like no other
A decade in the making, New Zealand’s Helena Bay is a spare-no-expense retreat that offers exclusive access to more than 800 private acres of North Island headlands, farmland, and coastline. The high-luxury lodge, built by billionaire Russian steel magnate Alexander Abramov, opened in November 2016 and is framed by lush kauri forest on an idyllic stretch of the estate’s 3km of private beachfront. It’s remoteness – Helena Bay is north of New Zealand’s northernmost city Whangarei – is part of its appeal.
Two spacious villa suites feature sprawling terraces that spill out onto the sand and are complemented by three junior suites. In the grand main lodge, guests can dine on “estate-to-plate” dishes and drink local wines from the cellar. Outside, an infinity-edge pool lined with manicured gardens makes for a pleasant spot to glimpse rare kaka birds, as well as Helena Bay’s own flying attraction – an AgustaWestland AW109 helicopter – as it comes in for a landing after a scenic tour over the pristine Northland region.
