Cape Kidnappers

What Cape Kidnappers does

Cape Kidnappers is an ultra-luxury golf and lodge resort located on a 6,000-acre working sheep and cattle station on a peninsula at the southern end of Hawke's Bay, New Zealand, extending roughly 10 kilometres into the South Pacific. The core asset is an 18-hole, par-71 championship golf course measuring 7,119 yards, designed by Tom Doak, with cliff-edge fairways sitting 140 metres above sea level; all 18 greens and fairways were fully renovated in 2022 in partnership with Doak's Renaissance Golf. Supporting facilities include a 1,500 square-foot putting and chipping green, a 12-stall driving range, a clubhouse with dining, and a pro shop stocking brands such as Peter Millar, Greyson, Kjus, Titleist and Callaway. The wider property also houses Cape Sanctuary, the largest privately owned wildlife restoration project in New Zealand — protected by 10+ kilometres of predator-proof fencing and populated with rare and endangered native birdlife.

The property is one of three wholly-owned lodges in the Robertson family's Robertson Lodges collection, alongside Kauri Cliffs (Northland) and Matakauri Lodge (Queenstown). Since 1 December 2023, all three properties have been managed by Rosewood Hotels & Resorts, marking Rosewood's entry into Oceania while the Robertson family has retained ownership. Affiliations with Relais & Chateaux and Rosewood, together with recognition from Andrew Harper, Condé Nast Traveler, Golf Digest, Tatler and Travel + Leisure (within a year of opening in 2001), underpin the brand position.

Revenue is generated from four primary streams: green fees and golf access priced by season and residency status (NZ$250–$975 per round), group golf events and tournament packages (Golf Day Packages from NZ$635 per person for 24+ players; Spring Pairs Tournament at NZ$2,955 per person twin share for two nights), clubhouse dining and beverage (breakfast NZ$55 to dinner NZ$225 per person), and pro shop merchandise including club and shoe rentals. Accommodation revenue flows through Rosewood's global reservation system rather than a direct-booking channel. Commercial customers fall into three segments: affluent international golf enthusiasts (primary), corporate groups booking tournaments and entertainment days, and luxury travellers combining golf with farm, spa and Hawke's Bay wine-region experiences. Distribution runs through the Rosewood booking platform, the robertsonlodges.com direct site, phone/email reservations in New Zealand, and a newly launched USA online retail storefront.

Name

Cape Kidnappers

Legal name

Robertson Lodges

Website

https://robertsonlodges.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Cape Kidnappers is an ultra-luxury Tom Doak-designed 18-hole golf resort on a 6,000-acre Hawke's Bay peninsula in New Zealand, owned by the Robertson family and managed by Rosewood Hotels & Resorts, serving affluent international golfers, corporate groups, and luxury travellers through green fees, tournament packages, clubhouse dining, and on-site accommodation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Luxury Golf Resorts

NAICS

Golf Courses and Country Clubs (71391)

SIC

Hotels & Motels (7011)

akta.pro primary industry

Luxury Golf Resorts (THAGACAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Resort-Area Full-Service Hotels (Non–All-Inclusive) (THAGAAAD)

Keywords

• Luxury golf resort
• Championship golf course
• Luxury hospitality
• Wildlife sanctuary
• Golf tourism

Headquarters

HQ city

Te Awanga

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Green Fees and Golf Access: Revenue from green fees for the 18-hole championship golf course, with varying rates by season (low, shoulder, high) and residency status.
2. Golf Events and Packages: Revenue from tournament packages including Golf Day Packages (NZ $635 per person) and Spring Pairs Tournament packages (NZ $2,955 per person twin share).
3. Dining and Beverage: Revenue from clubhouse dining, bar service, and special events including welcome receptions and tournament dinners.
4. Pro Shop Merchandise: Revenue from golf apparel, accessories, equipment rental including clubs and golf shoes.
5. Accommodation (via Rosewood): Luxury suite accommodation managed by Rosewood Hotels & Resorts, with tournament packages including two nights accommodation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Cape Kidnappers operates a luxury golf resort on a 6,000-acre working sheep and cattle station in Hawke's Bay, New Zealand. The core offering is an 18-hole par 71 championship golf course designed by Tom Doak, perched on cliffs 140 metres above the Pacific Ocean, complemented by luxury lodge accommodation, clubhouse dining, practice facilities, a pro shop, and tournament/event packages. The property is co-located with Cape Sanctuary, a privately funded wildlife restoration project spanning 6,000 acres protected by over 10 km of predator-proof fencing.

