Hauora at Moureeses Bay
A Luxury Coastal Retreat at Moureeses Bay, 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 its white sandy curved beach, on the Whananaki coastline, A home built to catch the morning light, all day sun, the sound of the surf, and very little else. No crowds. No traffic. Just century-old native trees, a white sandy beach, and the kind of silence that resets a nervous system.
If you have 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
What “Hauora” Means
Hauora is a Māori word with no single English equivalent — the closest is “wellbeing,” but that undersells it. In Māori tradition, hauora rests on four pillars: the physical (taha tinana), the spiritual (taha wairua), the mental and emotional (taha hinengaro), and connection to the people you love (whānau). This home was named for the concept because it was built to hold all four — a rare thing to find under one roof, anywhere.
You don’t need to understand the philosophy to feel it. Most guests just call it very Zen
The Setting
Moureeses Bay is one of Northland’s least-known stretches of coast, which is exactly why it still feels undiscovered. From the deck, the Pacific Ocean changes mood by the hour — glassy at dawn, restless by afternoon, streaked gold at sunset, and on the right day, rolling in as a genuinely world-class surf break below. Below the beach is yours to walk,
Ten minutes down the road, the tiny settlement of Whananaki offers a sheltered inlet for swimming and kayaking, a boat ramp for the keen fisher, and the Whananaki Store — open year-round with good food, cold drinks, and often a bit of live music. It’s the kind of unpretentious local spot that doesn’t exist for tourists, which is exactly why it’s worth finding.
The Home
Hauora was designed to disappear into its surroundings rather than compete with them. Clean architectural lines, cantilevered wings, steel, concrete, natural timber and glass — the result feels less like a holiday rental and more like a private residence that happens to have three suites, each with its own ensuite bathroom. A dedicated yoga and wellness room (which converts to a fourth bedroom) gives you a quiet place to stretch, meditate, or simply watch the weather roll in.
The way the home is designed you can gather as a group or have your own alone time. The kitchen is fully equipped with modern appliances And when you want the ocean at your back instead of in front of you, the outdoor spa pool is waiting. A perfect place at night for star gazing.
This is self-contained luxury in the New Zealand tradition — an entire architect-designed home, exclusively yours, rather than a single hotel room among hundreds of others.
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 board out past the point, a walk along the empty beach, a slow lunch partly sourced 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 — easily reached by rental car, with 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 bedrooms, each with a private ensuite, aircon in all.
- plus a fourth-bedroom-capable yoga studio — sleeps up to 8
- Two kayaks, one paddle board, children’s surfboards and a skimboard, with 6 life jackets supplied
- Private outdoor spa pool and outdoor shower
- Full designer kitchen and BBQ, with access to the property’s vegetable garden
- Optional private chef service, using fresh seasonal produce
- Triple car garaging, full laundry, WiFi, and air conditioning throughout
- Easy access to a white sand beach
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.
