, Assistant General Manager at Huka Lodge

Perrin Yates, Executive Chef at Huka Lodge

An Itinerary to Inspire

Sample itinerary

Follow the Water
Huka Lodge

Duration 4 nights
Start Where Huka Began

Spend your first afternoon on the lawn beside the Waikato River, learning to cast where anglers have come for nearly a century. Stay awhile afterward. The river is reason enough not to rush inside.

CAST A LINE
CAST A LINE
Wake Up Slowly

On your first morning, notice the dew still clinging to the leaves and the early light moving through the gardens. Take your coffee outside, listen to the river, and enjoy a few quiet hours with nowhere else to be.

SAVOR THE SILENCE
SAVOR THE SILENCE
See Taupō From Above

On your second day, trade the water for the sky. After a morning cruising Lake Taupō, lift off for views of geothermal terraces, volcanic landscapes, Māori rock carvings, and Huka Falls before touching down on the lawn at the lodge.

TAKE TO THE SKY
TAKE TO THE SKY
By the numbers

Height of the Mine Bay Māori rock carvings in meters 14

Acres of parkland surrounding Huka Lodge 17

Water rushing over Huka Falls every second 220,000 liters

Years since Lake Taupō’s last major eruption 1,800+
Give the Afternoon to Huka

By day three, keep an afternoon for nowhere but the lodge. Swim beneath the hedges, wander the gardens, play croquet on the lawn, or find a chair beneath the willows and watch the Waikato River roll past.

EXPLORE THE LODGE
EXPLORE THE LODGE
Linger Over Dinner

As evening settles over the river, start with drinks and canapés before taking your seat for dinner. Menus change with the seasons, bringing New Zealand lamb, seafood, native ingredients, and local produce to the table alongside exceptional wines.

COME TO THE TABLE
COME TO THE TABLE
Paddle the Waikato

On your final full day, see the river from a different angle. Paddle through pumice gorges and clear water, keeping an eye out for trout below before stopping for a soak in natural hot springs along the way.

GET ON THE WATER
GET ON THE WATER

Three Nights on the Waikato
Huka Lodge

Duration 3 nights
Day One | Settle In Riverside

Explore Huka Lodge’s 17 acres of parkland, play a round of pétanque or tennis, and find a shady spot beneath the willows along the Waikato River. As evening falls, enjoy drinks and canapés overlooking the water before dinner showcasing premium local produce and world-class wines.

MAKE YOURSELF AT HOME
MAKE YOURSELF AT HOME
Day Two | Follow the River

Wake to morning mist rising from the Waikato River and enjoy a leisurely country-style breakfast. After lunch, explore Spa Thermal Park and follow the river upstream to Huka Falls, where turquoise waters thunder through a narrow natural channel.

CHASE THE FALLS
CHASE THE FALLS
Return to the lodge for an evening of exceptional food and wine. Dine in the elegant dining room or choose a private setting, from the riverside deck to the intimate wine cellar or heritage Piper Room.

TAKE YOUR PICK
TAKE YOUR PICK
Day Three | Cast and Cruise

Head out with a personal guide for a morning of fly fishing in Taupō’s pristine waterways, home to brown and rainbow trout. After lunch, cruise Lake Taupō aboard a luxury vessel or paddle by kayak to the Ngātoroirangi Mine Bay Māori Rock Carvings. Return to the lodge for fireside drinks and a four-course dinner.

CAST A LINE
CAST A LINE
Day Four | One Last Morning

Begin your final day with private yoga on the lawn, followed by breakfast in the dining room. Say farewell to the lodge team, or make your departure an adventure with a scenic helicopter flight over Taupō’s spectacular landscape.

TAKE FLIGHT
TAKE FLIGHT

Sample itinerary

Overheard

“The peacefulness of the lodge and the breathtaking views was a highlight. On top of this, the staff were super friendly and attentive and nothing was too much to ask. The quality of the food was spectacular.”

Leigh & Jennifer Guests of Huka Lodge, 2026

A table and chairs on a wooden deck overlook the scenic Waikato River and lush green hills under a clear blue sky.

Overheard

“The staff from the moment we arrived were exceptional. They looked after us in every possible way. The renovation has made something that was already gorgeous into something magical.”

Ange Guest of Huka Lodge, 2026

Lush green ferns and trees surround a clear stream with a small waterfall, reflecting the abundant foliage and delicate pink blossoms.

Overheard

“This place is just magical and your staff were exceptional. Nothing was too much trouble for them. We came to recharge and relax and we did just that.”

Kim Guest of Huka Lodge, 2026

Scenic view of the Waikato River from a Lodge Suite at Huka Lodge, featuring large windows and outdoor views of lush greenery.

Overheard

“I was made to feel very special without staff going overboard – such a gift for a special birthday. The whole experience was just lovely. The food and wine were amazing as well.”

Bernadette