Hollywood stars take shine to Rotorua lodge

By MIKE MATHER in Rotorua
Rotorua may seem a million light years away from the glitz and glamour of Hollywood - but an ever-growing number of A-list movie stars have been quietly slipping in and out of the district.

The exclusive Treetops Lodge and Estate has been playing host to stars of the big and small screen.

However, lodge staff are keeping mum about most of those who are on their way or have recently visited in a bid to curb any celebrity stalkers from checking out the lodge.

It has been reported that Jamie Lee Curtis, the star of films such as Freaky Friday, Halloween and A Fish Called Wanda, and Matthew Fox, who plays the lead character, Jack, in the hit television series Lost, are just two well-known actors heading this way in coming weeks.

The Horohoro lodge was included as part of a special "thank you" package for celebrity presenters and performers at the 76th Annual Academy Awards last year.

All nominees in the categories for best actor, actress, supporting actor, supporting actress and director also received invitations for a five-night stay at the lodge.

Other actors making movies in New Zealand have also been frequenting the lodge, most recently Jack Black, who is starring in King Kong, being filmed in Wellington.

Treetops owner John Sax said many of the stars had evidently been spreading the word about the retreat.

"We got quite a few emails after Renee Zellweger mentioned it on a talkshow. They actually had quite a bit of footage of her stay here."

Crossing Jordan star Jennifer Finnegan got engaged there late last year to fellow celebrity Jonathan Silverman, of Weekend at Bernies fame.

Other names linked to the lodge include Sean Penn, Julia Roberts and Charlize Theron.

Mr Sax said he could neither confirm or deny those rumours. However, he was happy to hear that word about the resort had been spreading.

"It's been snowballing for us. Hollywood is a small town and the people there are talking to each other."