Split Apple Retreat

From the moment you arrive at Split Apple Retreat, on the borders of South Island’s Abel Tasman National Park, there’s no question that this all-inclusive New Zealand lodge is a special place indeed.

Exclusive? Yes. The three beautiful suites available here added to bespoke fine dining, private spa treatments, all-around blissful isolation and every aspect of your stay being personal to you, and you alone, make Split Apple Retreat the ultimate boutique wellness resort in New Zealand.

This multi-award-winning South Island lodge is, in fact, widely considered to be among the world’s greatest wellness experiences.

Greeted each morning by a windswept coastline and those Abel Tasman treetop views, the scene is already set for an all-natural stay at Split Apple, though it far from finishes at the lodge’s picture-perfect setting. The décor scheme is actually quite pared back in comparison to such dramatic surrounds, though it works. Suites, for example, are laid out in a Japanese style of pale wood and white walls, minimal furnishings and certainly no clutter! They are fairly modest in size too, though their priceless, elevated oceanfront views and that irresistible terrace are undoubtedly the real draw here, as well as various luxe amenities such as a sound system, remote blinds and flat-screen TV, of course.

Then there’s the all-important wellness aspect, Split Apple’s raison d’etre. It begins with a saltwater infinity pool lined with loungers all peering over the cliffside, before moving onto the hidden treatment areas – from a solo massage deck surrounded by trees to a yoga gazebo nestled on a hilltop. Fine dining each day follows suit, as the head chef at Split Apple Retreat will lend her services to create a seasonal menu of Asian and European-inspired haute dishes, curated just for you based on your personal preferences, health, diet and wellness goals. Outdoor activities also come aplenty, not just the nurturing nature hikes, birdwatching walks and meditation classes but, should you so wish, heli-tours, national park day trips, kayaking, mountain biking and even sky-diving can be arranged here too! This is medicine for the mind, body and soul, to be sure.

The service is impossibly personal, there are private beaches to enjoy, ethereal South Island views all day long, and an ambience that simply cannot be replicated anywhere else; welcome to Split Apple Retreat, New Zealand.

Note: Split Apple Retreat is an adults-only South Island lodge, which is worth knowing if travelling as a family.