How private is it?
All PurePods are on private land and remote enough that you can be assured privacy – just you and that special someone you are with. There are blinds on all windows and the ceiling – use them as you see fit.
Some of the most consistent feedback we receive from our guests is about privacy, isolation, being alone with nature – and how amazing that feels.
Secluded and private we had the most relaxing and revitalised stay that we can not recommend more highly. Where else can you see stars so bright! Go and stay there
Jeff & Erica
Many of the questions we get from guests planning their PurePod experiences are about exactly the same thing. Will we be safe? Can someone see us in our glass cabin? Aren’t there other people around? Is there someone lurking in the bushes?
We understand.
One of the great gifts that we have in New Zealand is our ability to be alone in extraordinarily beautiful places. This is why many people visit our country. And it is this precious gift that PurePods wants to share with you.
Most travellers visiting a PurePod live in highly populated urban environments. Many have never experienced a situation where there is literally no-one around.
We take special care in selecting our sites to ensure that there are no buildings in the immediate area, no public roadways or walkways in view of the PurePod. We ensure that you can see no-one, and no-one can see you.
We spent an incredible night stay on PurePod. I can’t use words to express my feeling surrounded by the mountains and stars. It was incredibly amazing! The PurePod is very private, no one can access to there without the instruction. So, we feel really private in PurePod. And we really enjoy connecting with nature. The team prepared everything you will need during your stay, first aid box, towels, cooking stuff… It is a wonderful experience that I have never had. Highly recommend you guys to stay in PurePod.
Ling & Berlin, Australia
PurePods are built on private property. In New Zealand such property is not encroached without prior permission of the landowner. While most PurePods are built on properties that are being farmed, we take care to place the PurePod away from the generally used areas of the farm. The landowners also maintain the PurePod and they know when it is occupied and are committed to leaving you alone.
Is it too cold or hot with all that glass?
PurePods use the highest quality toughened, double- and triple-glazed glass. Beneath the glass floor is a patented underfloor heating system that does not impede your views of the plants growing beneath. Extra heat is provided by hidden radiators. The heating and the hot water are heated using a combination of solar power and a bio-fuel capable boiler. You will find your PurePod luxuriously comfortable.
There is no air conditioning but a range of natures cooling devices (blinds, ceiling shades, sliding doors, open windows etc). On the hottest days we recommend pulling across the ceiling blind to add additional shade – the roof above the deck has also been designed to add shade. And, in the hottest part of a hot summer’s day, feel free to take the super comfy deck chairs into the shade of nearby trees.
Does it have a proper toilet & shower?
Yes! Each PurePod has a flushing toilet and a fabulous shower with beautiful views.
Breathtaking view! We enjoyed sitting on the deck watching the sea & clouds and the changing colours as the sun went down. Very relaxing. We are getting some of those chairs for camping! Loved the shower! Underfloor lighting! and stargazing!
Aaron & Kim, New Zealand
We use the latest technologies to ensure pure water and sustainable waste management. The flush toilet and unique all-glass (yes even the floor) shower provide a luxury experience while looking after the local ecosystem. The water is sourced locally and the wastewater is goes through a special biological filtration system to safely treat the wastewater before being safely pumped out as clean water under a field away from the PurePod.
Is it safe?
NZ is snake free and there are no large wild animals to threaten you. You’ll hear birdsong all day but don’t be scared if you hear cattle and sheep noise during the night, sound sometimes travels a long way. Some PurePod properties have sheep quite close by, don’t worry they won’t harm you, and the spring lambs are ever so cute!
Can I call someone if there is an emergency?
Each PurePod has communication facilities for emergencies. Instructions are available in each PurePod to ensure you can explain your location.
What are the cooking facilities, do we have to bring our own food?
Each PurePod has unique local offerings of food and drink (check out the description on each location page). Remember to select the Dinner & Breakfast Package when you are booking so the food package will be waiting for you on arrival at the PurePod. Don’t forget to bring your favourite tipple!
WOW, I can honestly tell you this place, the amazing views and food has been the highlight to my visit from Canada. Thank you for making everything special!
Sheila, Canada
Or, if you prefer, you can bring your own food supplies. The PurePod has a cooktop in the kitchen and a barbeque out on the deck, and there is plenty of clean water, coffee, tea, milk, sugar, olive oil, salt, pepper and all the utensils you need to cook for two.
Where does the energy come from?
We use solar power to charge our batteries and heat the water, gas for the barbeque and cooktop, and a bio-fuel capable boiler in the winter months for extra heating and hot water.
What about Wifi, TV, Movies etc?
