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There are several PurePods scattered in locations across the South Island, but a particularly spectacular example is the Manakau hut in Kaikōura. To get there, you’ll need to drive about 20 minutes out of the Kaikōura township, followed by a 10-minute hike through a grove of kānuka trees to get to the pod.

The escape provides a total digital detox as there is no WiFi and it is completely off-grid, using solar energy for heating. That means there is no air conditioning, but there are blinds and ceiling shades if it becomes too hot in the sun.

It’s not unlike living in a mini self-contained glass box, away from shops, noisy vehicles and other people, as well as a total immersion in nature with views everywhere you look. The night sky is unpolluted, which makes it perfect for stargazing, so a telescope and star map are provided, as well as some books and games.

You’ll also have views out to the Kaikōura ranges including the mighty Mt Fyffe, towering more than 2600m over the region. The pod is fully self-catered but meal kits can be provided, with a Weber barbecue outside. Ideally, you want to stay on a clear night, so you can gaze up through the glass panels, knowing it’s just you and the galaxy in that very moment.

Although this kind of isolation might feel daunting, just think of the satisfaction that’ll come with surviving a digital-free experience. The PurePod would make a romantic escape for a couple but it is also perfect for a solo retreat for a traveller with an appreciation for isolation and a desire to disconnect from the world.

By Juliette Sivertsen, viva.co.nz

This is the Kiwi concept of luxury, something quite different from the global standards of six-star facilities, degustation menus and private butlers. It is space and remoteness that defines the exclusivity of New Zealand’s most high-end accommodation.

There was no one on hand when I arrived at Manakau PurePod, set on farmland 20 minutes by car from Kaikōura. I followed instructions to leave my vehicle at a secure parking area and donned a pair of gumboots that had been left for me at the gate to hike the final 10 minutes to my pod for the night.

At first sight the PurePods are simple rectangular glass and steel box structures – they are designed to be modern but unobtrusive in the landscape. They are small, but the crisp white bed, small dining table and lounge chairs on the deck outside provided plenty of opportunities to settle in and enjoy the views. Although the PurePods are self-catering, prepared dishes can be arranged that need just a few finishing touches to produce a three-course meal. That evening I enjoyed a tasting board of smoked and soft cheese, then a garden salad and venison steaks cooked on the Weber barbecue outside.

Later, looking up at the night sky, I fancied I was sleeping inside a giant snow globe. The PurePod, with walls, ceilings, doors and even floors made of glass, are set on foot-high foundations that give the impression of hovering slightly above the earth. Each PurePod is hidden in a location so remote that no one – not even the landowner – can see you. The bedhead, bedside table and chairs are clear plastic, and even the bathroom walls are glass, leaving guests to shower in a totally private but utterly exposed environment. Other than a timber wall that separates bedroom and bathroom, nothing is allowed to disrupt the view.

Each PurePod is also an incredible feat of sustainable engineering: the water is spring-fed, solar panels provide heating and power, and wastewater is filtered through a treatment system powered by earthworms before being reused on the land.

Waking up on the first morning, looking out across fields and mountains as far as the eye could see while enjoying the fresh ground coffee, home-made muesli and fruit compote left for me, it felt as though I was staying in a room that had fallen from the sky. Manakau PurePod sits on a working farm, which was completely cut off by the devastating earthquake of 2016, with no roads in or out. Since reopening, this has been one of PurePods’ most in-demand locations.

By Maggie Wicks, nzherald.co.nz

A week ago we revealed one of the most magically epic experiences in the world—sleeping in an inflatable bubble in the middle of the Icelandic wilderness. It was only natural that it would tickle your travel bug. But…what if we told you there was something equally as epic and right here on our very own doorstep?Come closer…and we’ll reveal all!

Here in good ol’ New Zealand you can have an experience that dreams are made of—literally. We’re talking about PurePods. These glass PurePods are plopped across the country in four different locations where you can forget all about curtains and simply soak in the spectacular views of Aotearoa.

Lie back and imagine slipping away from the hustle and bustle of city life and finding a slice of natural paradise in your very own PurePod. Forget all about those freezing tents and crowded hotels, this is just you and Mother Nature herself.

Here, they are proud to boast, there is, literally, nothing to do. Wifi? Movies? TV? No, no, no! Here it’s just you and a USB outlet with a Bluetooth speaker.

Sound like a bit of you?

