Rosewood Cape Kidnappers

Character and identity

Set on a 6,000-acre working farm and wildlife sanctuary at the tip of a Pacific-facing peninsula in Hawke's Bay, Rosewood Cape Kidnappers occupies one of New Zealand's most theatrical pieces of coastline. Twenty-four suites and a cottage take their cues from farm dwellings, all timber, gas fireplaces and country-chic interiors hung with a serious collection of local art (plus a Picasso ceramic). The main lodge runs to soaring ceilings, antique farm tools and deep sofas. A Tom Doak par-71 clifftop course, a spa, the contemporary French-English Dining Room and an active programme of shepherding, ATV touring and gannet-colony walks define the days.

Who's it for

Bottom line

What you are paying for is the setting: 6,000 private acres, a top-tier clifftop golf course, and access to landscapes (gannet colony, Te Mata Peak, Hawke's Bay vineyards) you cannot replicate elsewhere. Book if seclusion and nature matter more than nightlife. Golfers should take a lodge suite with a fairway aspect; groups should commit to the Hawke's Bay Villa. Summer aligns with the gannet breeding season.