10 NZ Cabins To Save For Your Next Escape

Kiwi cabins worth the detour. No one will find you here.

When it comes to a cosy weekend away, New Zealand doesn’t always get the airtime it deserves. But it should.

The cost of a sexy cabin stay here is often on par with, if not less than, what you’ll pay for something similar in Aus.

But New Zealand brings a mood. Wild weather, towering peaks, glassy blue lakes, rough coastlines; more often than not, you can marvel at any or all of these from a freestanding bathtub. There’s a rawness there that’s hard to beat. The North and South islands, while both unique, are dotted with cosy cabins that nail both ends of the price spectrum – affordable right up to serious bucket-lust territory.

There is also something kind of hot about heading international for a long weekend away. Leverage the points (treat yourself to business?) and spice up that 2-hour flight.

Here’s our hit list of the best (in no particular order) from off-grid gems to the kind of holy grail stays that’ll ruin you for regular life.

Our Top 10 NZ Cabins:

1. The Temple Cabins, South Island

   John and I stayed here a few weeks back. Worth the off-grid drive, and it snowed the night we arrived. Better yet, there are two cabins in this collection, spaced 500 metres apart. We’d recommend ‘North Point’. Keep an eye out for our full feature coming soon.

2. Seascape, South Island

   The end game. If you can afford it, do it. Absolute seclusion in a private bay, breathtaking in design, and just a 20-minute heli from Christchurch. I can picture myself wrapped in a blanket with a wine below. Saving for the honeymoon.

3. The Lindis Pods, South Island

   Design that disappears into the landscape. These mirrored pods feel futuristic and wild all at once. Part of the exclusive remote lodge of the same name.

4. Fallow Ridge Retreat, South Island
   An easy weekender with an impressively private view. Bonus points for the hot tub.

5. The Musterer & Me, South Island
   A quirky little old shearer’s cabin with lots of charm. You are on top of each other, but isn’t that the point of a sexy weekend away? The little steamy bath steals the show, as do the snowcapped mountains.

6. Tunapo Escape, North Island
   Tunapo sits upon a steep cliffside 90 minutes from Wellington that dramatically cascades down to the ocean. You feel small, like really small. Surrounded by boundless skies and an ocean that chases the horizon across 180 degrees, trust us - no one will find you here. Read our review.

7. The Nest Coastal Escape, North Island
   Minimalist, and right on the water’s edge. I’m not a huge fan of the interiors, but the vista makes up for it.

8. Pipinui Point, North Island

   Very similar offering to number 6, but more of a modernist vibe. Perched on a cliff 250m above the Tasman.

9. Nikau Studio, North Island
   An open plan studio nestled next to a gentle stream on the native forested foothills of Whale Bay. Something to note – this is a guesthouse, not a standalone cabin.

10. Huka Lodge , North Island
    Bonus - also not a cabin, but surely one of NZ’s most iconic ‘lodges’. Recently refreshed but still full of that old-world charm.

Enjoy our favourite cabin playlist, open a nice bottle of NZ red and enjoy.