One option is the Manakau PurePod—with stunning views of the Seaward Kaikōura Mountain Range, and 20 minutes inland from Kaikōura, you need to walk through a grove of trees to discover your pod smack bang in the middle of a paddock. Wait until the sun goes down before gaping in awe as the night sky arrives in all its sparkling glory.

There are other pods available too—the Kahutara, the Greystone and the Little River. Each one reveals just how majestical Mother Nature truly is. You’ll be singing yourself to sleep with Star Light, Star Bright and waking in the morning to find all your wishes have come true.

By Urban List Writers – 24 Jul 2017

Through a unique fusion of predominantly glass paneling complimented by timber and steel, PurePods allows the outdoors to meet the indoors, revolutionizing a stay into an experience of its own.

Fast forward 12 months later and we’re driving along a backyard farm road about 20 minutes from Kaikōura, effortlessly crossing tiny streams and dry river beds, shortly before arriving at the farmhouse carpark of  PurePods Kaikōura, the second evolution.

Upon our arrival we received one of the warmest welcomes we’ve experienced in New Zealand by property owners Tony & Ange, a family with deep roots to the area going back over three generations.

We locked up our car at the carpark, securely standing within a stones throw from the farmhouse and grabbed our bags to set off on the 500-600m stroll up to ‘Manakau’, our escape into nature for the following two nights.

The short walk up to the PurePod began with a picturesque farm road alongside a sheep-filled paddock that soon connects to a forested pathway where we walked under a canopy of Kanuka trees that soon opened up to glimpses of our PurePod.

 That moment when the PurePod comes into view is indescribable – it’s truly one of those, “wow, that is something special” moments.

After sighting the PurePod we couldn’t help but pick up the pace, as the anticipation to get there was impossible to contain.

On arrival to our PurePod we found ourselves completely torn between wanting to get inside to immerse ourselves in glass goodness or get out onto the deck and take in the magnificence of the 2,000 acre property that surrounded us.

With its northerly aspect, it was hard not to stand in awe to take in the impressive views of towering Mount Fyfe and 2,600m high Manakau mountains that stood before us.

As the light began to fade we retreated indoors to enjoy a scrumptious dinner of freshly caught crayfish and provisions locally sourced from a few of Kaikōura’s food artisans, all while shaking our head in disbelief with how magical the setting we were immersed within.

The pod has every conceivable kitchen utensil needed on a short stay, with cooking and heating fuelled by a cleverly engineered biofuel power source.

One of the highlights of a PurePods experience is taking a shower, one completely enclosed in glass.

When else do you get excited about jumping into the shower ?

Well a PurePods shower means gazing out through the glass walls surrounding you, looking out over the meandering landscape, towering mountains and sheep-dotted hills right before you….a bathing experience hard to beat!

Tucking in for the night, we closed up the doors, climbed into our crisply sheeted luxurious bed and watched the evening sky transform minute by minute into complete darkness.

 The following morning it was time to explore – being located on a 2,000 acre property meant there was no shortage of trails to explore, short ones and longer more adventurous ones.

Just out front of the PurePod a short path leads down to a superb view of the Kahutara River beneath and access to the second PurePod onsite, aptly named ‘Kahutara’, something we could only imagine would be the perfect addition if travelling with another couple or family.

While we enjoyed the privacy of our own hidden escape we couldn’t help our curiosity to catch up with the Tony (the land owner) to hear more about his story about the property his family had owned for some years.

Tony is one of those people that has so much passion and connection to the land he lives on that words were clearly not going to be sufficient for him to explain the uniqueness of this truly special location.

Before we knew it we were sitting on the back of his quad bike, heading for the very peak of the surrounding hills behind the PurePod, all while hearing about the animals on the farm and Tony share his story of his favourite viewpoints.

Having experienced both of the first two PurePods it is clear that PurePods is so much more than just a place to stay, it is a concept that is only made possible when some very special elements come together.

When a unique location emerges, when a landowner has a shared vision and they are both connected by this revolutionary concept in accommodation – only then is something as unique as PurePods possible.

Experiencing one PurePod is so very different to experiencing another as the settings are so very different, we cannot help but wait in eager anticipation of where next ?

Highlights

• Showering while being able to experience the outdoors

• Watching the sunrise over the valley and waking up to sheep roaming past our doorstep

• Meeting our friendly hosts and getting to know the history of the farm

 By Derek & Emma, The Adventure is Calling

7/2/2016