visit Wellington, stay at Wharekauhau

Wharekauhau Country Estate (c) 2019 by David Ourisman, all rights reserved

Wellington is the capital city of New Zealand. Located at the southern end of the North Island, this small city (just over 400,000 residents) has a lot going for it. Te Papa, the Museum of New Zealand,

offers an opportunity to view exhibits about the country's natural features, its history, and the culture of the original Maori people. Wellington is the nation's capital, and it's well worth taking a drive through the downtown and stopping at the Beehive (the Parliament building) to take selfies.

Where to stay? You can reach Wharekauhau Country Estate (pronounced far-he-ko-ho), very quickly by helicopter; it's just 15 miles from Wellington. Or you can make the drive and enjoy the beautiful scenery. We stopped for lunch at the Everest Bistro in Featherston and enjoyed a delicious and informal meal at a very local restaurant.

You'll definitely be wowed by Wharekauhau. Another luxury lodge designed by Virginia Fischer, it sits on a 50,000 acre working farm with a view of the sea. Its rooms were spacious, comfortable, and informally elegant (see below), and the food and wine were wonderful.

bedroom at Wharekauhau (c) 2019 by David Ourisman, all rights reserved

copyright (c) 2019 by Ourisman Travel LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell, a Virtuoso® Member. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.