Te Koi the Lodge at Bronte

Our group of 6 adult siblings spent 3 nights here in February and it was a highlight of our 2 1/2 weeks in New Zealand. The rooms are lovely and have gorgeous views of the estuary. The gardens are amazing. But it is the hospitality of Ali and Ian that make this place sing. Ali is an amazing chef. After active days out in the beautiful Tasman area we so enjoyed returning to Te Koi for evening cocktails and dinner. I’ve never eaten so well. Just exquisite! Thank you Ali, Ian and team for taking such good care of us!

Stayed here for 2 nights on our trip to New Zealand. One word sums it up - amazing. Ali and Ian are tremendous hosts; Ali’s cooking is sublime and Ian’s choice of wines to accompany the meal superb. Breakfast was also extensive with lovely fruit as well as cooked options. The location of the lodge, on the shores of the estuary provides amazing views of the surrounding countryside and the room was extremely comfortable offering a lounge, bedroom, bathroom and outdoor seating. The grounds are extensive and very well kept with an outdoor pool and a tennis court. This is luxury at its best and somewhere I would definitely recommend to stay if in the area. Thank you Ali and Ian for making our whole trip extra special.

Perfection and understated elegance in every way. Ali and Ian are the most gracious and accommodating of hosts. The attention to detail and personal touches add to the pleasure of this beautiful property. Our time here was relaxing and so enjoyable. The food and company can’t be beat. Wish it wasn’t so far away so we could return soon!

Two nights at Te Koi Lodge was just the prescription we needed to unwind from our trip down from Auckland. The lodge is right at the end of a spit of land reaching out into the estuary with fantastic views over the water to the mountains in the distance with birds flitting and prancing hither and thither. It really is impossible to put into words how magical the scenery is, which is matched by the sensational gardens and grounds. The superlatives only continue when it comes to describing Ali’s food and Ian’s wine pairings and their great warmth and genuine enthusiasm for hosting guests. We loved every moment and mouthful and were very sad to leave.

Our wildest dreams come true. My husband and I were celebrating my belated 60th birthday with two weeks in New Zealand. Our stay at Te Koi was spectacular. Ali and Ian were the consummate hosts, welcoming us like old friends, and even upgrading us to a villa. The property overlooking the estuary has been lovingly tended by the Metcalfes, whose attention to detail means that each gorgeous garden plant, each luxurious towel and sheet, and each paint color has been chosen with care. Breakfast and dinner were elegant affairs complete with wide-ranging conversation about travel, food, cooking, and art. Ali is a fabulous cook and was attentive to our dietary restrictions while introducing us to some local treasures. We enjoyed a day at Abel Tasman NP that included a kayaking excursion, so Ali provided us with towels that were less fancy than those in our villa just in case! (We didn’t go overboard, so the towels came back with us!) We would highly recommend Te Koi and hope to return some day.

I can’t say enough about this fabulous stay. I have travelled all over the world for the last fifty years and this is my number one on the list of places to go. The accommodation was outstanding the view amazing and the people super.Not to mention the food and wine was incredible having been on an all inclusive package.We arrived to a complimentary cheese board and a bottle of wine in our chalet. The fridge was stocked with soft drinks and beer to help your self to. We had canapés and drinks before dinner then on to a sumptuous three course meal.The living space was beautiful if I had the chance I would choose to stay there on every holiday. I can’t recommend Te Koi more highly. The address is 131 not as the title because some of the land had to be sold in Covid to survive. But if you get the chance go for it amazing.

In addition to the beautiful grounds, the hospitality is top notch! Ali is an incredible chef (best food we had while visiting New Zealand for two weeks) who creates fresh, flavorful and beautiful dishes. Ian not only acted as travel agent, helping to fill in some gaps for us, but also has an amazing knowledge and passion for wine. We loved all the pairings. The villa was clean, beautiful, spacious and secluded. We didn’t have the opportunity to use the pool, but it was also nice and very well kept. I would highly recommend Te Koi for anyone looking to relax in luxury, but especially for foodies and wine connoisseurs!

Just a lovely luxury lodge to unwind, decompress and take it all in. We visited at the Lodge for two overnights while touring the Abel Tasman National Park area. The lodge is spectacular and boasts some of the most beautiful gardens, trees, and estuary scenery you will ever experience while traveling. The food served by your hosts Ali and Ian and their two cute dogs is also incredible. Ian excels with the sommelier duties while Ali, a very experienced and accomplished chef holds it down in the kitchen. Much of her offerings are unrivaled. The salmon we had one night was superb and the cherry glazed Asian duck we had the next was the best duck we have ever had. Her desserts are also incredible. Breakfasts, yes, once again, incredible. Ask Ali to make you a French omelette with spinach and cheese and dig in when it is served. Other highlights included hot cross buns, poached fruit, delicious bacon, and preserves from the garden. The home where meals are served is cozy, comfortable and inviting. Our cabin on the bay was equally pleasant. You have a great outdoor seating area, an indoor area, and a kitchenette. Our kitchenette had a nice cheese to enjoy upon our arrival and ANZAC cookies to go with our morning coffee. Your bathroom is spacious, the shower excellent. Our bed in the bedroom with a view of the bay/ estuary was very comfortable and the pillows as well. The grounds has a tennis court as well as a heated pool, a couple of Sequoia trees, a wonderful lawn and great porch. Ali and Ian are both very charming and their dogs are as well. If you are traveling and the Nelson area is on your itinerary and you want to pamper yourself a little and indulge, this is a great place to consider. We would go back in a heartbeat if we find ourselves traveling through this region of NZ again.

Often with wine parings in meals one is presented with an overly lengthy description of wine, reasons for compatibility with the particular dinner course, facts about what side of the hill the grapes are grown, perhaps adjacent to a lemon orchard, and a description of best growing period during particular hours when the sun is shining during daylight savings etc etc. Such lengthy presentation interrupts dinner conversation and often is too much information. At Te Koi instead however, you will find a succinct, enthusiastic description of the wine and why chosen, why it pairs so nicely with the accompanying dish. This economy of words from sommelier Ian, combined with high quality wines is typical of all aspects of this remarkable lodge. From the setting in gorgeous gardens on the Waimea estuary near Nelson, the accommodation is just marvelous. Breakfast and dinner were for us in the main house and really is in a private home, filled with art, sublime wall finishes and colours. Dinners are actually dinner parties, with fellow discerning, interesting guests. How seasoned chef Ali and hotelier Ian manage to make everything look effortless is simply astonishing. How can they them selves look amazing and be cheerful when (after pre-dinner bubbly and canapés) presenting 3 course meals with perhaps smoked this or that, complex sauces, flambé items, perhaps delicate ice wine to pair, all in a charming, stylish yet unpretentious setting, is beyond us. The attention to detail is evident everywhere. A fire just lit, table candles with just the intimate hue, baskets of fruit, napkins presented artfully, the simplest yet elegant tall stemware, is so impactful with the numerous vases with flowers from the garden. Oh…. did I say you can have a swim in the saltwater pool or a tennis game or simply relish in opening the blinds during the night so as to see the sky lit with the million stars? Depend on Ian to steer you to your interests: galleries, hiking, or an out- of- the way church with a lake view. Do yourself a favour and plan a stay at Te Koi Lodge. You can see we are not alone in accolades for this amazing lodge.