Rosewood Cape Kidnappers, Napier, North Island, New Zealand (2024)

Rosewood Cape Kidnappers, Napier, North Island, New Zealand, photograph # 1 — Cape Kidnappers [Mãori: Te Kauwae-a-Māui] is an extraordinary sandstone headland to the east of Hastings in Hawke’s Bay; the Rosewood/Robertson Lodges Cape Kidnappers Resort is a unique luxury resort with one of the world’s leading golf courses

With a friend from the ship, we got a ride from another (former) Resident of the ship, who lives in Napier (and Wellington) to the Rosewood/Robertson Lodges Cape Kidnappers Resort (and Golf Course).  To the east of Hawke’s Bay wine country in the North Island, Rosewood Cape Kidnappers sits on a stunning 6,000-acre peninsula, with unforgettable vistas of the vast Pacific Ocean.  The resort sits atop rolling hills edged by dramatic cliffs commanding vast ocean views, and an ever-present horizon.  Home to a working farm, this unique luxury resort also boasts one of the world’s leading golf courses and is a sanctuary for some of New Zealand’s most precious flora and fauna.  We enjoyed a tour of the property and an outstanding three-course luncheon with New Zealand wines. 

Cape Kidnappers [Mãori: Te Kauwae-a-Māui] is an extraordinary sandstone headland to the east of Hastings in Hawke’s Bay.  It was named by Captain James Cook (sailing on the HMB Endeavour) after an attempt by local Māori to abduct one of his crew.  The cape is home to the largest and most accessible gannet [large white seabirds with yellowish heads, black-tipped wings and long bills, closely related to boobies] colony in the world.

Rosewood Cape Kidnappers, Napier, North Island, New Zealand, photograph # 2 – gardens at the entrance to the resort’s main building (with lounges, a dining room and 4 guest rooms)

Rosewood Cape Kidnappers, Napier, North Island, New Zealand, photograph # 3 – the front entrance to the resort

Rosewood Cape Kidnappers, Napier, North Island, New Zealand, photograph # 4 – a detail of one of the two storm doors at the entrance to the resort’s main building

Rosewood Cape Kidnappers, Napier, North Island, New Zealand, photograph # 5 – these two-bedroom villas are some of the guest rooms at the resortv

Rosewood Cape Kidnappers, Napier, North Island, New Zealand, photograph # 6 – the Hawke’s Bay-facing side of the resort, with the main dining room on the right, behind the giant sliding glass doors, affording a marvelous view while dining of the golf course (below) and Hawkes Bay

Rosewood Cape Kidnappers, Napier, North Island, New Zealand, photograph # 7 – the view of Cape Kidnappers’ rolling hills and Hawke’s Bay from the resort’s main building

Hawke’s Bay, occupying New Zealand’s North Island eastern flank, unfurls a tapestry of diverse landscapes, from mountain ranges and pastoral hills to coastal and inland plains.  Ascend the legendary Te Mata Peak, standing 400 meters [1,312 feet] above sea level, by foot, cycle, or vehicle for a breathtaking panorama of the region.  Boasting a climate akin to Bordeaux, Hawke’s Bay also ranks among New Zealand’s oldest and largest wine growing areas.  Many of its vineyards gracefully adorn the undulating hills and valleys encompassing the principal cities of Napier and Hastings.

Rosewood Cape Kidnappers, Napier, North Island, New Zealand, photograph # 8 — the world-renowned Cape Kidnappers Golf Course offers holes unlike anywhere else in the world, nestled in a ridge-and-valley landscape with arresting sea views

With cliff-edge fairways perched high above sea level and with surface that remains firm and fast, the world-renowned Cape Kidnappers Golf Course offers holes unlike anywhere else in the world.  Celebrated as a modern marvel since its completion in 2004, this remarkable Tom Doak course, nestled in a ridge-and-valley landscape with arresting sea views, perches gracefully atop dramatic cliffs.  While every hole has a spectacular view of Hawkes Bay, some golfers play cautiously alongside deep ravines as others intimidate golfers with deep cliff-top bunkers and sheer drop-offs.  Cape Kidnappers Golf Course is located below the Rosewood/Robertson Lodges Cape Kidnappers Resort south of Napier on the hills just above the actual Cape Kidnappers Point (“where coastal serenity meets gourmet dining and golf”).

Rosewood Cape Kidnappers, Napier, North Island, New Zealand, photograph # 9 – the view of the Cape Kidnappers Golf Course directly below the resort’s dining room, along with Hawke’s Bay in the distance

For additional information on Napier and the Hawke’s Bay region, please see our blog posts from 2017:

Napier (Art Deco Festival), New Zealand

Exploring Hawke’s Bay (Napier), New Zealand

Wineries in Hawke’s Bay (Napier), New Zealand

Legal Notices: All photographs copyright © 2024 by Richard C. Edwards.  All Rights Reserved Worldwide.  Permission to link to this blog post is granted for educational and non-commercial purposes only.