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The Coromandel Peninsula is known for its beaches and most travellers find themselves hiking down to Cathedral Cove, swimming at Hahei Beach or digging holes in the sand at Hot Water Beach.
Don’t get us wrong, we visited all of the above and loved them but there is much more to this stunning Peninsula and it doesn’t take long to get off the beaten track and we think it’s well worth it.
Known as the Coromandel Sanctuary, this private forest property is reached by a 22 km twisty gravel road called the 309. The 309 road demands the attention of the driver and is slow going but in our humble opinion, it is not a difficult or overly dangerous road and just requires patience. We travelled the road in late November and had no issues driving a rented 15-year-old Toyota station wagon weighed down with 4 adults and a child and all of our gear. The clearance of our vehicle was extremely low but we made it to the top of the Coromandel Ranges with no issues.
The property felt special from the moment we pulled up. The modern design is striking and its clear from the second you enter that its well designed and very well built.
It felt like you were walking into Dwell Magazine and even though we had high expectations for this property, it far exceeded them.
The home isn’t just beautiful, but thoughtfully designed and it made the space incredibly functional, yet warm and offered privacy for our group that made the stay really comfortable for two groups of people.
The large sliding doors onto the deck open up the space and the uninterrupted views of the Coromandel Ranges are nothing short of spectacular. The pure sounds of nature, the lush and varied greens of New Zealand are on full display and it’s worth every second of the drive to stay here.
Honestly there was no reason to leave the property but there are also beautiful waterfalls, Kauri Forests and hikes nearby that are easily accessible. We did the castle rock hike at sunrise and it was beautiful. There was no one on the hike and it was a bit tricky to find as it was unmarked but we didn’t have much trouble and it added to the overall experience.
Coming back from the hike and stoking the central fireplace, turning on music and making an espresso and enjoying the interior of this home were cherished moments during our stay.
The master bedroom is large and comfortable and the windows looking into the forest come alive at night as there is light directly into the forest which makes the evenings in this room really spectacular. The ensuite bathroom is luxurious and the window into the forest makes this bathroom makes it feel like a spa.
The highlight for us was the outdoor bath, it just felt incredibly special. There is something very freeing about being naked in nature and brings out the inner hippy in you The short forest walk down to the bathing platform sets the scene and propane heaters were really easy to use and provided nearly instant heat.
Sitting in the bath overlooking the pristine forest, watching the steam rise from the bath with bird songs all around puts you in a state of relaxation that is hard to duplicate. Please don’t forget to indulge in this unforgettable experience.
Overall we felt like this property provided amazing value and have no hesitation in recommending this stunning Airbnb. Steve the host was easy to communicate with and the property was beyond special.
We highly recommend booking this property well in advance as it does book up. We stayed in Late November but I think this property would be beautiful at any time of the year.
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