1. Tucked away on the East
Coast of the North Island, is
the beautiful Hawke’s Bay.
Amazing weather, over 70
wineries, cool art deco
architecture and stunning
scenery. SARAH WEEKS
discovers the art deco
capital of the world.
EclecticBeyond the city of Napier, you can venture further out with a tour of
the surrounding area with Hawke’s Bay Scenic Tours. Owner and
operator John Hanlon provides a wealth of information on the area and
explains in detail the history and sights of Hawke’s Bay. Te Mata Peak
is a must do when you’re here and from the comfort of your very own
van, John will take you to the top of this magnificent peak where you
can enjoy enchanting views for miles. If the sky is clear enough, you’ll
even be able to see Mt Ruapehu poking its head up in the far distance.
Apart from a history lesson of Hastings and Napier, the tour also
takes in some local wineries off the beaten track. Askerne Wineries is
a great vineyard producing a huge variety of wines and passionate
wine-lover John Loughlin is more than happy to take you on a journey
through the senses with each wine tasting. Their wall is covered in
awards and it’s easy to see why – you won’t be leaving this winery
empty handed with their fine selection. One of the more famous and
interesting wineries is Mission Estate. Established in 1851 by the
French Marist religious order, it’s New Zealand’s oldest winery with its
historic building nestled in the Taradale Hills overlooking Napier.
Visitors can enjoy historic tours of their spectacular underground cellar
and tastings of their award-winning wines. After you’ve enjoyed a few
wines, you’ll be feeling a bit peckish and John knows a great local cafe
to stop for lunch in a garden setting – a great surprise to end the tour.
Church Road is another notable boutique winery and one of the
oldest as it was founded in 1897. The great thing about this winery is
they take you on a guided tour through their working winery where you’ll
enjoy a museum highlighting over 100 years of winemaking housed in
old concrete wine vats. After the tour you’ll get spoiled with a special
wine tasting showcasing their limited release editions and can even
enjoy a light cheeseboard platter or lunch in their restaurant.
A great way to take in the sights and wineries is by doing a cycling
trip throughout this beautiful region. With so many places to hire bikes
from, we opted for a more relaxed experience with Coastal Wine Cycles,
located in Te Awanga. Their classic beach-cruiser bicycles have wide
comfortable seats and swept-back handlebars, perfect for a relaxed day
of cycling. We decided to cruise along the Tuki River overlooking
orchards and vineyards. After a quick bite for lunch at Clifton Cafe, we
continued on our way to the best part – the vineyards!
Clearview Estate Winery is renowned for it’s chardonnay and
full-bodied reds. Air New Zealand recently selected their Enigma Merlot
Malbec Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 for their business premier class.
Co-owner Tim Turvey purchased the land in the 1980s for a small sum
of money and although he didn’t know the first thing about producing a
H
aving been to this region often as a child visiting family, I’ve
always appreciated the natural beauty. However, it’s only later
that I’ve learnt about the fascinating history and architecture
that makes this area truly special. In 1931, a devastating 7.8 Richter
scale earthquake and resulting fire reduced the cities of Napier and
Hastings to rubble. Despite this, within two years, the city was rebuilt
in the Art Deco style popular during this time. Mostly made of
reinforced concrete, these buildings were designed to withstand any
future earthquakes, but were plain in colour and design. It was the
colour and decoration of Art Deco style that lifted the look of these
buildings and expressed the confidence, optimism and vigour of this
young, growing city.
The Art Deco Trust is passionate about preserving the unique
heritage and their volunteer guides are more than happy to show you
around this famous city. Over 20,000 people take a guided walking
tour of the city each year and it’s easy to see why. Napier’s fascinating
architectural history is brought to life as our fantastic guide, Tony Mairs
decked out in 1930s style clothing, takes us on a journey through the
city’s most notable buildings. By the end of our tour, we’ll all educated
on how to identify art deco architecture – from sunbursts and ziggurats,
to geometric shapes and symbols of power.
You can also combine your walking tour with a Vintage Deco Car
tour. Transport yourself back in time as you cruise the streets of
Napier in a beautifully restored 1930s vintage car. Our guide Tony
takes us inside local icon, the Napier Municipal Theatre, the remarkable
National Tobacco Company Building in historic Ahuriri and the Deco
houses and gardens in the suburb of Marewa. He even tops it off with a
stop at Bluff Hill Lookout where we enjoy panoramic views of Napier’s
bustling port.
28 July 2012, Travel Digest

2. Newly built, overlooking
the beachfront and
designed with both the
business and leisure
traveller in mind. Navigate
offers quiet, restful,
affordable accommodation in a vibrant
and colourful seaside village. We offer a
luxurious decor, an onsite café, room service
and an underground car park and recently
awarded winner of the TripAdvisor Certificate
of Excellence 2012. Set your GPS to Navigate!
Navigate Seaside Accommodation
50 Waghorne Street, Port Ahuriri, Napier 4110
P +64 6 831 0077 | www.navigatenapier.co.nz
Hawke's Baygreat wine, he and business partner Helma van den Berg got cracking
and have achieved an impressive wine portfolio today. A restaurant and
onsite accommodation is also available for visitors and they can cater
for weddings.
