Elite Traveler Fall 2021

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Matakauri Lodge, Owner’s Cottage QUEENSTOWN, NEW ZEALAND

Wellness comes in many forms. Spending time with your nearest and dearest might be the thing that soothes you; Matakauri Lodge in New Zealand is made for a multi-generational getaway in the serene outdoors. This Relais & Châteaux property has just 12 lodgings and is set right on the lightning-bolt-shaped Lake Wakatipu. Formed by glaciers more than 15,000 years ago, the lake is the site of Maori legend: The story goes that an evil giant named Matau, who kidnapped the village chief’s daughter, rests beneath the lake, and the moving tide is thought to be caused by his beating heart. While most of the accommodations have spectacular views of the lake, the sapphire-blue waters are best enjoyed from the freestanding Owner’s Cottage, a 5,000-sq-ft haven with four bedrooms, a spacious sitting and dining room with roaring fireplace, a study and a courtyard with BBQ. On the expansive balcony you’ll find a bubbling infinity-edge hot tub that looks out over the lake and the soaring Cecil Peak and Walter Peak, and the Remarkables mountain range. Wellness wonder A favorite activity of the owners and their family, this helicopter adventure takes off from behind the lodge and soars over the Milford Sound. Land at an alpine lake for a picnic; drive eco-friendly golf balls off a mountain range; hike through a rain forest, or try your hand at catching a trout or two. From $9,650 per night. Contact John Lewis, guest relations manager, reservations@robertsonlodges.com, +64 344 110 08, robertsonlodges.com