Designed by Greg Boyden of Jasmax, this contemporary house sleeps 10 people (plus staff) and to stay there will set you back a mere $2500 a night. Hurakia Lodge sits on a smooth green hill on Rakino Island in Auckland's Hauraki Gulf, a short trip by helicopter or a leisurely 45-minute passenger ferry ride from the CBD.
If it's seclusion you're after, Hurakia Lodge has it in spades, as well as the best 360-degree views you will ever get of the gulf and surrounding islands.
Like all houses on Rakino, Hurakia Lodge is self-sufficient in water and power, in this case solar panels. If you prefer not to swim in the crystal-clear waters around the island, the house has its own pool surrounded by expansive decks. To ensure the form of the house did not compete too strongly with its surroundings, Boyden created three long, low glazed pavilions in a Y shape, one living and two bedroom wings that semi-enclose the pool area.
Stewart Harris of Martin Hughes Architecture Interiors designed the interior, again keeping it low-key to complement the view and the simplicity of the architecture. Harris chose a simple palette of natural colours and materials throughout the house, which has five bedrooms and five bathrooms (plus staff accommodation). A personal chef can be provided if required and when you're tired of that view, heli-fishing, boat charters and beauty treatments can also be organised.
Otaha Beachfront Lodge, Kerikeri
The beauty of Northland's coastline is renowned throughout the world and Otaha Beach is no exception with its pristine clear blue waters, pohutukawa-fringed sands and an estuary full of flounder. Designed by Martin Boakes of Grad Design and built within a two-minute walk from this private, untouched stretch of the coast, Otaha Beachfront Lodge is designed to make the most of its stunning location. It has floor-to-ceiling windows in most of its rooms to maximise sea views, sunshine and the clear blue skies.
The interior of the house is as gorgeous as its surroundings and includes furnishings from well-known designers such as Simon James. The open-plan living area has decks on either side providing a sheltered outdoor space for barbecues and entertaining, no matter the wind. Timber floors and sarked timber ceilings throughout give the house a light spacious yet warm feel and all five bedrooms have en suite bathrooms. There's even a room for the nanny if required. If your main objectives on holiday are privacy, swimming, sunbathing, strolling through the bush, fishing or just relaxing, this place is for you.
A night at Otaha Beachfront costs $2500.
Oruawharo Cottage, Great Barrier Island
Small but perfectly formed is an often-used description we agree, but in the case of Oruawharo Cottage it couldn't be more apt. The 100sq m holiday retreat on the east coast of Great Barrier Island is designed by Fearon Hay Architects, winners of numerous awards for its immaculately beautiful houses. Fans of its work should find much to admire in this simple rough-sawn black timber rectangle that faces north towards the waters of isolated Oruawharo Bay.
Jeff Fearon and Tim Hay felt strongly that the building's scale should be modest to ensure the site remained as untouched as possible. They relished the challenges this involved, employing clever strategies to overcome space limitations, such as using sliding doors for bedrooms and en suite bathrooms at either end of the cottage, and inserting a simple linear stainless steel kitchen along one wall to leave the living area as open as possible.
The pair collaborated with Hay's sister, interior design Penny Hay, who specified the same oiled oak for floors and walls to give the inside of the cottage a unified, spacious yet comforting feel. The designers wanted the interior to contrast with the wildness and isolation of the cottage's remote setting.
A layer of perforated metal screens on the northern elevation can be used to control sun and ventilation, plus provide security when the cottage is unoccupied.
The building is off the grid, powered by solar panels and has independent systems for water collection and treatment.
Oruawharo Cottage sleeps four and will cost you $450 a night.
Tiritiri Lodge House, Wanaka
Waking up to unimpeded views of some of the best scenery in the South Island is guaranteed at Tiritiri Lodge in Wanaka. With the lake, walking tracks along the Clutha River and Mt Aspiring National Park just down the road, the house is an ideal holiday destination for outdoor lovers. The list of activities is enough to satisfy the most energetic of guests and includes swimming in the lake (in summer, of course), mountain biking, fly fishing, hiking and sky diving. Those less into physical exertion can always explore the local vineyards and restaurants.
A night at the lodge costs around $1000 and for this you can kick back in a series of elegant external and interior spaces that include a large commercial kitchen (chef extra), living area, three bedrooms and four bathrooms. Designed by Virginia Russell, a New Zealand born and trained architect who works in Australia, the house is surrounded by a balcony which connects it to a beautifully landscaped garden.
Bach 456, Onetangi, Waiheke Island
From the deck of Bach 456, the silver sands of beautiful Onetangi beach stretch out beneath you and, in the distance, all you can see is the vast blue of the Pacific Ocean and the occasional boat. Don't let the name of this house fool you as this is by no means a traditional Kiwi bach. It has a luxuriously appointed interior and enough room to easily accommodate eight people.
Designed by Paul McIntosh, the house has three bedrooms and two bathrooms plus a plunge pool, and indoor and outdoor fireplaces. An all-white interior, pale wooden floors, pitched roof with natural timber beams and white shutters give Bach 456 a Cape Cod vibe and this is reinforced by the soft neutral tones of the furnishings.
You'd be forgiven for never wanting to leave this serene sanctuary but the island's stunning beaches, coastal walkways and world-class vineyards and restaurants are all within easy reach and explore them you must if you go to Waiheke.
A night at Bach 456 starts costs from between $995 and $1200.
Cheap and cheerful
Luxury is all very well if you can afford it, but many of us prefer to holiday in homes that are more about character than comfort. Plenty of cute little 50s style baches are for hire for less than $150 a night, and while the bathrooms might not always be state of the art, there's something quintessentially Kiwi about their simple, uncontrived charm.
If you're after something a little closer to nature, for around $300 you can spend a night or two in a yurt. Sited in a Waiheke Island olive grove, Simply B Yurts are furnished with a king-size bed, lounge chairs and a private toilet. Continental breakfast, barbecue and ferry pick-ups are free and yoga sessions are an optional extra.
And for even fewer dollars (from $95 a night) but just as much adventure, head to Golden Bay where a handcrafted replica of an old train carriage is for hire. Set in the garden of an old farmhouse, the Caboose can sleep three people and is equipped with its own pot belly stove and outdoor bath.
