The Farm at Cape Kidnappers Hawke's Bay, New Zealand
The Farm at Cape Kidnappers Hotel Review, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand | Telegraph Travel
Cape Kidnappers, named by British explorer James Cook in 1769 after Maori tried to 'kidnap' his ship hand (the tribe believed from a distance the boy had been taken from them), is a 6,000-hectare peninsula exclusively owned by hedge fund billionaire Julian Robertson (albeit the very tip, which is held by the Department of Conservation). The entire property receives magnificent views of the cape and Pacific Ocean beyond.
This is a proper working farm – The Farm raises sheep, Hereford and Angus beef – and the main lodge is styled as such. Built from river stone and wood, walls are adorned with vintage farm implements, the snug has been created in the image of a grain silo, and miniature sheep ceramics greet you at the breakfast table. The effect is both stylish and playful.
Throughout the lodge guests can sit under impressive works of art – in the library alone, Colin McCahon, Dick Frizzel, Pablo Picasso and a 130m-year-old nautilus fossil vie for attention. The Farm is also a conservation sanctuary. Surrounded by a high-tech predator fence, the estate runs a successful kiwi protection programme and is home to the largest mainland colony of gannets in the world.
Located a 30-minute drive from Napier, the driveway is a private road snaking four miles (7 km) through winding gravel roads. Guests prone to travel sickness may wish to helicopter to the landing pad instead.
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