Whare Kea Lodge & Chalet- Wanaka

Imagine you have a friend who invites you to spend a weekend in their beautiful vacation home in a spectacular setting. You have the opportunity to mingle with some new people and have a fabulous dinner party. That is the feeling you get at Whare Kea Lodge. The lodge has the feeling of someone's comfortable home and you are their guest. During our stay, Jill was are host, along with Caroline and Carol. They could not have been more welcoming. Common spaces at Whare Kea have the most amazing views out to Lake Wanaka and the mountains beyond. The sofas and chairs invite you to sit and gaze outside. The bedrooms also share similar views to the countryside and do not disappoint. The bedrooms are very comfortable and offer a deep walk in closet, large bathroom with shower and tub, and a small sitting area. Of course the best part of Whare Kea is its proximity to the lake, and the trails that wrap around it. It a matter of seconds, you can be on your way hiking or riding a bike. In our case, we also arranged for horseback riding through the nearby Rippon vineyards followed by a wine tasting - easy going and beautiful (ask Carol to arrange to ride with Brenda and Dot - good fun). One other important aspect of a Whare Kea is dinner. A five course meal is prepared every night and is such a treat. Chef James Stapley does a knock out job preparing the meal. Some our favorite items sampled include: prawn tacos, smoked duck, and scallops with corn, avocado and chorizo. The coconut panacotta was also fab. Stop by Stapley's Italian restaurant for lunch as well (Francesca's in Wanaka). During your stay, if you wander into the living room, treats are on offer for tea and someone will pop out to offer up a beverage. Breakfasts are also a multi course affair and hearty. In reading the reviews of others, you will see that some complain about the absence of privacy. I think it is fair to say that you sacrifice a certain level of privacy at Whare Kea - and most certainly, the place is simply too small to be anonymous. On the flip side, we had an amazing opportunity to meet some other like minded travelers from the US, Switzerland, and Germany and we thoroughly enjoyed the time we spent getting to know them (Jahn, Janette, Lynette, Ed, Ingrid, Guido, Elden, and Judi). I think it is safe to say that visitors should consider what is important to them and make a choice - Whare Kea may or may not be your speed. I would happily return.