Queen Elizabeth II may have never needed to carry a passport but that didn’t stop her from becoming one of the most well-travelled women of her generation. From royal tours and state visits to diplomatic missions and the occasional holiday, Britain’s longest-reigning monarch visited more than 115 countries across her lifetime.
Among the many hotels in which Queen Elizabeth stayed, including Raffles Singapore, the Fairmont Empress in Canada and the Treetops Lodge in Kenya, there were only a handful that she returned to. Among them is Huka Lodge in New Zealand – Her Majesty and Prince Philip first visited in 1953 on their first Commonwealth tour, and the couple returned another nine times during her reign.
© Getty ImagesBut what is it like inside one the late Queen’s favourite hotels, on the other side of the world?
An unrivalled setting
From the moment I checked in, I could see why Queen Elizabeth adored this place. Set on the banks of the crystalline Waikato River in Taupō, the main lodge is surrounded by 17 acres of lush gardens shaded by redwoods, golden ginkgo and native ponga ferns. The chirrups and calls of more than 120 bird species that inhabit the area rang out on the short walk to my suite, one of 20 rooms and two private cottages that make up Huka Lodge.
Room five was a vision of whitewashed woods, vaulted ceilings, Ralph Lauren-like plaids and French doors that open onto the river. It’s a far cry from the humble fishing lodge that set up camp here just over 100 years ago. In the 1930s, the then-Duchess of York, later Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, was one of the first royal guests to stay, tempted to this remote corner of the world by rumours of excellent trout fishing and warm hospitality.
"The Queen and Prince Philip always stayed in this room as far as I know,” Gloria Blackmore, who has worked for Huka Lodge for more than 38 years, told me. She informed me that the royal couple were partial to shortbread biscuits, which remain a part of the welcome amenities, and revealed that Prince Philip once cooked a barbecue for the staff during his 1990 stay. Protection officers were deployed to the surrounding mountains to keep an eye on the couple from the forest.
© Huka LodgeThe late Queen and Prince Philip seemed very much at home here, I’m told, and it didn't take me long to settle in either, helped along by the complimentary mini-bar stocked with full bottles of premium New Zealand wines, moreish local cheeses and hand-crafted chocolates.
In the footsteps of royalty
It would have been so easy to cosy up under a blanket on the deck and just watch flocks of ducks glide past, but the crisp autumnal weather called for a walk, and a favourite pastime of the late Queen must be respected.
I was joined by an old friend who now lives in New Zealand, and we followed in Her Majesty’s footsteps with a late afternoon stroll to nearby Huka Falls. The scenery along the route is postcard-pretty and the golden sunlight shimmered on the meandering Waikato River. We heard the thundering waterfall long before its icicle-white and arctic-blue churn appeared, like something from a fairytale. The water flow is so high here that it is enough to fill five Olympic-sized swimming pools in one minute. No one, not even a queen, could fail to be impressed.
© George ApostolidisSticking with royal hobbies, we also tried our hand at fly fishing, casting for rainbow trout during a two-hour masterclass, which I turned out to be embarrassingly bad at. More experienced anglers – with deep pockets – can fly by helicopter to remote mountain waterways teeming with some of the world’s largest brown trout.
Feast like a queen
Whether it’s just-caught fish, grass-fed lamb or kumara (sweet potato), the region’s wonderful produce is a big draw at Huka Lodge, where breakfast, evening cocktails and canapes, and wine-pairing dinners are included in the rate. Breakfasts are a banquet of homemade granola, organic fruits, smoked Alpine salmon, and bacon and eggs sourced from a nearby farm. I’m still dreaming about the mascarpone and fresh berry pancakes I had the last day.
© George ApostolidisIn the evening, we gathered in the lodge by a roaring log fire with guests from Australia, the United States and Italy to nibble fancy canapes and sip gin cocktails, before being led next door for a four-course dinner beside another flickering fireplace.
The menus here have been created by the award-winning Australian chef Perrin Yates and change every night depending on which ingredients are available – only the freshest will do. Our first meal delivered artichoke crumpets, crayfish truffle raclette, “Bill’s lamb” and a Kaipaki raspberry dessert that almost had me licking the plate.
© George ApostolidisOn the second night, we were given a change of scene with an atmospheric private dinner in the wine cellar, which holds more than 4,500 bottles, including a Château d’Yquem Sauternes 1996 priced at a cool NZD 10,000 (£4,275). We made do with a bold caramel-y chardonnay from Clearview Estate and a rich cherry-ish Craggy Range syrah from Hawke’s Bay – we couldn’t have been happier.
Time to unwind
Between all of the eating and activity, we made sure we took advantage of Huka’s new wellness facilities, which were added during the recent refurbishment by the New Zealand interior designer Virginia Fisher to celebrate the hotel’s 100-year anniversary in 2024.
© Rory FullerIt was a little chilly for the morning yoga class, but I spent a blissful afternoon unravelling with a signature massage at the stylish two-room spa. The evening was spent flitting between the outdoor hot tub, sauna and steam room, giggling with my old school friend like we’re 12 years old again.
Star spotting
I couldn’t climb into my netted bed without taking time to look at the incredible Southern Hemisphere stars. New Zealand is home to some of the world’s darkest skies and the glittering night sparkles as brightly as Huka Lodge’s guest book.
© George ApostolidisAny hotel with the royal seal of approval is bound to attract other famous faces. At Huka, that includes Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, the Spice Girls, Bill Gates, Kate Winslet, Barbra Streisand and Tilda Swinton, as well as a long list of luminaries.
© George Apostolidis“It’s the kind of place celebrities can come and won’t be recognised,” Kerry Molloy, the general manager, told me. “We had Harrison Ford here for a week and I don’t think any of the guests noticed.” So if you ever get a chance to visit, don’t forget to keep your eyes peeled.
How to book it:
A night at Huka Lodge costs from £1,474 (hukalodge.com).
