New Zealand’s Solar Powered, Off-Grid PurePods Offer Free Close-ups of Nature

Providing unobstructed views from every direction, New Zealand’s PurePods are free-standing glass accommodations designed for up-close and uninterrupted encounters with nature. Set in an open clearing on private farm land, the four PurePods provide a singular boutique hotel experience, a one-room home that offers comfort, luxury and dramatic vistas without neighbors. Due to their setting and location, complete privacy is ensured. The PurePod stay is part of a New Zealand itinerary arranged by New Zealand travel experts New Zealand In Depth.

The PurePod concept is all about the view. Constructed almost entirely from glass with no carpet, curtains or ceiling (even the bedhead is made of glass), the PurePods are slightly elevated, providing a sensation of floating over the ground while also encouraging star-gazing from indoors.

“There is literally nothing to impede your connection with the surrounding landscape,” said Paul Carberry, travel expert from New Zealand in Depth and provider of PurePod itineraries. “Sometimes you forget that the floors, walls and ceiling are even there, as you look in every direction to see uninterrupted views across the valley, beneath your feet, and above your head. With no WiFi, TV or cellular signal the PurePod is a place to slow down and disconnect, a place to forget the worries of the world and sit back and enjoy the stunning setting, the hovering hawks and star-filled skies.”

The PurePod’s isolation and off-grid credentials do not compromise its luxurious feel, which has brought a traditional New Zealand back-country hut concept into the present. From the exclusive linen on a very comfortable bed, to the under-floor heating and the powerful solar shower, every aspect of the stay has been considered to match the standards expected for a luxury property. The stay includes a dinner set in your “home” and a breakfast hamper in the morning. The self-contained retreat runs on solar power, uses filtered rainwater, and has natural waste composting.

The PurePods are all located on the South Island: one is near Little River on the Banks Peninsula and two overlook the Kaikoura Mountain range; the newest PurePod opened January 2017 in the hills above the Waipara wine region.