October 28, 2019
Waiheke’s Mudbrick named top 10 in NZ by TripAdvisor
Since the New York Times put Waiheke Island in a list of 30 global ‘must see’ destinations, the island’s gone on to receive many more accolades. Lonely Planet declared it ‘the playground of the gods’ and put in the Top 5 regions of the world. Conde Nast Traveller said it was the 4th best island in the world, praise indeed when you’re up against heavyweights like Boracay in the Philippines, Hilton Head in South Carolina, Santorini in Greece, Maui in Hawaii and Bali.
If Waiheke has gained a huge amount of attention, and yet more plaudits, it’s hard to detect that it’s gone to the island’s head. Noting that Auckland is hardly frenzied, the New York Times recommended Waiheke for ‘an extra dose of tranquillity’. For Waiheke it’s just business as usual, doing what the island does well.
In a national hospitality field crowded with excellence, it’s been great to see two Waiheke operations picked out as pacesetters. It’s doubly pleasing for EcoZip Adventures as these are both businesses with whom we work.
Mudbrick Vineyard and Restaurant has just been voted in to the Trip Advisor Travellers’ Choice Awards as one of the top 10 fine dining restaurants in New Zealand. Mudbrick has long been a feature of our Zip, Wine & Dine tour, where guests round out their day with a final wine tasting, set in the backdrop of Mudbrick’s beautiful, formal, gardens. Since the southern autumn of 2019 Mudbrick has also been a stalwart favourite in our group and event packages, where they again feature in our summer specials. Whether dining formally in The Mudbrick Restaurant or informally in The Archive Bar, Mudbrick has set a high standard for dining experiences, all of which are accompanied by some excellent wines.
EcoZip’s neighbour, trendsetter Tantalus Estate has also just been recognised as the Supreme Winner at the 2019 Hospitality New Zealand Awards for Excellence. The judges gave the vineyard and it’s restaurant lofy praise, declaring ‘Everything about Tantalus Estate is at a level above. From start to finish, the experience the owners want visitors to have is of unadulterated quality and pleasure while enjoying the best cuisine offerings and wines possible.’ Tantalus features in our new Eastern Artisan Experience, a tour pitched to wine and food lovers who want to get away from some of the more well-worn trails.
So here are a couple more reasons, if they were needed, to add a visit to Waiheke to your agenda for this spring or summer.