There’s just a USB outlet and a bluetooth speaker (BYO music) – no wifi, no movies, no tv (but there is a telescope, star map, some books and games). Shocking, we know, but unplugging for a couple of days is a key part of the experience.
What do I do all day – what activities are there?
None – that is the point. Most people’s lives are filled with constant activity and the need to constantly be doing things. PurePods are the opposite – you are allowed a couple of days now and then to just relax and do nothing. Just breathe deeply, take time to reflect and experience nature at nature’s pace.
Some properties have marked and mapped tracks for you to follow to experience the unique local features.
Will the glass break?
The PurePod is made out of toughened glass – laminated on the floor and deck, double-glazed for doors, windows and ceilings. Glass does break – but in that unlikely event it will shatter like a windscreen meaning no personal safety issues for you. We’ve tested the glass by dropping 10kg weights on it without any breakages, but it still pays to be careful not to drop your wine or beer bottles!
How do I choose?
With six different PurePod locations to select from, how to do you choose?
Good question! Each PurePod is set in a unique and secluded part of the beautiful New Zealand landscape, making it tricky to choose a favourite. Perhaps the answer is to include “pod-hopping” on your travel itinerary?
If you are travelling from the north, we recommend starting with 2 or 3 nights at either the Kahutara or Manakau PurePods, so you have plenty of time each day to check out all the wonderful activities available in the stunning Kaikoura region (whale watching, swimming with the seals, kayaking, hiking) before returning to the peace and tranquility of the PurePod each afternoon to enjoy a relaxed evening and a star-filled night.
Then, continue south down State Highway 1 for just over an hour, before leaving the main highway to head towards the coast and the Korimako PurePod, where you will be nestled into the native bush full of bird song with a stunning view out to the nearby bay on a beautiful and historic sheep farm or the Atatū PurePod, perched high above the coastline, with sweeping sea views and fabulous sunrises.
Or, if you are a wine-lover, head a little further south to the Greystone PurePod in Waipara, making sure you arrive before 4pm so you can stop in at the Greystone Cellar Door for a complimentary wine-tasting, before heading up to the PurePod to relax and soak in the sweeping views of the beautiful Waipara Valley. If you have packed your mountain bikes, then head out for a ride along the Waipara Valley Vineyard Trail, or perhaps a more sedate stroll along the walking tracks, or check out some of the local wineries, starting of course, with Greystone Wines!
From Waipara, continue your journey south on State Highway 1, perhaps stopping for a night in Christchurch if you need your fix of city life, before travelling on to the beautiful Pōhue PurePod on Banks Peninsula, about an hour from Christchurch (or two hours from Waipara), where you can enjoy the beautiful views of the historic Port Levy bay, surrounded by rolling hills and magnificent rocky outcrops.
You may wish to stay a couple of nights while on Banks Peninsula, so you can include a day trip to the beautiful Akaroa township, a historical French and British settlement nestled in the heart of an extinct volcano. Perhaps, include a harbour cruise or kayak tour to check out the home of the rarest and smallest marine dolphin, the Hector’s dolphins.
For more info on the PurePod experience, watch this video or check out the info on the Our Story and Your Privacy at the PurePods pages. And, to hear what others have said about their PurePod experience, you can check out some testimonials and over 160 reviews, as well as stories published in a variety of magazines and newspapers.
How long is the walk from the carpark to the PurePod?
The walk from the carpark to the PurePod is an important part of your PurePod experience; it introduces you to the local environment and reinforces the privacy and isolation of the location. We understand not everyone is keen on a strenuous or long hike, so we have done our best to keep the walk to between 5 and 10 minutes long and have avoided as many “steep bits” as we can – though the best views are usually higher up, so you do need to expect a bit of uphill walking. And, then sometimes there are locations which are just so spectacular that a longer walk is totally worth it!
Here’s a brief rundown on the walking track at each PurePod location:
- Korimako PurePod – the shortest walk, at only 430m! There is a stile at the beginning of the track as you cross over a fence line, then the track gently (for the most part) makes it way up to the PurePod through a native forest full of the sound of bird-life. There are a few steps along the way on a couple of steep bits, and a small bridge across a creek. Walk time is just a couple of minutes for all you fit people, and just under 5 minutes for the rest of us.
- Greystone PurePod – while this track is only 650m long, and only takes around 5-10 minutes to walk, it does include a stile at the beginning as you cross a fence line, and a few steep steps along the way. The track can also get a little slippery following wet weather. Good news for those of you with mobility issues – we can provide alternative instructions for this PurePod, which will enable you to drive pretty much right up to the PurePod, and this is the only PurePod location without steps to access the PurePod. Please note, the alternative instructions are only available to guests with diagnosed mobility issues as we aren’t able to use the alternative route for every booking (high-use of this alternative track would impact adversely on the operation of the vineyard).
