The best of luxury at TRENZ 2014

At New Zealand's major travel show last month a dedicated luxury section was created within the main hall in Auckland.

Rupert Murray highlights some of the best here.

Sofitel -? www.sofitel.com/New_Zealand
The internationally renowned high end hotel brand has two hotels in New Zealand and one is due to open shortly. The two already open are in Auckland and Queenstown while Sofitel Wellington is scheduled to welcome it’s first arrivals at the end of 2014.

Touch of Spice - www.touchofspice.co.nz/
Billed as ‘curators of New Zealand’s finest experience’ and they might be right. They offer the likes of luxury villa stays in Queenstown to bespoke itineraries exploring the whole of New Zealand in style.
Arranging things like private jet hire, romantic evenings dining with New Zealand's best chefs or afterhours access to fashion boutiques for that a last minute party dress are all in a day's work.

Green Journeys - www.greenjourneys.co.nz/
Green Journeys is a guide to New Zealand's best luxury accommodation and activities covering things like eco lodges, small boutique hotels, romantic cottages, urban retreats and charming bed and breakfasts matched with the best guided activities and experiences along New Zealand's iconic touring routes. The focus is on local guides and lodge hosts along with the best restaurants, quietest beaches, great hiking travel, boutique wineries and remarkable guided tours.

Pure Cruise - www.purecruise.co.nz/
Experience the best Lake Rotoiti has to offer with Pure Cruise New Zealand onboard luxury yacht 'Tiua', which is a stylish 53 foot catamaran. Lake Rotoiti is considered one of the most stunning and undiscovered lakes of Rotorua. Tiua has recently been refurbished and is capable of hosting up to 50 guests for social events, incentives, meetings and private charters. Activities incude trout fishing, sight-seeing, sailing, swimming, or visiting natural hot pools.

The George - www.thegeorge.com/
A luxury boutique hotel in Christchurch overlooking Hagley Park and river Avon? close to the cultural precinct. The hotel has two award-winning restaurants (50 Bistro and pescatore) and its stunning gardens are a popular wedding venue.
It is a member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World.

Fiordland Lodge - www.fiordlandlodge.co.nz/luxury-accommodation
The lodge has 10 rooms in the lodge and two separate self-contained log cabins. All accommodation has views over Lake Te Anau, and access to either the balcony upstairs, or the lawn downstairs. Across the lake to the west lie the mountains of Fiordland National Park, an area of over three million acres of untouched wilderness and part of the much larger South West New Zealand World Heritage Area.

Luxury Lodges of New Zealand - www.lodgesofnz.co.nz/
This organisation is designed to show you the very best accommodation in the country.
The threads that bind them are outstanding locations, being owned and operated by people who share a deep love and knowledge of their surroundings, and exclusivity. The lodges also provide different experiences including personal guiding, tours of their vineyard or farmland, indulgent spa treatments, helicopter adventures from their grounds and great recreational facilities.

Hapuku Lodge & Treehouses – www.hapukulodge.com/
The family behind this lodge are architects and builders who designed and built the lodge, the tree houses the majority of the furniture. There are five luxury tree houses and in the main lodge there are four rooms as well as a lap-pool and sauna. The tree houses are 30 feet up in the canopy of a native Manuka grove, and all have views of Kaikoura's dramatic mountains and the Pacific coastline.

Over The Top Helicopter Company - www.flynz.co.nz/
With the latest helicopters available excursions incorporate Queenstown, Milford Sound and the Fiords of southern New Zealand, alpine glaciers and remote lakes with gourmet picnics, hiking, boating, extreme golfing, wine tours, heliskiing or fly fishing.

Museum Art Hotel - www.museumhotel.co.nz/
The Wellington hotel has recently completed a NZ$2 million refurbishment of 68 rooms to match the quality of the 100 apartment style rooms. The recreated rooms have Coco Chanel inspired gold and mirror interiors with wall art providing the colour.

Cloud 12 - www.cloud12.co.nz/
A collection of New Zealand stays and activities that take you from Cloud 9 to Cloud 12. The luxury and? boutique experiences are handpicked by Angela Scott who has over 15 years experience in the travel trade industry. These include staying in a luxury lodge, boutique bed & breakfast, soaking in a thermal hot pool or enjoying a whole fresh crayfish.

Azur Lodge – www.azur.co.nz/
Azur, near Queenstown, offers luxury accommodation with magnificent views of Lake Wakatipu and the surrounding mountains of The Remarkables as well as Cecil and Walter Peaks. There are nine freestanding, open plan villas and a main lodge that serves as the focal point for Azur. The lobby, kitchen, dining room and guest lounge can be found in the main lodge.

Minaret Station – www.minaretstation.com/
Minaret Station is New Zealand’s first luxury tented lodge, located at the head of a glacial valley in the heart of the Southern Alps. It is accessible only by helicopter, and guests stay in luxurious tents? with wall to wall sheepskin carpet, king beds, a private deck set with its own hot tub, full en-suite with double vanity and endless hot showers. Activities include include hiking, farming; wild game spotting, exploring by helicopter and fly-fishing.

Te Waonui Forest Retreat – www.tewaonui.co.nz/
Encircled by native bush, this retreat is designed to be sustainable.Natural lighting is abundant, building materials have been chosen to minimise environmental impact, and the retreat’s carbon footprint is reduced with energy efficient design. Furniture and fittings incorporate natural wool carpets, organic cotton bedspreads and even possum skin cushioning, in-keeping with the character of the region.

Boutique Hotels & Lodges NZ - www.boutiquehotels.co.nz/
A collection of intimate and friendly hotel, lodges and villas across Northland, Auckland, Waiheke Island, Lake Taupo,? Hawkes Bay, New Plymouth,? Nelson,? Marlborough,? Kaikoura, Christchurch,? Oamaru -North Otago,? Queenstown, Arrowtown, Wanaka and the West Coast.
They vary from elegant and historic mansions, to chic, luxurious and very stylish boutique hotels.