Product overview

Cape Kidnappers is a luxury golf resort operated by Rosewood Hotels & Resorts as part of the Robertson Lodges collection. The portfolio consists of the championship 18-hole Cape Kidnappers Golf Course designed by Tom Doak, supported by practice facilities, a pro shop, and clubhouse dining. The property also hosts seasonal tournaments including the Spring Pairs Tournament and Golf Day Packages for group events. The 6,000-acre working sheep and cattle station doubles as Cape Sanctuary, a private wildlife restoration project.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Cape Kidnappers Golf Course 18-hole par 71 championship golf course designed by Tom Doak, perched on cliffs 140 metres above sea level on a 6,000-acre peninsula in Hawke's Bay, New Zealand. Measures 7,119 yards (6,510 meters) with cliff-edge fairways and Pacific Ocean views. Underwent full renovation of all 18 greens and fairways in 2022 by Renaissance Golf.
• Cape Kidnappers Clubhouse Clubhouse dining and bar facility with panoramic views across the fairways and Pacific Ocean, offering lunch and snack menus for golfers and guests.
• Cape Kidnappers Practice Facilities World-class practice facilities including a redesigned 1,500 square foot putting and chipping green, and a driving range with 12 practice stalls featuring complimentary range balls, included with green fee.
• Cape Kidnappers Pro Shop On-site golf pro shop offering men's and women's golf and casual wear from brands including Peter Millar, Greyson, Kjus, and Titleist, as well as Callaway club rentals.
• Spring Pairs Tournament Annual spring golf tournament held in October featuring a Stableford competition with 36 holes played over two days, including accommodation at Rosewood Cape Kidnappers, all meals, tournament dinner, and prizegiving. Priced at NZ $2,955.00 per person twin share.
• Golf Day Package Customizable golf tournament day package for groups of 24 or more players, inclusive of green fees, golf carts, lunch catering, and tournament scoring in Ambrose, Stableford, or Matchplay formats. Priced at NZ $635.00 per person, available May to October.

Quantifiable outcome

• Named among top resorts in the world within a year of opening (2001)
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Rosewood Hotels & ResortsflagshipChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 December 2023Rosewood Hotels & Resorts took over management of Cape Kidnappers from 1 December 2023, marking Rosewood's entry into the Oceania region. The Robertson family continues to own the property. Rosewood brings global luxury hospitality distribution, booking systems, and marketing reach to the property.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Pebble Beach Resorts: Iconic coastal luxury golf resort in California with multiple courses, lodging, and a deep history of top-100 recognition. Comparable to Cape Kidnappers as a high-prestige seaside championship course destination; broader in scale and amenity offering.
• Pinehurst Resort: Historic multi-course American golf resort in North Carolina. Comparable as a long-established championship-golf-led luxury destination with on-site lodging, on a much larger scale than Cape Kidnappers.
• Rosewood Mayakoba: Flagship Rosewood luxury resort in Riviera Maya, Mexico, with the El Camaleón PGA-course. Comparable as a Rosewood-managed luxury resort combining championship golf with resort amenities, illustrating the brand standard Cape Kidnappers will be benchmarked against.
• Whistling Straits (Kohler Hospitality): Pete Dye-designed coastal championship course and luxury lodge in Wisconsin. Comparable as a destination-resort-style luxury golf property combining a top-ranked seaside course with upscale accommodation and event hosting.

Direct peers

• Kauri Cliffs: Sister property within the Robertson Lodges portfolio, also under Rosewood management in Northland, NZ. Top-100 ranked championship coastal course (Golf Digest #37) on a 6,000-acre working farm, offering the same luxury golf + lodge + wildlife-sanctuary proposition and target customer base as Cape Kidnappers.
• Barnbougle Lost Farm: Australian luxury destination golf resort in Tasmania with multiple top-ranked links-style courses and on-site lodge. Comparable as a remote, golf-led luxury destination targeting the same Asia-Pacific high-net-worth golfer segment.
• Cape Wickham Links: Top-ranked Australian coastal golf course on King Island, Tasmania, in the same 'must-visit' remote-golf niche as Cape Kidnappers. Targets international golf travelers seeking scenic, walkable, world-class seaside golf.
• Tara Iti Golf Club: Highly-ranked modern links-style course in New Zealand (Tom Doak-designed). Competes directly for the same international luxury golf traveler planning an NZ golf itinerary and is frequently listed alongside Cape Kidnappers in top-100 rankings.
• Bandon Dunes Golf Resort: Multi-course luxury destination golf resort on the Oregon coast widely regarded as the benchmark for 'must-visit' golf trips. Compares to Cape Kidnappers as a remote, scenic, course-led luxury experience targeting affluent international golf travelers willing to travel specifically for the golf.
• Te Arai Links: New luxury multi-course golf destination in Northland, NZ, designed by Tom Doak and Coore & Crenshaw. Directly competes with both Cape Kidnappers and Kauri Cliffs for the same high-end NZ golf trip and has rapidly entered top-100 rankings.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cape-kidnappers

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cape Kidnappers