GETTING TO TREETOPS LODGE
Fortunately, I wasn't staying in downtown Rotorua (the smell really is ridiculously bad). I was 30 minutes (12 miles) away in the remote village of Horohoro where the air is fresh, crisp and clean. As I pulled into the Treetops Lodge driveway the terrain quickly turned from smooth flat pavement to bumpy dirt. The road was occasionally very steep. The 2-mile driveway seemed to take much longer than the actual 10 minutes. It must've been all the anticipation to reach the lodge -- I read so many incredible things about this exclusive retreat, which has won all kinds of awards, like Harpers' Hideaway of the Year. In fact, a 5-night stay was even included in the 2005 Oscar gift basket (no wonder so many A-list celebrities have stayed there). For more click HERE.