Island Retreat | Stay Waiheke

Summary:
Designed by Fearon Hay Architects, Island Retreat combines award-winning architecture with panoramic ocean views and serene natural surrounds. Set high in the Oneroa hills, this exceptional home feels private and calm, spacious, light-filled, and designed for easy living.

The Space:
Island Retreat by Stay Waiheke is a calm, contemporary home where every space feels open and connected to the landscape. Large windows frame the sea and bush, while sliding doors open wide to let in the breeze and sunlight. The main living area sits at the heart of the home, spacious, comfortable, and made for gathering. It’s an easy place to settle in, read, cook, or share meals that stretch into the evening.

The kitchen is minimalist yet warm, fully equipped with premium appliances and crafted joinery that flows seamlessly into the dining space. It’s a home designed for connections, think of slow breakfasts with light streaming in, shared dinners with the bay as your backdrop.

Five beautifully appointed bedrooms offer calm and privacy. Four king rooms each feature soft linens, large windows, and tranquil outlooks across the gardens or sea. The fifth bedroom includes two sets of bunk beds, ideal for children or extra guests. Multiple bathrooms with walk-in showers and freestanding baths complete the sense of space and ease.

Outdoors, the design continues to impress. An expansive terrace with lounge and dining areas leads to the swimming pool, where afternoons unfold between swims and quiet reading in the sun. By evening, the light softens over the water and the home settles into an easy calm, peaceful, private, and distinctly Waiheke.

Bed & Bath Configuration
• Bedroom 1 – King bed
• Bedroom 2 – King bed
• Bedroom 3 – King bed
• Bedroom 4 – King bed
• Bedroom 5 – Two bunk beds (sleeps 4)

Minimum Stays
7 nights between Christmas and mid-January | 3 nights all other times
Bedroom configuration

Note:
The swimming pool is not heated in winter months.

Bookings accepted on request

Guest Access:
Our Stay Waiheke team is available seven days a week from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm, with after-hours support for anything urgent.

Once you’ve checked in, the home is yours to enjoy, private, peaceful, and set up for a completely relaxed stay.

The Neighborhood:
Island Retreat sits just above Oneroa, close to some of Waiheke’s most loved cafés, shops, and vineyards. From the house, it’s only a few minutes’ drive down to the village for morning coffee, groceries, or an easy evening meal.

Start your day at Wai Kitchen, where you can watch the bay while enjoying breakfast and what might be the best coffee on the island. Stop in at The Island Grocer for high-end local supplies, cheeses, cured meats, wines, and fresh produce, perfect for stocking up before a quiet night in. Browse the nearby boutiques and galleries, and don’t miss WE-AR, a New Zealand designer label that began here on Waiheke, known for timeless, sustainably made pieces.

For lunch, Mudbrick Vineyard & Restaurant is a must, known for its incredible daytime views over the gulf, award-winning wines, and the friendly family of ducks that might wander over to say hello. For dinner, Fenice serves wood-fired pizza and Italian plates, while Vino Vino and The Courtyard Garden Bar offer relaxed dining with sea views and local wine. And for a perfect island evening, The Oyster Inn, led by chef Josh Emett, delivers refined seafood and warm service in a breezy seaside setting.

By evening, you’re back home above it all, the sea quiet below, the sky fading pink, and the island settling into its familiar, easy rhythm.

Getting Around:
Your just a short drive to everything that makes Waiheke special. Oneroa Village and the Matiatia ferry terminal are both around ten minutes away.

If you’d rather leave the car behind, the nearest bus stop is about a twelve-minute walk from the house. Jump on a bus with the other holiday makers heading to the vineyards, it’s an easy, social way to explore and see the island through relaxed eyes. The local network links all the main beaches, villages, and wineries, so you can simply hop on and off between tastings.

For a long, indulgent afternoon, book the degustation lunch at Tantalus Estate, one of Waiheke’s most celebrated vineyard restaurants, complete with its own chopper landing pad for guests arriving by helicopter. Just next door, Stonyridge is a fan favourite, the kind of place where hours drift by over bottles of Syrah, beanbags on the lawn, and views across the rolling green hills. Nearby, Casita Miro and Te Motu offer equally memorable vineyard experiences, each with their own unique charm and relaxed rhythm.

If you’d like to play a round, the Waiheke Island Golf Club in Onetangi offers a scenic nine-hole course with ocean glimpses from the fairways.

Whether you explore by car, bus, or bike, nothing on Waiheke is ever far away, beaches, vineyards, and home again by sunset.

Other Things to Note:
Like most Waiheke homes, Island Retreat runs on rainwater, so we ask guests to use it thoughtfully during their stay.

The property includes a swimming pool, which is not heated during the winter months.

Minimum stay requirements apply, seven nights from mid-December to mid-January, three nights at all other times.

Interaction with Guests:
Our Stay Waiheke team is available seven days a week from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm, with after-hours support for anything urgent. Once you’ve checked in, the home is yours to enjoy, private, peaceful, and set up for a completely relaxed stay.