Rotorua lodges in running for award

Three of Rotorua's exclusive lodges have been nominated for New Zealand's leading luxury lodge in this year's World Travel Awards.
Treetops Lodge & Estate, Solitaire Lodge and Lake Okareka Lodge are vying for the title against seven other lodges, including two in Taupo, Huka Lodge and Lake Taupo Lodge.
Known as the Oscars of the global travel industry, the World Travel Awards are recognised as the highest vote of excellence and are compiled from the opinions of 183,000 travel agents from across the globe.
Lake Okareka Lodge has also been nominated in New Zealand's Leading Resort category and manager Diana Moore said she was chuffed about the nominations.
"It's testament to the fact that we have been doing something right."
Treetops has also been nominated in Australasia's Responsible Tourism Award category and general manager John Logan said to be nominated for two awards was a fantastic result.
"It just goes to show all the hard work we have been doing."
As for their chances of winning an award, Mr Logan said they would take the "wait and see" approach.
"It's always hard to tell. There are so many fantastic lodges which have been nominated."
He said the other two Rotorua lodges would provide some stiff competition but what was unique about Treetops was that it was New Zealand-owned.
Solitaire Lodge has also been nominated in New Zealand's leading resort and Australasia's leading resort categories.
The manager of the Lake Tarawera lodge, Wayne Tomlinson, said he was pleased about the nominations. "We don't usually pursue this type of recognition."
Meanwhile, Huka Lodge has also been nominated in Australasia's leading boutique hotel category.
Winners will be announced on September 29 at an awards ceremony in Bangkok, Thailand.