Huka Lodge

Huka Lodge is part of the Baillie Lodges portfolio, whose defining ethos is to build experiences around extraordinary natural locations. Huka firmly ticks that box, sited on the forested banks of the Waikato River, but varies from Baillie Lodge’s other destinations in its rich heritage. “Huka was, and still is, the grande dame of luxury lodges,” says Baillie Lodges founder James Baillie. “The property has a heritage that goes back 100 years, and it was important for us to honour that heritage. Yes, we wanted to evolve aspects of Huka so it was ready for the next 100 years, but we didn’t want to fiddle too much with its DNA.”

The lodge began as a humble four-room retreat, modelled on a Scottish fishing lodge, a concept birthed in the 1930s and carried through when the property was substantially redeveloped in the early ’80s. This aesthetic is still present in the lodge’s reinvigorated design, from the lavish use of tartan to the centrestage views of the Waikato River, which would lure the most reluctant angler to pull on a pair of waders.

Huka had grown significantly over the years and, while it was notable for its cosiness, the increased capacity made it perhaps a little too snug, with a shortage of social spaces to enjoy the one-of-a-kind location. “We tried to honour that intimacy but on another scale, creating all these special nooks and crannies within the new spaces,” says Baillie. In extending and modernising the lodge, architect Christian Anderson explains that the practice always had one eye on the past, seeking to enhance the structure but retain the character of the original. “The plethora of chimneys, the beautiful, soft, low-pitched roofline, the dormer windows inserted into the roof – those languages were retained and reinforced in the alteration,” he says.

The need for expansion provided an opportunity to further embed the lodge in its iconic location, reinforcing the connection to the river by extending the building out towards the waterway. A new terrace meets the emerald waters with a smooth sweep of lawn that bridges the space between lodge and riverbank. Bay window extrusions allow one to sit inside and still be connected to the landscape, while twin glazed pergolas on the terrace allow for almost all-weather outdoor living.

Combining transeasonal comfort with natural connection has been a goal throughout the renovated building, but perhaps most significantly in the River Room. This space has been extended out and is bound by ceiling-high banks of glazing, allowing one to sit by the fire with a glass of wine and feel within touching distance of the water. “Often we build living spaces flowing out to a terrace, which means you look at the terrace before you see the view,” says Anderson. “Here, you sit in the extruded glazed bay and you’re connected to this beautiful outlook – it almost does feel as though you’re on the river.”

Though the landscape is obviously significant, the refurbished lodge doesn’t lean on this alone; interior designer Virginia Fisher has built a complete world within its walls, where one could contentedly while away an afternoon – or several. “Instead of a contemporary, less-is-more aesthetic, Huka Lodge has very much got a more-is-more aesthetic,” says Baillie. “From the detail of the wall linings and the richness of the greens – which draw from the emerald of the river – to the lushness of the fabrics, the tactility of everything Virginia has chosen absorbs you into another world.” Even the smell of old leather from the lodge’s salvaged and restored furnishings is like a love letter from the past.

The interior design is deeply embedded in the Arts and Crafts language – a continuation of the previous build, which was inspired by the era of the first fishing lodge. Fisher has tapped a rich well of design sources for the redesign, beginning with the existing art and furnishings, many of which have been retained and reupholstered. These are supplemented by further antique finds – among the highlights, the recommissioned ship’s pendants in the River Room, and two restored eel traps displayed at the entrance and above the fireplace on the terrace. A wealth of locally sourced pieces has also been integral: custom bed canopy frames by wroughtiron specialist Ian Lawler, rugs by Source Mondial, outdoor furniture by Devon and a signature scent by Ashley & Co, to name but a few. Walls in a saturated blue, reflecting the shifting emerald and sapphire tones of the river, form a dramatic backdrop for a material palette dominated by leather, marble, aged brass and tartan, which happens to be a signature of Fisher’s.

The landscape has always loomed large over Huka Lodge – from the rushing river and the close press of native forest to the structured formality of landscape designer Suzanne Turley’s sculpted gardens. This hierarchy of nature over built form inspired the design of the new spa amenities, which began with the idea of the classic Kiwi bach and a plan to create a series of similarly simple, rustic dwellings that would be set amid the trees, treading deliberately lightly on the landscape. “The language is almost like you’ve found some rural outbuildings, like little sheds, and built a deck to connect them,” says Anderson.

Set amid a lush and peaceful garden, with dappled light filtered through tree ferns and flowering juneberry trees, the huts house the full range of spa essentials, and then some: a gym, sauna, treatment rooms, a steaming plunge pool surrounded by lush foliage and – Baillie’s personal favourite – a shower of icy cold water poured from pulley-operated timber pails. “Cold plunges are all the rage, but we wanted it to be more whimsical and fun.”

Whether or not one heeds the angler’s call to fish the trout-rich waters of the Waikato, the refurbished Huka Lodge is an exceptional escape. Appearing to exist a world away from anywhere and even outside of time, this luxury lodge is a heritage-rich sanctuary, revived for a new century.

Architecture by Christian Anderson Architects. Interior design by Virginia Fisher. Landscape design by Suzanne Turley Landscapes.