The Silos at Little River

The Silos - Little River

Pippy McCurdy

http://www.unusualstays.com/
http://italyoffthebeatentrack.blogspot.co.nz/2016/01/italy-off-beaten-track.html


On tall pod legs with a hint of dalek in their demeanour, the Silos at Little River stand clustered together on the side of the road in all their eye-catching glory.

On a grey day they stand out in their uniqueness. On a clear day they truly gleam. Row upon row of corrugation catch the sun in curious ways. Ripples of reflection and colour from the surrounding countryside bounce off the towers. Cars speed by then brakes go on; cars back up; passers-by step out; cellphones snap photos. Some even wander along the board-walks. Only the fortunate few who have booked a pod will see inside.

The interiors of the Silos at Little River are the pinnacle of bespoke design. Every detail has been investigated, considered, and usually reinvented. New and original design has provided the solution. Industrial objects have been taken, adapted and given fascinating new purpose.  Light switches, kitchen benches, bicycle stackers, window openers,  toilet fixtures, folded metal staircases, bathroom fittings   - all absolutely original and unique. When you are paving the way, off the shelf does not exist as an option.


In a setting of silver corrugation and ply, the colours used are strikingly pure. The subtle use of coloured lighting adds one more layer of surprise as patches of reds, blues, and purples bounce around the interior walls.

 The bedroom is unforgettable with its overhead opening skylight, its beautiful linen, its spacious bed. The ensuite is the piece de resistance as glass meets stainless steel meets corrugated metal. The end result is breathtaking.

These silos are an ultra-modern state of the art excellence. You will never stay anywhere like this. Anywhere.

Ruapuke Log Chalet

The Log Cabin at Ruapuke

Pippy McCurdy

http://www.unusualstays.com/

http://italyoffthebeatentrack.blogspot.co.nz/2016/01/italy-off-beaten-track.html


In the American Midwest the pioneers and the frontiersmen of the New World once made their homes in hardy one room cabins. Milled from local timber these simple log cabins became iconic symbols of that rugged way of life. And high on a hilltop looking out over  Kawhia Inlet stands just such a  log cabin.

This little beauty is small but perfectly formed. Spotlessly clean it is homely and comfortable. The brass bed takes up much of the cabin yet there is also space for a fridge and somewhere to cook, - plus a barbecue outside.  A separate cabin reached via the veranda contains the bathroom, toilet and shower.

In the bedroom with one whole wall made of glass the views reach out forever across the hills to the harbour far below. Sunsets are spectacular. Nearby farm animals graze. Peacocks wander by. A couple of old iron wagon wheels lean against the outside of the cabin.  On the walls are posters - was it Johnny Walker, maybe Jack Daniels? The CDs supplied come straight from the 70s - and the sound system plays through to the bathroom also. What an excellent idea.


Out on the front porch layer upon layer of hills stretch away into the blue gray distance. I pull up my rocker, take out my pen knife and commence whittling, while I drink my moonshine and watch the sunset fade into night.

Wairua Lodge - Whitianga on the Coromandel

The Hidden River Valley

Pippy McCurdy

http://www.unusualstays.com/
http://www.easterneuropetravelguide.net

Wairua Lodge is all about nature and beautiful outdoor spaces. It is comfortable accommodation folded into bush covered hills, with a river valley winding through the forest. There is a  gentle river widening out into tempting pools for swimming and playing. This place is simple, lush, green, eco- aware,  and welcoming. It celebrates the outdoors in all its spaces and is quite simply a regenerative and appealing place to be. 

As soon as you realise that here you can enjoy a starlight spa and also a bush bath you will know that you are in for something special;  add to this a fire pit where you can gather of an evening, Fabulous. There is also a semi-outdoor kitchen which is almost a camp kitchen, yet still has all the elements of a more sophisticated setup. Sit outside when the weather is kind, or sit under cover but without walls to separate you from that rich scenery all around.

The starlight spa is a soothing private space where you will not be disturbed and the only sounds are the sounds of the night. The tree-tops bathhouse is a decadent retreat filled with music and candles, opening out over the forest and river valley below.

The chance to gather around the fire pit and enjoy good company and maybe a little music is something that is not all that common in NZ unless you are camping far from civilization and creature comforts. At Wairua Lodge this is a pleasure you can indulge in and enjoy. Flickering flames, frogs croaking, chirping crickets,  a morepork or two, - maybe even a kiwi. What a place.