More modern and contemporary in its décor, is neighbouring
Elephant Hill that offers breathtaking views of the coast and Cape
Kidnappers. Here you can enjoy world-class wine tasting,
complemented with a fine dining experience that is hard to beat.
Having nibbled throughout the day, we opted for something lighter – a
cheeseboard and dessert. This is definitely the place to come if you’re
looking for that extra something special. The food is divine and
perfectly matches the wine selection.
The Dome is the ultimate in Art Deco style accommodation and the
perfect place to relax and unwind. Housed in the iconic 1937 T&G
Building, this work of art now houses penthouse apartments on the top
floors. Owner Áilne Bradley has done a marvellous job of preserving
the heritage of this building and combines this seamlessly with new
and modern interiors fit for royalty. If you’re looking to really immerse
yourself in all that’s art deco and enjoy some luxury at the same time,
this is the place to be. All penthouse apartments offer panoramic
FAR LEFT: The Farm at Cape Kidnappers is home to one of the
world’s leading golf courses; Travel in style with this 1930s
vintage car to visit Napier’s Art Deco sights; The Dome, on top of
this Napier building has three penthouse apartments; Navigate
Seaside is Hawke’s Bay’s newest sea view accommodation.
29Travel Digest, July 2012

3. from $35 per day
Cars Stationwagons Mini Buses Previas
NAPIER only 06 843 7020
Rate includes GST, insurance & unlimited Kms on hires 4 days
and over. (Km limits may apply on hires less than 4 days)
Car Rentals
Fax: 06 843 7040
64 Taradale Road, Napier
napier@rentalcars.co.nz
www.carrentalsnapier.co.nz
views of the ocean and give you that
special home-away-from-home
feeling. Located along Marine
Parade, The Dome is within easy
walking distance of all bars,
restaurants and shops. They
regularly host events including
art-themed weekends where guests
can create their own masterpieces
under the direction of a local artist.
If you’re looking for something a
little more modern and family-
friendly, Navigate Seaside
Accommodation is the newest and
freshest accommodation in the area,
conveniently located in Ahuriri
seaside village. With studio, family
rooms and two-bedroom apartments
to choose from, you’ll find something to suit your needs. A funky design
gives this place a great fun vibe and with the sea not far away, it’s
a great place to chill out at the end of an eventful day. Sol Cafe
downstairs provides great coffee and breakfast daily for both guests
and locals alike. Owner Andrew Buenter ensures all guests’ needs are
taken care of and can even recommend some great local restaurants
to dine at.
The Farm at Cape Kidnappers is one of the world’s most extraordin-
ary luxury lodges set on 6,000 acres with breathtaking views over the
Hawke’s Bay. For golf-lovers, this is paradise as the lodge offers not
only accommodation, but also dining, a spa and a highly-acclaimed
Tom Doak-designed golf course ranked 33rd best in the world. Both
guests and locals can enjoy playing golf here in this stylish luxury farm
setting. A stay here is a truly memorable experience and something to
cherish forever.
Hawke’s Bay is known as the “food bowl” of New Zealand and there
are plenty of places to tantalise your tastebuds. Located in the heart
of Havelock North, Diva Bistro & Bar offers warm hospitality and a
pleasant ambiance. Their kitchen specialises in creating seasonal
dishes using the freshest local ingredients – their fish of the day is a
standout winner for me! Along with great service and excellent food,
they’ve also selected an impressive range of local wines to match their
dishes so great for wine connoisseurs.
Boardwalk Beach Restaurant & Bar is Napier’s only beachfront
restaurant located in the fabulous seaside suburb of Ahuriri. Whether
you want a drink at the bar or would like to dine in, this fun and casual
restaurant is a great spot with stunning views during the day. The
restaurant is both family and dog friendly and has an open area out
the back, which can be enjoyed throughout summer and heated during
winter. Being a seaside restaurant, it’s no surprise they have some
excellent seafood dishes on their menu – their seafood platter is
very tasty!
When the locals are raving about how great a place is and
recommending you dine there, you know it’s got to be good! And
that’s the case with one of Napier’s best-kept secrets; Three Doors Up
nestled in a back street of Ahuriri. The concept is simple – a bistro
which serves the freshest and best quality food with a homely feeling.
The candlelight, classical music and rustic furniture create a lovely
ambiance where you can enjoy some great food. I highly recommend
their pasta dishes – so fresh and full of flavour! It definitely pays to
book ahead as it’s very popular with the locals.
Looking for something cheap and cheerful that the whole family will
enjoy? Check out Hog’s Breath Cafe on Marine Parade. They do lunch
specials and best of all, kids eat for free! Choose from a range of bur-
gers, steak meals, salads and finger food. The style of the restaurant
is relaxed with friendly staff and they are more than happy to help.
The best way to get around and see all the sights of the Hawke’s
Bay is by hiring a rental vehicle and Pegasus Rental Cars offer a wide
range of vehicles to choose from, at a reasonable price too. With
depots in over 20 locations around New Zealand, they’ve been helping
travellers see our country since 1989. No matter how big or small
your needs are, they can cater for you. They’ll even pick your car up
from the airport once you’ve flown out! ✈
You can hike or bike
up Te Mata Peak for
spectacular views
of Hawke’s Bay.
HAWKE'S BAY
30 July 2012, Travel Digest