Wellness experiences: Best places for a total reset across NZ

The Space specialises in contrast therapy and outdoor wellness. Escape the hustle and immerse yourself in the relaxing outdoor sauna, invigorating cold water therapy, and peaceful natural surroundings.

16 Cowshed Lane, Whangārei

Tiki Beach

Tiki Beach is a coastal wellness experience in Mangawhai offering hot tubs, sauna, ice baths and massage therapy in a relaxed beachside setting. Designed for rest, recovery and slow living.

193B Cames Rd, Mangawhai

Yoga and art immersion

Explore the connection between mind, body and spirit with yoga in the inspiring surrounds of Auckland Art Gallery. Join Penny Hacking every Sunday for a one-hour Hatha yoga class combining stretching, stronger poses, flow, balance, breathwork and relaxation or meditation. Classes are open to beginners and experienced yogis aged 14+. Mats and blocks are available to borrow, or you’re welcome to bring your own.

Auckland Art Gallery, 1 Kitchener St, Auckland | Adults $20, Members $18

Timmy Smith ti (tea) blending experience

This immersive tea blending experience invites people to explore the world of tī (tea) and tī otaota (herbal tea) through a guided sensory journey. Discover the flavours, aromas and benefits of organic herbs and teas, sample ingredients in their raw form, and create a personalised blend tailored to your wellbeing. Guests leave with their own handcrafted tea, special take-home treats, and a sense of relaxation, warmth and manaakitanga.

Timmy Smith, 112 Ocean View Rd, Oneroa Village, Waiheke Island | $95 per person.

Delamore Lodge spa

Escape to Delamore Lodge for a restorative wellness experience designed for individuals or couples. Guests enjoy exclusive access to the infinity pool, jacuzzi and sauna, alongside a curated selection of rejuvenating spa treatments tailored to their chosen package. Set against the stunning backdrop of Waiheke Island, the experience combines relaxation, indulgence and exceptional hospitality, complemented by gourmet refreshments.

Delamore Lodge, 83 Delamore Drive, Oneroa, Waiheke Island. | For couples $1370. For individuals $670.

BAASK

Traditional or infrared – that might be the hardest decision you’ll need to make before heading to this new Waihī Beach sauna experience. Four private suites offer thoughtfully designed spaces for recovery and rest, whether you’re visiting alone or with friends. Opt for an ice bath plunge after the sauna for an invigorating contrast. It’s said to stimulate circulation and restore energy.

14/58 Wilson Rd, Waihī Beach | Various prices from $65pp

Te Rere o Ōmanawa (Ōmanawa Falls)

Opt for an easy or strenuous walk and replenish your soul. This has been a sacred site for hapū Ngāti Hangarau for generations, as a place of Āio (insight, reflection and interpretation) and Rongoā (meditation and healing). A cultural tomokanga (entranceway) marks the start of a pathway through native bush to three different viewing areas, where visitors can peer out to the 35m waterfall centrepiece and its cliff-lined basin. You’ll find historic evidence of the Southern Hemisphere’s first underground hydro-generating power station. You can’t swim here, but there’s plenty of parking and a café by the entrance.

1031 Ōmanawa Rd, Ōmanawa, Western Bay of Plenty | Free

Wai Ariki Hot Springs & Spa

Wai Ariki Hot Springs & Spa isn’t just a spa; it’s a wellness journey grounded in the cultural traditions of Ngāti Whakaue. Drawing on the healing properties of Rotorua’s geothermal waters and indigenous practices inspired by Te Ao Māori, guests move through a series of restorative experiences designed to reconnect mind, body and spirit. The combination of mineral bathing, geothermal therapy and cultural storytelling creates something distinctly unique to the destination. Luxurious yet deeply rooted in place, Wai Ariki offers visitors a meaningful way to slow down, reset and experience the restorative power of the land.

1047 Whakaue St, Rotorua

Manupirua Springs Hot Pools

Accessible only by boat across Lake Rotoiti, Manupirua Springs Hot Pools feels wonderfully removed from everyday life. Tucked beneath native bush on the lake’s shoreline, the natural geothermal pools invite visitors to soak while gazing across tranquil water and forest-clad hills. The journey is as restorative as the destination, with the lake crossing creating an immediate sense of disconnection from screens, schedules and stress. Manupirua Springs offers a simple, authentic wellness experience shaped by nature itself. For couples seeking to recharge, it’s one of New Zealand’s most peaceful and underrated geothermal escapes.

