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

Having 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

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 AccommodAtioN50 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

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 704064 Taradale Road, Napiernapier@rentalcars.co.nz

www.carrentalsnapier.co.nz

Come to Napier and enjoy a package with 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