A world of good: the Waiheke Island escape you never have to leave

5 April 2023

By Sarah Murray

Can you keep a family entertained on Waiheke Island without leaving your accommodation? You can when it’s this well-equipped.

It rained the day we got there — absolutely pelted down in the manner many of us have unfortunately become accustomed to. Undeterred, the kids ran around the palatial property of Waiheke Island’s Putiki Estate in a frenzy, before selecting, swapping and subsequently squabbling over whose room was bigger. There was no need — the private luxury home boasts seven spacious bedrooms, all with their own ensuites, and all connected to the living spaces by a wide hallway. As if that wasn’t enough, there’s also a two-bedroom cottage next door.

On the headland that juts out into Putiki Bay, Putiki Estate inhabits a world of its own. My husband and I were there with our children for just 24 hours, on a micro-break from the city. We were determined to do nothing but relax, and despite the weather and room-related whining, we were off to a good start. We’d left home only an hour and a half prior, in the significant comfort of a Range Rover Evoque. Designed for the urban lifestyle, it was the ideal size to smoothly navigate our brood through rush-hour traffic. Although the Evoque is one of the smaller models in the Range Rover family, we easily fitted three carseats in the backseat and our luggage in the boot.

I always love getting the car ferry to Waiheke — it feels like a proper holiday but sans time-consuming airport check-ins and long lines, and once you’re packed and ready to go in your car, that’s it. After a short wait at the ferry terminal, we glided onto the boat, opting to sit in our SUV for the 45-minute crossing because the seats were so comfy; the driver’s seat felt as if it were cupping my back and giving me a hug. I gave the kids an iPad and settled in to read my book, and before long we were back on dry land, cruising in style through the Waiheke countryside.

Putiki Estate is all of three minutes from the Kennedy Point ferry terminal, and if you’re anything like us, when you set your bags down, you won’t want to leave. There’s the pool and spa, tennis and pétanque courts to keep you entertained, plus the cosy media room we set the kids up in later while we cooked dinner in the double gas burner oven and pretended we lived there. A more surprising addition is the tiny Irish pub that overlooks the tennis court, an unexpected discovery that was a real highlight of our trip. Named Thomas Meeke after the owner’s father, it fits about 12 people, and when you step inside to see its shelves lined with Irish whiskey and Guinness on tap, it’s as if you’ve arrived in a Dublin pub. We had a few drinks, played some Irish music and were transported to yet another time and place.

The next morning, I watched the sun rise over the water. The clouds had parted, the sun streamed through the wide bifold doors and it felt like the summer we never had. We started our day with an alfresco breakfast prepared on the barbecue in the estate’s outdoor area, a zone that would rival any Tuscan garden. After hitting balls around on the courts, we spent the rest of the day lazing by the pool, soaking up every last minute of it. As with any good holiday, this one simply didn’t last long enough, but Putiki Estate is the type of place you continue to dream of long after you’ve left.

Road Test

More from FQ’s Sarah Murray on the many merits of the Range Rover Evoque.

Truth be told, I’m no car aficionado. When it comes to the vehicle I’m driving, how it looks is probably top of my list of priorities, and the Range Rover Evoque ticks all my aesthetic boxes. Its distinctive coupé-like silhouette offers a sleek look, and the predominately white exterior with a pop of black on the roof made the model we test drove on our Waiheke Island escape the monochromatic car of my dreams.

Another considered detail that adds to the appeal of its silhouette are the flush door handles that automatically deploy when the SUV senses you approaching with the key.

Although Land Rover is best known for its off-roading capabilities, the Range Rover Evoque is an urbanite’s delight. It’s no wonder it’s one of the company’s best-selling models, because it does offer the best of both worlds; it’s generous in size, but not so big that changing lanes or taking on tight turns feel daunting.

Another of my favourite features involves its seat configuration, which you can adapt to suit your lifestyle. We utilised the standard set-up and put three carseats in the back, but I love how if required, you can fold down the rear seats completely to use the space for luggage. The driver’s seat is perhaps the comfiest I’ve ever experienced, cradling your back with its leather upholstery that’s cool in warm weather and able to be heated during the colder months.

The Range Rover Evoque’s dashboard is simply designed with one large, 10-inch touchscreen. Known to be technologically inept, I tensed up when I saw it, worried about how long it would take me to sync to my phone. Happily, however, I managed to get it sorted in just a few intuitive taps. This vehicle (which is also available in an electric hybrid version) has an abundance of luxury features, but if what you most want to know is how it drives, I’m pleased to report it was quiet and smooth on the road.

I certainly wasn’t navigating grass or snow, but in the rain it handled well on slippery surfaces, and when we reached the gravel driveway of our destination, we hardly registered the change in surface. The whole family enjoyed the ride so much that the following day when I carried my two-year-old to our regular family car, he cried, “No Mama, the white one!” He’s obviously inherited his mother’s discerning eye.