Lake Rotoiti

Bradley’s Garden luxury retreat

Tucked away along the Forgotten World Highway, Bradley’s Garden is a hidden gem for wellness. This luxury garden retreat is a boutique stay in an award-winning 5-star Garden of National Significance and offers divine meals delivered to your beautiful cottage suite. Enjoy your own private gym, brand-new sauna, outdoor spa and pool, and of course the enchanting gardens on your doorstep.

26 Totaranui Drive, Taumarunui in Ruapehu

Relax and rejuvenate at Tongariro Suites

Situated along the edge of Tongariro National Park between Ohakune and Waimarino, Tongariro Suites is where wellness happens outside four walls. With stunning views of Mt Ruapehu, enjoy the peaceful native gardens as well as the wood-fired alpine sauna, outdoor cedar hot tub, and incredible stargazing from your suite.

27 Hutiwai Rd, Horopito, Ohakune, Ruapehu

Couples Retreat at Powderhorn Chateau

Located in Ohakune, Powderhorn Chateau is a stunning hotel at the doorstep of Tongariro National Park with incredible walking, running and cycling trails across the road. Tūroa Ski Area is also just 16 km up the road for snow sports and sightseeing. Enjoy the heated indoor pool and a Couples Retreat package that includes a massage and soak in an outdoor wood-fired hot tub.

194 Mangawhero Terrace, Ohakune

Taranaki Wellness Escape

This is your invitation to pause and be immersed beneath Taranaki Maunga. Enjoy a boutique one-day gathering set among the lush natural surrounds and beautiful architecture of Green School, designed to help you reset, restore and reconnect. Beginning with a karakia welcome, guests personalise their day through yoga, breathwork, meditation and sound healing, alongside Rongoā Māori healing and mātauranga woven through by facilitators including Taane Mete. Additional experiences include massage, live music, nourishing food and drink, wellness activations and Green School tours.

The next Wellness Escape runs Saturday, October 31 from 7am-7pm.

Taranaki Wellness Escape, 406 Koru Rd, Oakura | $104pp

Takahuri Glamping Domes and Retreats

Relax. Connect. Reset. Stay in a luxurious Geodesic Domes, nestled among the Redwood forest beside the Whanganui River, just 30 minutes from town. Immerse yourself in nature with weaving, pottery, foraging, nature walks, and creating herbal teas and balms. Or simply unwind in your tranquil dome, find a peaceful spot overlooking the river, or take a gentle wander.

On the banks of the Whanganui river | $320 p/night

Yoga with a view at Space Studio

Located on Mount Victoria, Space Studio pairs mindful movement with some of Wellington’s most spectacular views. During yoga sessions, guests can stretch, breathe and unwind while looking out across Wellington Harbour and the Pacific Ocean. Bathed in natural light, the studio offers a calming space to reconnect with yourself while experiencing the capital’s unique blend of urban energy and coastal beauty.

Space Studio, Mt Victoria | $ 25pp drop-in

An emotional facelift with Buccal Massage

As Wellington’s first destination for Buccal Massage with Facial, NUMA Skin & Body Club offers a unique wellness experience. This internationally sought-after treatment works both inside and outside the mouth to release deep jaw tension, naturally sculpt facial contours, support lymphatic drainage, and promote relaxation. Often called the “emotional facelift”, it leaves many guests feeling lighter, refreshed, and deeply restored.

NUMA Skin & Body Club, Ground Floor, 93 Customhouse Quay | $175

Sauna at the seaside

Scenic Saunas offers a uniquely Wellington wellness experience, pairing the restorative benefits of traditional sauna bathing with spectacular coastal scenery. Guests can unwind in a wood-fired sauna while taking in views of the harbour and surrounding landscape, before embracing the invigorating contrast of a cold plunge or ocean dip. It’s a rejuvenating experience that combines nature, mindfulness, and wellbeing in one unforgettable setting.

Scenic Saunas, various locations | $25 a session

Hustle & Flow

Hustle & Flow is a reformer Pilates studio at Queenstown Marina, where floor-to-ceiling windows frame the lake and the Remarkables. Small class sizes mean plenty of one-on-one guidance, and the personalised approach has made it a firm favourite with locals since opening in 2024. It’s a great way to balance a day of adventure with some gentle strength and recovery work.

