Looking back over his twenty years at Lake Rotoroa Lodge, Bob Haswell, one of the original partners, reflected "When we established Lake Rotoroa Lodge we wanted it to be a high country luxurious retreat, with trout fishing. Back then the world was looking for escape, and New Zealand was the perfect destination. Lake Rotoroa Lodge is still the ultimate escape." In 2000 Lake Rotoroa Lodge earned a great accolade when National Geographic Adventure magazine named it as one of the twenty-five greatest adventure destinations in the world. It also named Lake Rotoroa Lodge as one of the two finest trout fishing venues in the world.