Hauora at Moureeses Bay
A Luxury Coastal Retreat, Northland, New Zealand
There is a bay at the top of New Zealand that most of the world has never heard of. That is rather the point.
Hauora stands above a curving white sand beach on the Whananaki coastline — an award-winning architectural home built to catch the morning light, the sound of the surf, and very little else. No crowds, no traffic. Just century-old native trees and the kind of quiet that resets a nervous system.
If you’ve travelled a long way to reach New Zealand, this is where that journey should end.
“It’s among my favourite places I’ve stayed anywhere in the world, and I look forward to coming back.” — T, New York
The Setting
Moureeses Bay is one of Northland’s best-kept secrets — which is exactly why it still feels undiscovered. From the deck you look out towards the Poor Knights Islands, rated among the top ten diving and snorkelling destinations in the world, while the pristine Pacific changes mood by the hour: glassy at dawn, gold at sunset, and on the right day, rolling in as a genuinely world-class surf break below.
Ten minutes down the road, Whananaki offers a sheltered inlet, a boat ramp for the keen angler, and the Whananaki Store — open year-round with good food, coffee and, often, a bit of live music. The kind of unpretentious local spot that doesn’t exist for tourists.
The Home
Hauora is an award-winning architectural home, designed to disappear into its surroundings rather than compete with them. Two cantilevered wings in steel, concrete, timber and glass are perfectly orientated for the coastal, beach and bush views — this feels less like a holiday rental and more like a private residence that happens to have three ensuite suites and a yoga studio that converts to a fourth bedroom.
The open-plan living area flows out to the hardwood deck, where Coast bean bags and sun loungers make it just as easy to gather as a group as to find your own quiet corner. And when you want the ocean at your back instead of in front of you, the outdoor spa pool is waiting — a fine spot for stargazing after dark.
This is self-contained luxury in the New Zealand tradition: an entire architect-designed home, exclusively yours.
A Day at Hauora
Morning starts on the deck with coffee and the sunrise over the water, kayaks waiting for whenever you’re ready. Afternoons might mean a paddle out past the point, a slow lunch from the vegetable garden, or nothing at all — a book, a bean bag chair, the sound of the waves.
As evening comes, the outdoor fire gets lit, and if you’ve arranged it, a private chef will have quietly turned local produce into dinner. Nothing here is rushed. That’s rather the design brief.
Getting Here
Hauora is a scenic three-hour drive north of Auckland, the last stretch winding through native bush and along the coast. Consider it the on-ramp to the rest of your stay — by the time you arrive, the pace has already changed.
The Details
- 3 ensuite bedrooms plus a fourth-bedroom-capable yoga studio — sleeps up to 8
- Private outdoor spa pool and outdoor shower
- Full designer kitchen and BBQ, with garden access
- Optional private chef service
- Kayaks, paddle board, children’s surfboards and skimboard, with life jackets supplied. Table tennis .
- Views out to the Poor Knights Islands — world top-ten diving and snorkelling
- TV, Bluetooth streaming, WiFi and air conditioning throughout
- Triple car garaging, full laundry, linens and toiletries supplied
- Easy beach access; good birdwatching
- Exit clean included
Plan Your Escape
Hauora welcomes couples, families, and small groups of up to eight. Children aged five and over are welcome, and well-behaved small dogs may join by prior arrangement.