Queenstown Marina | Casual classes from $40

Thermae

Thermae floating Sauna by Aluume is nearing completion and is expected to open in October. Located at Queenstown Marina with enviable views towards the Remarkables mountain range, Thermae has already won an award for its architecture. The stunning building offers three saunas, a steam room and cold lake plunge.

Queenstown Marina | prices TBC

Wellspace Queenstown

Wellspace is a riverside sauna and ice bath spot beside the Kawarau River in Kawarau Falls, which has been running out of a working family farm since 1911. Join a communal session for a social sweat and swim, or book privately for guided breathwork between rounds. This is a grounded and authentic contrast therapy experience.

59 Boyd Rd, Kawarau Falls | From $69pp

The Sauna Wānaka

The Sauna Wānaka is a wood-fired mobile sauna fitting up to 15 people, based lakefront at the Outlet Wānaka. Choose from social, silent or guided sessions, or a private booking for exclusive use, with a cold lake dip between rounds and panoramic mountain and lake views through the sauna’s large window. Private sessions run for 1 person and up to 15 people.

The Outlet Wānaka | Shared self-guided session from $30

Holistic House

Holistic House combines reformer Pilates and functional medicine in one small studio overlooking Wānaka lakefront. Classes are capped at three people, and consultations pair functional testing with naturopathic care for hormones, fertility, stress and sleep. It’s a considered, personalised approach to wellbeing rather than a quick fix, worth booking ahead for.

Level 1, 99 Ardmore St, Wānaka | Pricing confirmed at booking

Forest Bathing – Lake Hāwea Station

Lake Hāwea Station, a working high-country farm, runs guided forest bathing walks through its front-country beech forest, well away from the usual lakefront wellness spots. The pace is slow and deliberate, syncing breath with the track underfoot and tuning into birdsong rather than ticking off a summit. Alternatively, try the “soil to soul wellness” or “starbathing” options for more nature-based immersive experiences.

Lake Hāwea | Bookings through the station

Sanctum 7 Luxury Wellness Retreat

Imagine waking up with nothing to do but care for yourself – and be cared for. Sanctum 7 is a seven-day luxury retreat within the private Earnscleugh Castle estate, for anyone navigating the pressures of work and family life who is ready to return to themselves. The programme is designed around balance and freedom, restoration and reset, relaxation, connection and discovery. Start the day with yoga and breath work. Close the afternoon with sound healing, meditation and an ice bath. Relax in the pool, sauna, library, gardens or with a massage. Explore the estate and surrounding valley and linger over MasterChef Aaron Brunet’s long table dinners.

Earnscleugh Castle, Clyde | From $9999 for 6 nights all inclusive

Sauna Central

Heat, breathe, plunge – the ultimate sauna ritual. Sauna Central Cromwell offers a beautifully crafted 10-15 person mobile sauna featuring a traditional wood-burning Roaring Meg fireplace, all natural materials and a panoramic window to enjoy stunning lake and mountain views. Being mobile, a popular option is a relaxing evening sauna session on the shores of Lake Dunstan – with exclusive private access also bookable.

Cromwell | From $20 per person

Oranga Saunas

Located on the waterfront of St Clair or Macandrew Bay on different days throughout the week, Oranga Saunas is Dunedin’s take on contrast therapy. Book a time for a private or shared wood-fired sauna, set your timer before taking the plunge into the cold waters, and soak up the stunning views of the beach or harbour.

Macandrew Bay Boating Club: Mon-Thu St Clair Esplanade Carpark: Sat-Sun | $24.50 per spot

St Clair Hot Salt Water Pool

A Dunedin icon for over a century, St Clair Hot Salt Water Pool sits right on the water’s edge at St Clair Beach. Heated to 28C and filled with natural salt water, it’s ideal for laps, gentle soaking, or just watching the waves crash outside the glass. Open from October 1, it’s the perfect alternative to a beach swim while you wait for those warmer summer days to arrive.

The Esplanade, St Clair |Adult: $9.20 Concession: $5.30

Well + Being

Central city calm meets clinical expertise at this boutique wellness studio. This oasis of relaxation blends massage, breathwork, infrared sauna, and recovery treatments designed for tired travellers and locals alike. Book a package and set your afternoon or day aside for a complete mind and body reset.

9 St Andrew St, Dunedin