8 of the best stays in New Zealand if you want to escape the grind

PurePods offers a new way to explore New Zealand’s iconic natural landscapes.

Picture this: you’re getting away from it all in New Zealand, revelling in total seclusion from the outside world with complete immersion in incredible landscapes. Outside your window there’s a view of either craggy snow-capped mountains, rolling ocean, picturesque farmland or lush forest; inside is a different kind of luxury.

More than a place to stay and designed for year-round comfort, PurePods offer unforgettable experiences. Each secluded glass pod is reached by a short nature walk – sometimes through conservation reserves, other times across farm trails or native bush tracks – while the unique accommodation has all you could need for a comfortable off-grid stay. With over 16 PurePods to choose from, here are some of our top picks.

Unwind in quiet luxury with PurePods. (Image: Brook Sabin)

1. Matū

Surrounded by native bush and overlooking King Country, PurePods’s latest off-grid farmland location – Matū – gives visitors a taste of rural New Zealand. Just a 10-minute drive from the Waitomo Glowworm Caves, the glass cabin includes a luxe bed, piping hot shower, flush toilet, cooking equipment and (if you can tear yourself away from the view) games and books. Come nightfall, peer through the telescope to watch the stars put on a show. What makes this PurePod even better? A new outdoor bath is being installed, so you can soak under the stars.

Soak in King Country views. (Image: Brook Sabin)

2. Atatū

Snuggle up in bed and watch the sun rise over the water from Atatū PurePod; perched on a hill on private farmland, you can gaze over 360° views across the ocean and mountains. Part of a farm that dates back to 1850, the Atatū PurePod is reached by a 25-minute nature walk through farmland and native forest. Optional farm tours include a visit to the local seal colony, and electric mountain bikes are available to hire for a ride around the beautiful eight-kilometre track through the property.

Rise with the sun.

3. Rewarewa

Just 40 minutes from Auckland and at the gateway to Kaipara Harbour, Rewarewa PurePod is proof you don’t have to go far from the city to get away from it all. The glass cabin, constructed with the strongest eco-principles, sits on the edge of a gully in a secluded section of an award-winning lamb farm. Those down with ornithology will love sitting on the deck, which overlooks a protected conservation and regeneration area for native birds – expect to hear the chatter of the kererū, tūī and ruru at dusk.

Birdsong and bushland await. (Image: Lilia Alexander)

4. Tāima

The path up to Tāima PurePod was carved by fossickers in the gold mining days, but the real treasure lies in the view from the pod: perched on the edge of the Kawarau Gorge near Queenstown, in winter, you’re surrounded by the snowy mountains of Central Otago. Wake for the sunrise in Big Sky country and you might find yourself floating above the clouds. Later, pour a glass of pinot from Central Otago’s famous local wineries, snack on fresh artisan produce and enjoy one of the most exclusive views of the region.

Sip local pinot and soak in snowy peaks.

5. Kahutara

Kaikōura’s Kahutara PurePod sits on a spur of land just above the Kahutara River, offering absolute privacy, and its own foothills give way to vast views across to the mighty Kaikōura Ranges. Getting there is half the adventure; located on a property where over 80 hectares have been regenerated to bushland, guests cross streams, pass wetlands and traverse through a grove of flowering kanuka vegetation to reach the PurePod, with marked trails allowing you to explore further afield. When night falls, snuggle into your warm bed and gaze up through the glass roof – as Kahutara PurePod is in a Dark Sky Sanctuary, it’s an unforgettable place to watch the stars.

Get the night sky to yourself.

6. Kokomea

Overlooking the Kāpiti Coast an hour north of Wellington, Kokomea PurePod is in a grapevine nursery beside a grove of olive trees. The journey to the PurePod begins with a walk through a gully rich with native rātā, kōwhai and pōhutukawa trees, set alongside a clear, spring-fed stream. Guests can pre-order a dinner and breakfast package featuring fresh local produce; as dinner cooks, spot native birds, including kererū, miromiro (North Island tomtit), kākā, tūī and fantails. An optional guided farm tour is a great way to learn about the property’s history.

Unwind among vines. (Image: Paul Wilson)

7. Korimako

Reached via a winding track through beautiful native bushland, Korimako PurePod is nestled on a historic property established by early settlers in the 1850s. Its peaceful rural setting is just 90 minutes from Christchurch, with sweeping views toward Banks Peninsula and the Pacific Ocean. The glass cabin has an outdoor area overlooking the ocean, while surrounding native vegetation attracts a variety of birdlife, including bellbirds and fantails.

Wake up to ocean views. (Image: Emma Douglas)

8. Tokoeka

A stay at Tokoeka PurePod, on Rakiura/Stewart Island, is like nothing else. Over 85 per cent of the island makes up Rakiura National Park, with hundreds of kilometres of walking tracks and a large population of the iconic New Zealand kiwi foraging through the bush. The Tokoeka PurePod is set behind a predator-proof fence in a conservation reserve, with the lower deck of the pod trimmed with special red lighting so you can glimpse kiwi from your deck at night. One of New Zealand’s southernmost Dark Sky Reserves, this is also one of the spots where you might be lucky enough to see the Aurora Australis tinge the skies green between March and September.

Stargaze in solitude at Tokoeka PurePod.

Start planning your off-grid adventure at purepods.com.