“Yes, it’s extravagant, but wow! If you want to be guest in a five suite lodge with a staff of 55, this is your place. Anything you want at anytime – yours. Massage right now – yes. Lunch at 3 – of course. Leave the room for an hour – it’s all spruced up on return. Slightly chilled around the fire pit or inside the lodge at cocktail hour – the blanket instantly appears. Tennis – check. 75 foot heated pool – check. On and on. And, of course, the food is impeccable. Even the scrambled eggs at breakfast were presented like a piece of art for a photo shoot. Needless to say the accommodations are lovely, all overlooking the wide bay. The interiors of the lodge are on the cool side, not as homey as other lodges in New Zealand. Copies of colorful Miros line the walls with neutral furniture spruced a bit with Miro-like pillows. As luxurious as this place is, the staff has not a bit of an edge and couldn’t be friendlier. The atmosphere of the place is totally relaxed. There’s no need to dress up within the extravagance, particularly as, for one of our nights our group of four were the only guests there. Putting glamour aside, the best part of Helena Bay is the absolutely stunning vistas from the property as you zoom up and down in the provided ATVs. We saw jaw dropping beauty of multi-shaded green hills falling into the sea. Bottom line: this is not a business but a labor of love for the zillionaire owner. It’s an unforgettable place.”