R J.
Yelp
Wife and I just arrived from a long day's travel from the USA the 3rd week of March 2017. Took the Half Moon Bay car ferry over (a pleasure -try their "cheese and onion toasties" they're delicious), and were really delighted with my choice to splurge and stay here at the Delamore Lodge. Concierge Angie was a delight with checking us in. She was also very responsive and helpful via email with our planning and booking here. Loved our room with stunning views. Exactly as advertised. Comfortable, clean and updated. That's what we like.
Where this small boutique lodge shines and I was pleased to discover is the level of quality of the food that the staff 5 star chef Brian provides. A true gourmet breakfast is included in the rate. We decided to reserve in advance his dinner with wine pairings for our first night of arrival. Wife has Celiac, and that presented no trouble here for her meal's adjustments. Wow, what a wonderful dinnerl! Intimate and just wonderful presentation, flavor, and quality....this was a memorable meal, and I highly recommend you take advantage of this as my photos tell all. It was like having your own staff 5 star chef prepare your superb meal and served as if you were having it in your luxury home.
Wife and I also ordered massages the next morning which were excellent and recommended as well. They have an oversized clean indoor jetted spa that I used and enjoyed.
The attractive infinity outdoor pool was appealing and even though it was heated, it wasn't quite warm enough for my preference as the weather was getting chilly and rainy at night for Autumn. And I really can't fault it for not being warm enough considering the current chill. We decided to try a bit of hiking on the coastal trails surrounding the lush and beautiful property. Loved being able to drive our rental car around Waiheke, seeking out wineries to taste responsibly and have orders shipped back home. Waiheke is an easy to navigate island, and well worth exploring and driving to the more remote areas on the other side.. We had lunch at Mudbrick and a dinner at Cable Bay Vineyard, which were both quite good just a little too intensely touristy....but all in all I regret not having that second night's dinner prepared intimately just for us by chef Brian. That's a luxury travel feature I value greatly.
We would definitely recommend the Delamore Lodge to all, and we would certainly stay here again in the future. This visit was a highlight memory during our wonderful 18 day trip though NZ.
Room Tip: Lower rooms with garden patios offer beautiful unobstructed water and coastal views.