6 Epic Stays You Can Only Have in New Zealand
It’s blessed with cinematic scenery and endless natural wonders – and you can also count on New Zealand to have the perfect Airbnb to cap off an unforgettable wilderness adventure.
Experience a boutique winery with a glam farmstay
Nestled in the manicured beauty of a vineyard in the celebrated Central Otago wine region, this luxurious studio is the postcard-perfect stone barn for two. Serenity is assured at the open-plan pondside retreat, where each window frames incredible views of the lush estate and river plains leading to dramatic mountain peaks.
Queenstown is just an hour’s drive away but the estate’s tennis court, sculpture garden and olive groves – not to mention the studio’s blazing wood fire – are likely to keep you closer to home.
Go off-grid in a fantasy treehouse
Childhood dreams come to life at The Treehouse. Nestled on the edge of Mt Taranaki on the North Island, the adults-only retreat embraces sustainability with a sense of fun.
A magical upper-level outdoor deck is equipped with a hot tub and swing chair, while a rainbow-lit slide lets guests bypass the spiral staircase and whiz from their treetop eyrie to the ground. Thoughtful touches make sure up to three guests feel right at home, including art supplies to capture the landscape and hammocks for indulgently lazy contemplation.
Be nestled in nature at a tiny house
Blink and you could miss Kiwi Chalet, a masterfully designed tiny home camouflaged in the rugged hills and golden grasslands of the majestic Otago landscape. Mimicking the towering peaks looming in the background with its angled roof, the cosy cabin sleeps two and has staggering views from all angles, including its lounge room mezzanine and landscaped outdoor sitting area. Feeling energetic? Lace up your hiking boots for the eight-kilometre loop around the serene Lake Hayes, accessed via the scenic farm track
Embrace artful seclusion at an architectural gem
You’ll feel a million miles from anywhere at Skylark Cabin, a designer pad tucked in a remote South Island valley backed by the imposing Ben Ohau Range. You’re guaranteed to kick down a gear with the help of the huge outdoor stainless-steel bath and supersized beanbags on the deck, while the circular skylight over the plush bed makes drifting off to sleep a dream. By day, the bicycles provided with your stay are the perfect mode of transport to explore the stunningly rugged valley.
Escape to the wild with a high-country hut
Perched on the edge of a mountain lake in an old ski basin, Terako Hut is primed for adventure. Deep in the adventure hotspot of the North Canterbury mountains, it has access to the neighbouring Mt Lyford Adventure Park where summers are about hiking and mountain-bike riding and winter will see you tearing down the slopes on skis just five minutes away. And once you’re ready to relax, the two-person hut comes complete with an outdoor wood-heated hot tub.
Stargaze from the ultimate outdoor tub
Evenings are when the light show begins at Stargazer’s Luxury Retreat. Located in the world’s largest night sky reserve in the Canterbury region, the two-guest timber house embraces its stargazing potential with a woodfired outdoor hot tub – the perfect spot to sip champagne beneath the twinkling canopy before heading inside to the comforts of the pot-belly stove. Daylight is prime time for exploring the huge lake with its famously milky-turquoise water waiting just beyond the front gate.
