Eleven Owen River Lodge — Hotel in South Island

There are simply not enough superlatives to describe our 6-night, 4-day fishing stay at Owen River Lodge (ORL)! Felix, Kylie and each one of their accomplished and friendly team of wonderful guides, chefs and housekeepers delivered services that were far, far above and beyond our wildest expectations. ORL certainly lives up to, and deserves, its 5-star rating. Tucked away in a beautiful valley along the Owen River, the view from the covered porch of our incredibly well-appointed "cabin" was as perfect as everything we experienced at ORL. From the moment we arrived, Felix and Kylie made us feel as comfortable as family. And Ryan, Jo and Cassandra fed us like royalty! Every meal was delicious and beautifully presented. Our cabin was always impeccably cleaned and restocked by the lovely ladies who were eager to accommodate our tiniest request. Chris, our fishing guide, was terrific! Even though we have each been fly-fishing for almost 40 years all over the USA, we learned SO MUCH from Chris about fishing for wary brown trout in New Zealand. He took us to some of the most beautiful rivers we've ever seen and fished. And, we sincerely appreciated his tireless hunt for "happy" (AKA "feeding") fish that we could (sometimes, LOL!) catch. Thanks to Chris, and ORL's extraordinary quality gear loaner program (which includes absolutely EVERYTHING a fly-fisher needs) we left with memories that will stay with us for the rest of our lives . . . at least until we return to ORL, which we fully intend to do - as soon...

|I can’t add anything to the many glowing comments about staying at Owen River Lodge and fishing the local streams. I endorse them all. But the dining experience deserves special mention. What a pleasure it is to sit at Felix and Kylie’s table. Glassware, cutlery, crockery and linens are all excellent without being flamboyant. The place settings are stylish and uncluttered. The diner is immediately in a good frame of mind and ready for lively and intelligent conversation. Almost unnoticed is the careful attention to spacing between guests, the comfortable chairs, lighting, views, table decor and many other small but significant details. Then there is the food and wine. Almost all of it seems to be locally sourced and it’s as fresh and tasty as anything you’d find anywhere on the planet. Beautifully cooked and presented by very experienced chefs, not too much or too little, not tricky or flashy, just the epitome of satisfying fine dining - such a rare thing. Service and clearing is swift and discreet and the whole experience is orchestrated with lively good humour by our hosts Kylie and Felix. Thank you both for a truly memorable dining experience. And...

|I can’t add anything to the many glowing comments about staying at Owen River Lodge and fishing the local streams. I endorse them all. But the dining experience deserves special mention. What a pleasure it is to sit at Felix and Kylie’s table. Glassware, cutlery, crockery and linens are all excellent without being flamboyant. The place settings are stylish and uncluttered. The diner is immediately in a good frame of mind and ready for lively and intelligent conversation. Almost unnoticed is the careful attention to spacing between guests, the comfortable chairs, lighting, views, table decor and many other small but significant details. Then there is the food and wine. Almost all of it seems to be locally sourced and it’s as fresh and tasty as anything you’d find anywhere on the planet. Beautifully cooked and presented by very experienced chefs, not too much or too little, not tricky or flashy, just the epitome of satisfying fine dining - such a rare thing. Service and clearing is swift and discreet and the whole experience is orchestrated with lively good humour by our hosts Kylie and Felix. Thank you both for a truly memorable dining experience. And...