Te Waonui Forest Retreat

Te Waonui Forest Retreat, now trading as Legacy Te Waonui Hotel, is a five-star hotel on Wallace Street in Franz Josef, wrapped around a preserved pocket of West Coast rainforest. Four wings enclose the bush so the retreat feels private and quiet, a short drive from the Franz Josef Glacier. Scenic Hotel Group lists it as one of its West Coast wedding properties, and the retreat also offers exclusive use for couples wanting the place to themselves. Wedding dinners work naturally in the Canopy Restaurant, the hotel's fine dining room set among the treetops, which seats up to 120 guests inside with a deck for warmer evenings. Catering is done in house through the restaurant kitchen, and the day spa, lounge and bar round out the stay. With 97 guest rooms on site, a wedding party and their guests can stay where the celebration is.