Incredible Eco-Resorts to Book in New Zealand

Hapuku Lodge and Tree Houses is a luxurious South Island retreat, just 12km (7mi) north of Kaikoura. It sits on a deer-breeding farm, where you can marvel at a combination of greenery and maritime vistas. A collection of treehouses are tucked away in a canopy of native trees 10m (33ft) above ground. Each accommodation at this eco-friendly getaway has double glazing and beautiful custom-made furniture; some even have an efficient fireplace. Food-wise, it has an organic garden and sources the majority of its ingredients from local farmers.

You can’t get more nature-friendly than a resort in the middle of a national park. The Awaroa Lodge prides itself in being able to keep its environmental footprint low while catering to passing hikers and travellers looking for an extended stay. Along with close-range access to the Abel Tasman Coast Track, this serene South Island accommodation is surrounded by coastlines, waterfalls and wilderness.

Minaret Station Alpine Lodge is a boutique bed and breakfast near one of New Zealand’s most popular tourist destinations, Wanaka. Local timbers, schist stone and non-toxic materials were used in crafting this luxurious nature retreat. If you happen to be a Lord of the Rings fan, this resort has a unique Hobbit-esque room on-site. No matter which accommodation you choose for yourself, though, you’re bound to be enthralled by the glacial lakeside scenery.

By car, you’re mere minutes away from downtown Queenstown, but you wouldn’t know it as you enjoy your breakfast at this peaceful hillside B&B in New Zealand’s South Island. Book the Tahi room for glinting, balcony views of Lake Wakatipu and the snow-laced Remarkables mountain range filling the frame beyond. Even without outdoor space, the other three rooms radiate calmness and luxury, with oat-tone fabrics and furnishings crafted from kiwi wood for a warm family-home feel. After a day of exploring, enjoy some wine while sitting around the toasty firepit outside.

This high-country wilderness retreat, a three-hour drive north of Queenstown, has sweeping views of the Southern Alps. With a huge focus on food, it features an organic garden that supplies straight-to-plate produce – including berries, herbs and vegetables – and locally sources others ingredients, such as manuka honey, salmon and lamb. While the villa interiors may be pared down – as if to defer to the drama of peaks and waters beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows – they don’t stint on comfort, with dream-soft beds and deep tubs. Before turning in, gaze skyward in the on-site observatory; there’s a fine wine cellar right next door, ensuring those stars will shine even more brightly.

At this central North Island institution, expect major adrenaline thrills. The River Valley Lodge is a thriving 1980s family-run raft-outing operation, complete with added beds and food. It’s tucked in a quiet bend in the routinely boiling white Rangitikei, a bucking bronco of a river with 10 major rapids along its local 11km (7mi) run. You’ll return flushed and exhilarated from afternoon (or even multi-day) expeditions. Accommodation is gentler on the pulse, whether entry-level bunk beds or comfy deluxe rooms, with their jazzy curtains and bedspreads. And the complimentary sauna is just what sore limbs need after all that excitement.

Experiments in eco-awareness don’t come more textbook than boutique Te Arai Lodge, an hour’s journey from Auckland. Perched on a ridge amid lush trees, overlooking hazy offshore islands, it pays full homage to nature. The communal dining table is repurposed elm, while the kitchen incorporates photogenic, almost-blond NZ tawa wood. Outside, a terrace of vibrant purpleheart timber makes a lovely spot for the dusk wine hour. You might chill in a cedar hot tub, peer through binoculars at oystercatchers and falcons gliding over local shrubs or relax with a home-made gnocchi dinner after surfing or fat-tyre biking on nearby sandy shores.