- Award-winning Te Koi The Lodge in Nelson Bays is seeking a new owner.
- The Metcalfes' lodge won three international awards in 2019 after they transformed a 1920s homestead.
- The 1.2-hectare estate includes four waterfront villas and is marketed as a going concern.
A luxury South Island lodge that has hosted British aristocracy and won multiple boutique hotel awards is searching for a new owner.
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Te Koi The Lodge at 133 Bronte Road East, Nelson Bays, earned international recognition when it was named World's Best Newcomer Hotel in 2019.
The award caught casual observers by surprise because the words "luxury lodge" usually conjure up images of Queenstown or Wānaka, for Kiwis, not Nelson.
It wasn't a surprise, however, to hospitality veterans Ali and Ian Metcalfe who launched their lodge in 2017 with a lifetime of experience behind them.
Ali, a professional chef and Ian, a sommelier, first came to prominence when they owned Anderson's Restaurant in Hamilton. They'd worked in hotels, run a diverse catering company, travelled, and hosted tours through Europe. Te Koi brought the various moving parts of their journey together.
For Ali and Ian Metcalfe, the property was a culmination of a lifetime of hospitality and tourism work. Photo / Supplied
The couple's backgrounds - Ali was a chef, and Ian a sommelier - made them the perfect candidates to run a high-end lodge. Photo / Supplied
The original plan was to build a luxury lodge from scratch. But the couple changed tack when a large B&B, the Bronte Country Estate, came up for sale.
They fell for the homestead and its captivating position, renaming the existing lodge: Te Koi The Lodge at Bronte. "Te Koi" means "the headland", Ali said.
"When we found it, we could not imagine creating Te Koi anywhere else. [It] felt like the perfect place to share a quieter side of New Zealand. The region has so much to offer. We could immediately see how special the experience could be for guests," she told OneRoof.
"It was originally a bed and breakfast, and the family home of an established apple orchard. The property had enormous character and potential, but there was a considerable amount of work involved in bringing our vision to life." It was a huge financial undertaking and a labour of love, she said.
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Once the lodge was up and running, Ali focused on the food, and Ian, who passed away earlier this year, handled the front of house, bringing his experience of hotel management from his time in London. "The gardens and the lodge as a whole were a joint effort," she said.
Ali brought with her to Te Koi a signature dish that has been on every menu throughout their journey: Fish Dorothea. "A very simple dish, using quality fish poached in white wine with garden-fresh tomatoes. It's a dish we inherited from our first restaurant, Anderson’s restaurant, created by its then owner, Brian Anderson, and named after his wife Dorothy."
The couple also brought with them a philosophy they'd embraced in Europe. "Living in France and Italy, two very different cultures, taught us that the essence of good hospitality is simplicity," Ali said. "It reinforced the importance of bringing people together, whether family, friends or strangers, around a shared table."
The business won the World's Best Newcomer Hotel award as well as Australasian Best New Hotel and Australasian Best Chic Elegance Hotel at the 2019 Boutique Hotel Awards in London. Photo / Supplied
Guests came from around the world, including members of the British aristocracy and high-flying bankers from the US. Bound by the confidentiality that comes with the territory, Ali won't name her more famous guests. Most flew under the radar. "Many of our guests arrived with remarkable backgrounds that we often knew nothing about until they emerged naturally in conversation around the table," she said.
At the 2019 Boutique Hotel Awards, in London, the property won the World's Best Newcomer Hotel award as well as Australasian Best New Hotel and Australasian Best Chic Elegance Hotel. It was momentous, Ali said.
"We celebrated with the guests who were staying with us at the time, together with some close friends who had supported us throughout the journey. We all gathered around one table for dinner, which felt like the most fitting way to celebrate such a special moment."
However, the Covid 19 pandemic was right around the corner, with the country's doors slamming shut to international guests. "We had to pivot, as did we all," Ali said. "We obviously were not able to welcome international guests, which make up the vast majority of our usual clientele. So, we made the property more accessible to our domestic travellers. During that time, we also turned the kitchen into a cooking school."
Te Koi sits on 1.2ha at the tip of the Bronte Peninsula overlooking the Waimea Estuary towards the Richmond Range.
As well as the historic homestead, which was built in the 1920s, there are four luxury waterfront villas, a swimming pool, tennis court, and helipad.
The property is for sale by price on application and is being marketed as a going-concern. Listing agent Debbie Cooper of The Cooper Group said it could also suit buyers seeking a private home, multigenerational retreat or home-and-income.
The listing described the property as "OIO certified" and eligible for Active Investor Plus investors.
- Te Koi The Lodge 133 Bronte Road East, Bronte, Tasman, is for sale, price on application
