Domu Retreat: A Slow-Stay Culinary Retreat in New Zealand’s Tasman
Imagine this: a cliffside villa overlooking the shimmering Tasman Bay, a magnesium pool that practically begs you to float, and a Michelin-starred chef cooking up a feast while you… do nothing. Welcome to Domu Retreat, New Zealand’s latest adults-only “slow-stay” destination, where the luxury isn’t in doing everything, but in giving yourself permission to do nothing at all.
Nestled on a coastal ridge near Kaiteriteri in the South Island, Domu Retreat accommodates just 12 guests across six suites. Here, the pace is deliberately unhurried. Devices are optional (and frankly, discouraged), mornings can start with yoga or meditation, and days are meant for reading, swimming, or just staring at the view without guilt. As co-owner Toby Stuart — internationally acclaimed chef with two decades across Michelin-starred kitchens — says, “You come here for the silence as much as for the food.”
A Table for Twelve, a Feast for the Senses
Dining at Domu isn’t a background activity — it’s a centerpiece. Every evening, guests gather at a single long table for a four-course, chef-hosted dinner that reflects the Tasman region’s bounty. Toby prepares each dish in the open kitchen, presenting seasonal delicacies like spearfished butterfish from D’Urville Island, Himalayan tahr, or organic Golden Bay lamb. Paired with organic wines from labels such as Cloudy Bay Vineyards, each meal is as much a conversation starter as it is a taste sensation.
Co-owner Sabina Bronicka-Stuart, a seasoned wellness practitioner and hospitality expert, ensures that the retreat’s communal spaces foster connection. “We want guests to trade urgency for presence,” she explains. With no TVs in the suites and carefully curated conversation prompts, Domu invites interaction without pressure.
Wellness Without the Whistle
Domu’s wellness facilities are designed to be seductive, not compulsory. Guests can float in the magnesium pool, unwind in the wood-fired sauna, take a heated plunge, or join optional morning yoga and meditation sessions. Massages, meditation, and mindful quiet are all invitations, not obligations. “Wellness here is personal,” says Sabina. “Aside from dinner, there’s no schedule. You decide what luxury looks like for you.”
It’s a philosophy that reflects a growing trend in Australian and international travel: restorative, nature-based experiences that focus on human connection and wellbeing rather than packed itineraries. The Global Wellness Institute forecasts wellness travel linked to Australian consumers to grow by around 10% annually over the next decade — making retreats like Domu not just desirable, but timely.
Luxury Meets Home
“Domu” means “home” in Polish, a nod to Sabina’s heritage. The retreat combines lodge-level luxury with the intimacy of staying in a friend’s coastal hideaway. With a NZD $500,000 fit-out, each suite features premium bedding, natural-fibre furnishings, and toiletries worthy of five-star lodges — all at NZD $2,000 per night for two guests (AUD $1,766), inclusive of breakfast, chef-hosted dinner, aperitif, yoga, and full wellness access.
Unlike some ultra-luxury lodges that push NZD $3,500 per night, Domu’s pricing makes mindful indulgence accessible without feeling extravagant. It’s the kind of retreat where your most important choice is whether to take a nap, read a book, or float in silence.
From Kitchen to Coastline
The magic of Domu lies in its fusion of world-class culinary expertise and the restorative power of nature. Toby’s experience spans over a dozen Michelin-starred restaurants across five countries, while Sabina brings global hospitality, wellness training, and yoga expertise. Together, they’ve created an intimate escape where guests leave rested, nourished, and inspired — and perhaps a little wiser about the luxury of doing nothing.
For travellers from Australia, Nelson Airport is just an hour’s drive away, or you can enjoy a scenic five-hour coastal drive via Marlborough’s wine region. Transfers and bespoke chauffeur services make the journey seamless, ensuring the focus remains on reconnection, wellness, and, of course, the food.
If 2026 is the year to slow down, taste the landscape, and leave the notifications behind, Domu Retreat might just be the answer. Here, the only agenda is your own — and somehow, that feels like the ultimate luxury.
