New Zealand's most luxurious romantic cottage

Honeymooners, as well as couples celebrating wedding anniversaries, comprise a considerable percentage of our guests at Tauhara Sunrise.

We've noticed that many romantic travelers seeking luxurious accommodation in Taupo check out Huka Lodge: It has a global reputation for being among the top lodges in the world ... and pricing to match! So we figured there was a niche in the market for an opulent, romantic cottage, offering fantastic views from bed, from the double spa bath, even from the double shower, at less than half the price of Huka Lodge.

Now that's not to say our cottage is inexpensive: at $NZ725 per night it is hardly that. But if you truly want to revel in luxury, consider the following attributes of The Cottage at Tauhara Sunrise:

* 52 square meters (over 500 square feet), comprising bedroom/living area/kitchenette, plus opulent bathroom, with fabulous lake views throughout
* Bathroom offers double spa bath with lake views, double shower with lake views, double vanity with makeup counter, underfloor heating, and luxurious towels & robes
* Bedroom/living area offers king bed with 1000 thread-count sheets, remote-controlled gas fireplace, 32 inch LCD TV with SKY satellite service (CNN, BBC, SKY News, ESPN and other sports channels, movie channels, music channels and more), Denon home theater in a box virtual surround sound system offering fabulous sound from TV, DVDs, CDs, MP3's - you can even plug your iPOD into the system, luxurious leather loveseat and sumptuous fireside rug, selection of board games
* Kitchenette with fridge stocked with complimentary beers, wines and sodas, tea and coffee facilities, microwave. Each evening we will stock your kitchen with continental breakfast supplies for the following morning. Should you choose to partake in a full breakfast, you may do so at no additional cost by coming into the lodge
* Rooftop patio.
* Complimentary pre-dinner drinks and hors d'oeuvres, either brought to you in your cottage or served with other guests in the lodge
* Complimentary shuttle to local restaurants (many great restaurants to choose from)
* Complimentary high-speed internet access. The cottage even comes with a laptop (which we can remove if you prefer), loaded with thousands of songs.

The cottage is still under construction, but should be completed by November 2006. We are offering some opening specials during the first season, so contact rob@tauharasunrise.com if you are interested in learning more.

Honeymoon time of year

September and October see lots of honeymooners visiting us at Tauhara Sunrise. At the moment, we have a lovely couple, Tom and Eleanor, from the UK, who are staying with us for 13 days.

Tom and Eleanor decided that after the hectic months leading up to their wedding, the wedding itself, and the travel to New Zealand, they would be ready to chill out, and that rather than tour New Zealand staying in different places, they would find a base to call home, and do day trips from there.

On their first day, they decided to take it easy and get their bearings so they stayed in and around Taupo for the day. On day two, they decided to venture down to Tongariro National Park, a World Heritage park offering skiing (July-Oct) and a huge variety of hikes and walks. Today, day 3, is thermal park day. They're off to Waiotapu, Orakei Korako (The Hidden Valley) and Wairakei Terraces - three different thermal areas each with its own unique attractions.

I'll post another blog in a few days, and at the end of their stay I'll get some of their thoughts posted. Stay tuned.