Romance of Queen Charlotte Sound

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ROMANCING THE BAY: The resort is a cleverly designed complex of buildings and rooms where relaxation and seclusion rule.

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The romance of a hideaway befitting a pirate prince is just across the water in Queen Charlotte Sound, James Weir discovers.

Walking into a crew of pirates is not the best omen at the start of a sea voyage. On deck were scurvy-looking men in black, with ponytails, earrings and goatee beards; the Acca- Dacca pirates swarmed the ship at first light, searching for treasure: a golden ale at 8am.

The Cook Strait ferry was returning hundreds of South Island AC/DC fans to their home ports after a big night in Wellington.

But after we escape the pirates by hopping on a faster, smaller ferry from Picton to the Bay of Many Coves, 30 minutes up Queen Charlotte Sound, we're a world away from their mayhem.

The omens were right though - at the Bay of Many Coves Resort, hidden treasure awaits.

Opened in late 2004, the resort is a cleverly designed complex of buildings and rooms built into a steep north- facing hillside. Each room is a self- contained deluxe Kiwi bach. Inside, you might as well be castaways in your own secluded cabin, with handsomely large bedrooms, bathrooms and private decks.

It is easy to treat the place as your own backyard.

The setting is ideal for honeymooners or a wedding anniversary, but don't bring the kids. They'd be bored in minutes and the resort's modest swimming pool would barely contain them.

You are more likely to spot canoodling couples in the pool or the old-school wooden hot tub, which is ideal for a relaxing soak after a bush walk in the hills above the resort.

A wharf-side cafe is open to the public, but the main restaurant and the rest of the resort are for guests only. (Outsiders can book for a meal if there is space.)

The Foredeck restaurant is the luminous pearl of the resort. Reputed by some locals to have the best food in the Sounds, the executive chef Jonathon Rogers sets a high standard of fresh food for such a remote restaurant.

His entree of roasted scallops and black pudding is stunning, and a venison-and-cherries main course gets top marks. The chocolate mousse dessert is a treat.

The menu is small, just five main courses, but all are beautifully presented with generous portions, not the minimalist fashion of some city eateries. The food would not look out of place at the tables of Wellington's award-winning Logan Brown. And few restaurants in Wellington could match the resort's setting. It sits about 10 metres above the waterline, with a wide open-deck view north across the bay. Small boats sit calmly at anchor on the doorstep while shags provide a lazy floor show as they come and go to nearby nests.

The resort is a huge leap from the bay's humble start.

It started out as a Kiwi family getaway in the 1940s after World War II, first owned by the Gilkinson family of Wellington. A poster-sized set of three photos at the resort's cafe shows the laughing family many years ago.

The spot was then known as "San Pedro" according to a family member, named for a popular song of the time: "She washes the dishes, while I catch the fishes in my little house by the bay" - the bay being San Pedro. The property was later run for many years as The Gem Resort.

The flash new resort complex is intimate, with 11 apartments and two studio rooms - room for just 30 guests or so.

It was bought last year by three Wellington couples; Elaine and Murray McCaw, Nigel and Janine Gould and Ross and Alison Morley. The values of the place are "seclusion, romance, relaxation, New Zealand's sea and bush and cuisine", according to Murray.

The relaxation comes courtesy of the Makoha Day Spa, run by a Swedish masseuse, using New Zealand-made health and beauty products.

For the stressed-out or insomniacs, an hour of massage is a quick trip to a state of tranquility. The rest of the world vanishes.

For those of a more active bent, there is a steep bush-walk up from the resort. It is tough going and rewarding for its spectacular views out across the Sounds. Guests can take a water taxi to reach the more appealing and flatter sections of the nearby Queen Charlotte track. There are also kayaks available at the resort and boat trips are available.

The Bay of Many Coves Resort is not a quick place to get to from Wellington, though there are alternatives - a float plane from Porirua flies into Picton airport, and small planes service Koromiko Airport nearby.

But this resort's remoteness is a large part of its attraction.

And pirates never bury their treasure somewhere that's easy to find.

FACT FILE
What: Bay of Many Coves Resort, Queen Charlotte Sound, Marlborough. Phone: 03 579 9771, bayofmanycovesresort.co.nz
Where: About 30 minutes by boat from Picton. Not accessible by road.
How much? Until April 30, $500 for two people in a one- bedroom apartment or $695 for four in a two-bedroom apartment. May to September, $350 for two people in a one-bedroom apartment, $525 for four in a two-bedroom apartment.
Food: Main meals: $45-$47; Three courses: $82-$90.
Getting there: Cougar Line ferry, Picton to Bay of Many Coves Resort: $80 return; InterIslander Wellington to Picton: $106 (websaver fare, return).
Activities: Day walks on the Queen Charlotte track, kayaking, boating, swimming, reading and lazing about.

- © Fairfax NZ News