- Atatū PurePod – one of our favourite walks, and only 750m long. It starts with a nice flat walk following a paddock fence line, then after you pass through a farm gate you start to gently climb uphill, firstly along a farm track (where you can watch the sheep frolic in the nearby paddocks), then through a patch of native forest full of birdsong, before a final wee push uphill to the PurePod.
- Manakau PurePod – this walk is 900m and will take you 10-15 minutes. The beginning of this track is shared with the Kahutara PurePod, as you first follow the fence line of a paddock, before entering a grove of kanuka trees. After crossing a small bridge, the track splits off to the left and after going up a few steps you emerge above the tree-line into a grassy paddock for your first glimpse of the Manakau PurePod, then it’s a final wee push up across the paddock to the PurePod.
- Kahutara PurePod – this walk will take you about 15 minutes to travel the 950m, where you’ll walk past paddocks, through a grove of kanuka trees, on a farm track lined with trees, past a wetland area, before the final gentle climb up to the PurePod.
- Pōhue PurePod – this is our most challenging walk. It is 1.2km long and while most of the track is at a gentle incline, overall you will be climbing around 140m in elevation, so for those of us not as fit as we used to be, you will find yourself puffing a little towards the top. There are also two stiles to climb over as the track passes over the fence line in two places, and following wet weather, some parts of the track can be a little muddy and slippery. Allow around 25 minutes for this walk, or a little longer depending on your fitness level and how many photo stops you will want to make as the views are stunning. There is an alternative (and slightly shorter) track that can be used during bad weather (info on this option will be supplied to you if heavy rain or snow is forecast for your stay).
What is your cancellation policy?
With the remote locations of the PurePods, late cancellations can be tricky for us to fill at short notice, as most of our guests tend to book well in advance of their stay (with many of our guests planning the rest of their itinerary around their PurePod experience). However, we know that despite your best intentions, sometimes your plans can change, so we have done our best to be as flexible as possible.
- You can amend or cancel your booking at absolutely no charge up to 14 days before your reserved stay – so if your itinerary changes, or you decide you prefer a different PurePod location, please let us know asap and we will process the reservation change for you immediately.
- If you need to cancel your reservation and it’s between 14 and 7 days of your reserved stay, we’ll refund you 50% of the cost of your booking (unless someone else books for that date, in which case we will only charge you a $30 cancellation fee)
- If you cancel within 7 days of your reserved stay, no refund is payable (unless someone else books for that date, in which case we will only charge you a $30 cancellation fee)
Do you charge for damages?
We reserve the right to charge a fee to cover unexpected cleaning costs or damage incurred during your stay (for example, if you empty a bottle of red wine on the beautiful white bedding, we’ll ask you to contribute to the replacement costs if we can’t remove the stains, but if you accidentally break a single wine glass, don’t worry we’ll usually cover that cost).
Should you disregard the very strict no smoking rules a fee of $300 is immediately payable.
How many people does the PurePod sleep?
The PurePod is designed for a maximum of 2 adults, with a comfy queen bed, making it perfect for a romantic getaway. If you are travelling with friends, perhaps an option is to book both the Kahutara and Manakau PurePods, which are within a 10 minute walk of each other (but well out of sight of each other) on the same farm in Kaikoura.
Another option is the Korimako and Atatū PurePods which are within a 5 minute drive of each other on a beautiful sheep farm along the Greta Valley coastline.
Can we bring our child?
The PurePods have been designed as a couples retreat with a super comfy and luxurious queen bed and haven’t been “child-proofed”, so there are some potential hazards to take into account for children, such as no railing on the deck and small ponds, streams or rivers nearby.
There is also no extra space for any additional beds to be erected, so the maximum occupancy is 2 adults.
Please do not bring your children or extra friends – it is your chance for a romantic getaway.
Please note, should we discover you have brought your child or extra friends, a fee of $300 is immediately payable.
Can I bring my dog?
Unfortunately, as each of the PurePods are located on or near working farms, you are unable to bring your dog with you (no matter how small, or how well behaved it is).
We need to ensure the farm animals remain safe from dogs at all times, including preventing the potential spread of sheep measles (working dogs are dosed more often and with stronger medication than is normal for a city dog).
Most of the PurePods team members have dogs so we can completely understand your wish to bring your pooch with you on your holiday, however for the safety of the farmer’s stock, family pets are NOT allowed at the PurePods.
