At Whangarei I find the Tutukaka road and head for Glenbervie, about 10km from town, a pretty place of orchards and
old stone walls. I’m staying here, at Lupton Lodge, an historic villa owned by Andy and Karen.
The lodge is halfway between Whangarei and Tutukaka and close enough to attract both weekday business folk and
weekend divers and surfers.
It has three guest rooms. Karen shows me to the Red Room at the front of the house, a large suite with polished kauri floors and deep-red walls. A large fl at-screen TV and DVD player sit on a leather-topped desk. The king-size bed looks inviting, as does the leather couch. There’s a dressing room and an ensuite bathroom. A heat pump is doing a good job. Perfect.
Elsewhere in the house is a large kitchen where Andy makes breakfasts and pre-arranged dinners, a cosy sitting room and a breakfast room. A few steps away is a separate games room with a well-patronised pool table. There’s a pretty garden and a 10-metre swimming pool.
Source: The Best Weekends & Short Breaks Magazine Sept 2010
