On Top Of The World At The Farm

It’s simply magic; sitting in one of the world’s most luxurious lodges with 180 degree panorama of the stunning Pacific Ocean, a championship golf course a few minutes’ walk away – all in the midst of New Zealand’s famed Hawke’s Bay wine region. You are at The Farm at Cape Kidnappers. It’s a short drive from Hastings up a 6.5 kilometre private road and is a resort of relaxed grandeur that offers an exclusive, personal experience. The lodge, with 22 suites, and a four bedroom Owner’s Cottage, snuggle inconspicuously into the craggy hillside on a 2,500 hectare working farm. The Farm at Cape Kidnappers was created by New York billionaire and entrepreneur Julian Robertson and his family after they visited and fell in love with New Zealand. If you’re not golfing, hiking, enjoying a farm tour, gannet safari or a kiwi-spotting conservation walk, perhaps you’d feel inclined to indulge in the full-service luxury spa, fitness centre or outdoor heated pool. Opt for the Tom Doak-designed championship golf course, judged by world leading golf authority Golf Digest, as of the best courses in the world, and you’ll be teeing off at around 450-feet above sea level. This is a phenomenal golfing experience, with all 18 holes spreading out like tentacles, one after the other, challenging you to keep your eye on the ball when there are white, sheer-faced cliffs and turquoise-coloured ocean stretching below you. This golfer’s dream provides one of the best golfing experiences on Earth. Hawke’s Bay people know they’ve got something special as the unique topography featuring the dramatic cliffs are visible from afar and locals love to swim and fish in the little alcoves of ocean below. Close to the golf course is the largest mainland gannet colony in the world. Watch these remarkable birds swoop and dive, bringing back fish to feed their young who are eagerly waiting in their pancake-moulded nests on the rocky outcrops. It’s a great place to contemplate history, tracing back to 1769 when Captain Cook anchored offshore during his world explorations. There was an altercation with local Maori who tried to abduct a servant from Captain Cook’s HMS Endeavour, with Cook casting the Cape Kidnappers name. While much of the Cape is productive farmland, it is also protected by more than 12 kilometres of pest-proof fencing, creating Cape Sanctuary, which is the largest privately-owned and funded living dinosaur is an endangered lizard species, unique to New Zealand, can also be found. Cape to City is a new $6 million vermin control programme that aims to extend the sanctuary success across another 26,000 hectares into urban Hawke’s Bay. As the name suggests, The Farm is understated elegance and luxury. Find out more about The Farm