BOWT winner profile: Black Barn
Winner of both the Accommodation and Arts and Culture categories.
Home away from home
Black Barn offers 17 retreats, with a variety of settings and sizes to choose from. Two are in the heart of the vineyard, two beside the ocean, one on a golf course, and the rest are nestled by the river, dotted throughout the picturesque Tuki Tuki Valley. Retreats range from one bedroom to eight, all have fully equipped kitchens, most have swimming pools, and all offer total privacy to accompany the outstanding views. A dedicated retreats team iso call 24 hours and facilitates concierge services to meet every need, while inclusive packages integrate the winery’s bistro dining and inhouse chef experiences into the guest experience.
Understated luxury is what Hawke’s Bay hospitality is about, and judges acknowledged that Black Barn nails that to a tee in its accommodation offering. Whether for an extended family, a corporate retreat, a live music performance from a celebrated artist, or a couple on a romantic weekend, Black Barn has an accommodation offering that will fit the bill so well as to feel tailor-made. Black Barn says it puts the guest at the heart of things, and judges agreed. Every feature and amenity is so considered, and comfort so coded into each retreat that all guests need to do is relax and enjoy to the fullest their time in this Great Wine Capital.
Peak luxury in the brand’s portfolio is found at Te Mānia. The stunning property offers clever separation of spaces for socialising and relaxing. Two sleeping houses, each with king and queen ensuited bedrooms (one also with two single beds cosily tucked away behind curtains), nestle closeby to the shared Te Mānia Room living space. Huge glass doors, open fires inside and out, and hot tubs connect guests to the beautiful landscape surrounding the property. Judges felt the luxury of the offering lies as much in the clever design of spaces to suit a group of people wanting both tranquility and communality as it does in the discerning quality of the build materials, interior furnishings, amenities and services.
Judges were also impressed with the options offered by retreats on the vineyard – Black Barn Retreat and Rush Cottage – guests staying in these properties have peace and privacy, while also being able to stroll to the cellar door and bistro, to an art exhibition in the Olive Shed, or to a concert at the amphiteatre (it’s no surprise many artists performing at the amphitheatre choose to stay here).
An icon in the Arts
A 2000-seat amphitheatre in the heart of the vineyard was planned for before vines were even planted; creating a space for the community was truly built into Black Barn and the amphitheatre has been hosting top acts from around New Zealand and the globe for 20 years now. A dozen grassed terraces are wide enough to accommodate picnic blankets; offering clear sightlines of the stage, and can be be lit up with fairy lights for events, creating a warm, welcoming, festive atmosphere. Add terrific acoustics and efficient and friendly local teams on food, drink, and security, and you have arguably the best outdoor venue in the country.
Judges were impressed that Black Barn’s commitment to the Arts continues to grow. It recently worked with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra (NZSO) for an intimate performance over dinner at its bistro, and a ‘Black Barn Season’ of NZSO events is on the cards. The winery works with Hawke’s Bay Readers and Writers Trust to offer the Rush Cottage Writers’ Residency, providing its historic stone Rush Cottage in the heart of the vineyard free of charge to a successful applicant annually – the inaugural residency took place this August. It has recently begun providing its Olive Shed space to the Assisting Regional Artists (ARA), a charitable trust, as an exhibition and events space.
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