I fly fish in New Zealand a few times a year. From Melbourne Australia it is easy to get there. Airfares are very reasonable and the flight is under 4 hours. This year I decided to visit Owen River Lodge again. Its hard to keep away given that that Lodge is the best 5 star lodge in NZ. Five star however normally means that the establishment ticks all the required boxes to achieve its rating. With Owen River Lodge it really does go beyond the required criteria. The service here is personalised and intuitive. The atmosphere and lodge is intimate, relaxed and luxurious. The food really is deserving of major accolades. It is fresh, innovative, balanced and at times euphoric. Being a foodie I almost look forward to the cuisine as much as the tremendous fishing. The other thing that sets ORL apart is that the owner, Felix Borenstine employs the best fishing guides in the region. These guys know their stuff. They know not only were the fish are but which rivers are best to fish at any given time. Last season various clients caught fish between 10 lb and just under 13 lb. Staggering sizes and evidence that the areas and rivers immediate to ORL really do offer the best sighted brown trout fishing in the world. I decided to visit early this year, just after season opening. Most fly fishermen prefer the warmer peak months but I can attest that early fishing is fantastic and best of all there are not many other fishermen around and the trout a little less wary. Thank you Felix for another trip that was again beyond expectations, beyond 5 starts both for the service/wonderful accommodation and the fishing. Cant wait to come back ! Max

Our five night stay at Owen River Lodge was the highlight of a recent combined fishing and sightseeing trip to New Zealand for my wife and I. Felix is the consummate host and attends to every detail for his guests. My knowledgeable guide Dave successfully coached me through my first New Zealand fishing experience with patience and good humor. The wide choice of rivers to fish provided a new experience every day and enabled us to select the best weather conditions for each day's fishing. While I had the best fishing experience of my life, my non fishing wife took long walks with Keeley, spent the afternoon with Chef Cheryl as she prepared whitebait and tenderloin of venison for the evening meal and relaxed and enjoyed the beautiful view from the porch outside our room. The meals prepared by Chef Ryan and Cheryl were truly five star and Felix's masterful arrangement of seating made each meal a new adventure in both cuisine and conversation. We stayed in several wonderful lodges while in New Zealand, but Owen River Lodge is the one to which we will be certain to return.