Sacred Space, Eagles Nest

From Sacred Space’s hillside position within its native bush setting, the Bay of Islands unfolds below in all its subtropical splendour. Sailing and deep-sea fishing draw enthusiasts from around the world. Dolphin-watching cruises and island-hopping by water taxi open up a marine playground of remarkable diversity. The Waitangi Treaty Grounds offer a profound encounter with New Zealand’s bicultural history, while the ancient Waipoua kauri forest rewards the curious with trees of extraordinary age and scale. And when the day’s adventures are done, the seclusion of Sacred Space offers something the Bay of Islands’ more conventional accommodation simply cannot: a retreat that feels genuinely apart from the world.

Eagles Nest sits on its own 75-acre private estate above Russell, among the most awarded luxury retreats in New Zealand, Michelin Key recipient, Qualmark Gold Sustainable Tourism certified, and Virtuoso affiliated.

The Villa

Sacred Space is, architecturally, the most character-rich of the Eagles Nest villas. Where others draw on the clean language of contemporary minimalism, Sacred Space plays with a more eclectic vocabulary, antique furnishings alongside original New Zealand artworks, eclectic angles, the intelligent use of natural light, and a fluid integration of indoor and outdoor living that gives the villa a sense of depth and discovery that rewards the curious guest.

The heart of the villa is a dramatic two-storey glass-roofed living area, a soaring, light-filled space that somehow manages to feel both grand and entirely at ease. Four king bedrooms occupy the residence: three with dedicated ensuites and one sharing a guest bathroom, accommodating up to eight guests in generous comfort. The master suite is a destination in itself, with four distinctive viewpoints that make the most of the surrounding bush and ocean panorama. Throughout, original artworks and considered furnishings give each room a personality of its own, this is not a villa that fades into the background.

Outside, a 20-metre heated infinity pool stretches toward the Bay of Islands below, flanked by a heated jacuzzi and sauna that make the most of the sub-tropical climate and long Northland evenings. The grounds integrate seamlessly with the native forest setting, and a large deck with BBQ completes an outdoor living space that is generous enough for the whole group and private enough to forget the world exists.

For those who want something more intimate, Eagles Nest NZ also offers Sacred Space for Two, a dedicated configuration for couples seeking the villa’s unique atmosphere and full estate access without the need to fill eight beds.

Rate inclusions are warmly generous: Louis Roederer champagne on arrival, daily gourmet breakfast provisions, a fresh seasonal fruit platter replenished each day, daily villa servicing and Wi-Fi. A minibar is stocked and ready. Optional additional services, personal chef, butler, beauty and massage therapists, personal trainer, chauffeur and business services, can be arranged to complete a stay tailored entirely to your group’s preferences.

The Experience

Sacred Space lends itself to a particular kind of gathering, one where the setting does most of the work. Long mornings around the pool with nowhere to be. Afternoons spent exploring the Bay of Islands by water and returning to the villa as the light shifts gold over the native bush. Evenings by the fire in the glass-roofed living space, the jacuzzi, the sauna, the stars.

For groups who want to venture further, Eagles Nest NZ’s concierge can arrange anything the Bay of Islands has to offer, sailing charters, helicopter flights over the Northland coastline, deep-sea fishing expeditions, dolphin-watching cruises, guided kiwi walks across the estate at dusk, or private beach picnics on a remote island. Sacred Space’s own native bush setting makes it one of the best villas on the estate for the guided kiwi experience: the North Island Brown Kiwi is a resident of Eagles Nest’s predator-free property, and the in-villa Kiwi Kit, complete with red-light torches - is an invitation to discover them after dark.

Eagles Nest’s sustainability story runs quietly and purposefully through every aspect of the experience. Over 20,000 native trees planted across the estate, 40 on-site beehives producing the honey in your kitchen, a fully chemical spray-free environment, and Qualmark Gold sustainable tourism certification - a genuine and ongoing commitment to the Northland landscape that Sacred Space sits within so beautifully.

For those seeking luxury Bay of Islands accommodation with genuine personality and the setting feels like a world apart, Sacred Space at Eagles Nest is the perfect sanctuary.

Season dates, rates and minimum night stay requirements may apply. Please contact one of our team for accurate availability and quotes.