Pure Indulgence

Alex Jenkins checks out the foremost places in the Asia-Pacific region where you can combine world-class golf with the best in spa and wellness treatments

The dramatic Cape Kidnappers

New Zealand

New Zealand golf is flourishing, and no more is this true than at the magnificent Farm at Cape Kidnappers, a luxuriously serene development in the wine-growing region of Hawke's Bay, a 45-minute flight from Auckland. Owned by the American hedge fund billionaire Julian Robertson, Cape Kidnappers is everything the well-heeled golfer could possibly want. The course, designed by the highly regarded Tom Doak, has been laid out over several fingers of land that jut out into the Pacific Ocean, and provides one of the most memorable tests in the southern hemisphere, with sea views galore.

You don't have to stay at Cape Kidnappers to play it, but it's certainly worth the splurge: the 22 lodge suites are reminiscent of some of the finer hotel accommodations you find in The Hamptons, while the award-winning spa offers a standard of treatment found only at the world's best. The 80-minute Earth Stone Massage has achieved almost legendary status amongst its well-heeled visitors. Like Kauri Cliffs - Robertson's other resort in New Zealand's North Island - Cape Kidnappers is really in a class of its own.

www.capekidnappers.com

Pages

Click here to see the published article.