Renowned for being home to the rare, brown, ‘Rowi' kiwi, Franz Josef Glacier in the heart of Glacier Country is also home to the eco-luxe hotel, Te Waonui Forest Retreat.
Like the flora and fauna of this incredible region, Te Waonui hibernates through the winter months and has now reawakened awakened from to the call of another Kiwi – our homegrown New Zealand traveller.
Like its namesake, our new and extended flock of traveller has had its wings clipped since a global pandemic was declared. While the forest and Te Waonui slept through the winter, its guardians took this time to heed the call of the Kiwi traveller and ‘reimagine’ the Te Waonui experience.
With a world-class reputation, that attracted mostly amongst the high-end overseas market, Te Waonui has always found favour over the summer holiday months with Kiwis looking for a destination and hospitality experience with a difference.
Now, Te Waonui Forest Retreat brings things even closer to home to enable more Kiwis to enjoy a bigger slice of paradise in their own backyard.
"Te Waonui has largely been booked by our high-end international travellers who have mostly come from North America and Europe," says Scenic Hotel Group managing director Brendan Taylor.
"Both the COVID-19 climate and the desire of New Zealanders to dive deeper into their own backyards has motivated us to 'New Zealandise' the Te Waonui offering making it more accessible to Kiwis as well as tweaking a few of the experiential elements to better suit our home market while still offering an eco-luxe experience that is unrivalled in the region."
Surrounded by some of the rarest flora and fauna on the planet and spectacular glaciers forged over tens of thousands of years, guests to Te Waonui will find themselves immersed in beauty so raw only mother nature could have created it.
Sitting sympathetically within this remarkable landscape, Te Waonui Forest Retreat is a tonic for the mind, body and soul. Ninety-seven guest rooms offer privacy and tranquility amidst a native forest setting. With every room overlooking a private piece of native New Zealand rainforest, you can embrace the relaxation, or simply use it as a luxurious base to get out and explore this incredible destination.
Glaciers, walks, heli hiking… New Zealand’s secret escape is yours to explore.
Te Waonui proudly holds a Qualmark Enviro Gold award and is committed to sustainable tourism and hospitality practices throughout the retreat and will suitably support the environmental mandates of its corporate guests.
As if just being there is not enough, the onsite Amaia Luxury Spa tops off the experience with a range of exceptional treatments to soothe out the stresses and strains of the modern world. Guests can enjoy ultimate relaxation with a range of treatments from bamboo rod therapies to hot stone massages and beauty treatments, all using naturally New Zealand products.
