In-the-know travellers have long sensed the creative whirring of the Sunshine Coast hinterland, where a tight-knit community of makers, growers and designers have been quietly shaping a scene that feels reminiscent of Byron’s earlier, less self-conscious years. As the pendulum gently swings from the beach towards the hills – and the weatherboard towns that dot them – the mood becomes slower, greener and more expressive. Casa Renoir feels like a crystallisation of that shift. Owned by husband-and-wife duo Rory Elsom and Hayley Bonham, who traded Sydney for this fertile pocket of the hinterland, the 40-acre estate channels the romance of southern Italian masserie, with handcrafted stone walls, graceful arches and interiors layered like a still life from antique markets and regional makers. Mornings might begin at La Plage, the freshwater pool, before the day drifts between private villa swims, long lunches and the low hum of cicadas. With only a handful of villas planned, the mood remains intimate, though a programme of visiting-chef suppers and creative gatherings shaped by the community forming around it is in the works. Chloe Sachdev

In a town as adrenaline-spiked as Queenstown, the adventure capital of the Southern Hemisphere, it’s hard to make much noise. Yet the opening of Roki, a polished new luxury hotel on the edge of Lake Wakatipu but right in the heart of town, has done just that. Sure, the location is ideal—a two-minute walk from the thick of things—but the service steals the show. Adventure towns run on logistics: lift passes to organise, instructors to book, gear to rent, cars to load. At Roki, all of that is handled before finishing one’s sentence. Black Defenders await out front, ready to ferry guests to ski fields, vineyards, or long lunches. Sweeping over The Remarkables, helicopters touch down on glaciers and in hidden alpine valleys. In winter a ski concierge sorts passes and equipment; in summer the same precision is applied to mountain biking, hiking, and heli-picnics. There’s also a Rolls-Royce on standby, because why not? Snacks come in the form of dainty lobster rolls topped with ice-cold caviar, and evenings are spent dining on multicourse menus by chef Paul Froggatt, one of New Zealand’s most respected talents. The dove grey, glass-fronted rooms range from one- and two-bedrooms to top-floor suites that can be configured into a seven-room, full-floor retreat complete with a sauna. All views point toward the Central Otago skyline, accompanied by the clinking of Blanc de Blancs in the background. From £1,486. Chloe Sachdev