Luxury Hotels Atlas / Places / New Zealand / Matauri Bay / Rosewood Kauri Cliffs
Rosewood Kauri Cliffs
Matauri Bay, New Zealand · Rosewood · Grand Luxury
Rosewood Kauri Cliffs opened in 2001 on a 6,000-acre working sheep and cattle farm in Northland — New Zealand's 'birthplace of a nation' region, minutes from the Waitangi Treaty Grounds. The David Harman–designed championship golf course, built on ridgelines above the Pacific, has 15 holes with ocean views and ranks in Golf Digest's current top-40 courses worldwide; PGA Tour winner Brandt Snedeker called it 'Pebble Beach on steroids.' One of three private beaches is Pink Beach, whose sand is entirely composed of crushed pink shells. Two Michelin Keys, 2025.
- 22 rooms
- Opened 2001
- Neighborhood: Matauri Bay 0478
- Rooms from 753 sq ft (70 m²)
- Architect: Lawrence Sumich; Wade Setliff; Kerry Avery (lodge); David Harman (golf)
- Interiors: Virginia Fisher; Josie Robertson
About Rosewood Kauri Cliffs
- Kauri Cliffs Golf Course ranks in Golf Digest's top-40 courses in the world (current ranking: #39), and the straight-line distance between the 7th tee and the 14th tee is considered the longest routing gap of any non-links course on earth — a deliberate design decision by David Harman to maximise the Pacific Ocean sightlines.
- Pink Beach, one of the lodge's three private beaches, gets its colour entirely from crushed shells — not pigmented sand — making it a geological curiosity as well as a dining venue: the lodge runs private barbecue evenings on the beach in summer.
- The property contains the largest privately owned kauri tree in New Zealand, now vested in the QEII National Trust for permanent protection — sitting inside a working sheep and cattle station that surrounds the golf course and lodge.
- Northland, where Kauri Cliffs sits, is where New Zealand's founding document, the Treaty of Waitangi, was signed in 1840 — giving the lodge an unusually charged historical context for a golf resort.
- The smallest published suite or villa start at 753 sq ft (70 m²).
History
Nestled on a 6,000-acre coastal estate overlooking Matauri Bay in Northland, Rosewood Kauri Cliffs was developed from a working sheep farm purchased in 1995 by Julian and Josie Robertson. The lodge opened in 2001 following the creation of its championship golf course, offering panoramic Pacific Ocean views amid rolling farmland and native bush. High cliffs drop to private pink-sand beaches accessible only by foot or horse.
The setting
5 km from surfing on Matauri Bay. 15 km from Highway 10.
Restaurants and bars
- The Dining Room — Restaurant · European cuisine blended with New Zealand produce
- Pink Beach — Poolside
- The 19th Tee — Restaurant
- Cocktail Bar — Bar
Experiences
- Golf at Kauri Cliffs — Par 72 championship golf course designed by David Harman, offering a world-class experience for golfers of every calibre.
- Call of the Wild — A curated wilderness escape through ancient forests and to hidden waterfalls, with bespoke refreshments amid scenery.
- Al Fresco Feast at Pink Beach — Grilled seafood or lamb on a rare pink-shell beach with a personal chef.
- Piakoa Wahi Tapu burial caves — Access to the Piakoa Wahi Tapu burial caves, a sacred site.
- Sail Bay of Islands — Spend a day on the Cerulean Waters of the Bay of Islands.
- ATV Property Tour — ATV tour across the remote corners of the 6,000-acre coastal property.
Amenities
- spa
- infinity pools
- championship golf
- private pink beach
- heli pad/tours
- tennis
- fitness center
- ATV tours
- Sauna
- Hot tub
- Private beach
- Pet-friendly
Awards
- Forbes Travel Guide Recommended (2026)
- MICHELIN Two Keys (2026)
- Two Michelin Keys (2025)
- Condé Nast Traveler Readers' Choice #24 (2025), #11 Australia + South Pacific (2020)
Open Rosewood Kauri Cliffs in the atlas for live weekend rates, photos, and the full folio.
More Rosewood hotels
- Rosewood Cape Kidnappers — Te Awanga, New Zealand · Grand Luxury
- Rosewood Matakauri — Queenstown, New Zealand · Grand Luxury
- Castiglion del Bosco, A Rosewood Hotel — Montalcino, Italy · Apex Luxury
- Hôtel de Crillon, A Rosewood Hotel — Paris, France · Apex Luxury
- Kona Village, A Rosewood Resort — Kailua-Kona, United States · Apex Luxury
- Las Ventanas al Paraíso, A Rosewood Resort — Los Cabos, Mexico · Apex Luxury
Rosewood in The Maison: the brand's idea, history and every house on the atlas.