By INGRID TIRIANA in Rotorua
Two Rotorua resorts have won major international acclaim.
In a coup for the region, gift vouchers for a stay at the luxury Peppers On The Point on Lake Rotorua will be included in this year's Academy Awards gift packs.
The packs are presented to Academy Award
nominees and winners in the categories of Best Actress and Actor, Best Supporting Actress and Actor and Best Director.
Among the 25 nominees for the Oscars on Monday (New Zealand time) are Johnny Depp, Leonardo di Caprio, Clint Eastwood and Jamie Foxx.
Peppers' general manager David Smail was confident the stars would take the opportunity to visit.
He said the recognition was great exposure for the resort which had only been open since July last year.
Similarily Rotorua's Polynesian Spa has won international acclaim as one of five New Zealand spas and luxury lodges, including Taupo's Huka Lodge, voted top-notch by readers of Conde Nast Traveller, the British version of the world's most famous travel magazine.
Polynesian Spa was voted the seventh best spa, medical and thermal resort in the world, up two places from last year.
Managing director Martin Lobb described the ranking as fantastic news.
"Competition for these awards is huge and after last year's win, we were determined to make sure that we stayed up there with the best."
He said the back-to-back top 10 rankings were great reward for the quality investments which continued to be made at the complex.
The latest addition to the attraction was the Priest Spa comprising three new pools, opened in October last year.
Readers of the magazine were asked to rate their favourite spas according to criteria including ambience and decor, body treatments, cuisine and service/staff.
The Rotorua spa received an index of 87.36 percent out of a maximum 100.
Mr Lobb said the complex continued to be a popular place to visit with January the busiest month on record and local usage well up on last year.
Polynesian Spa has hosted more than eight million visitors since it began operating in 1972.
