The Wellnest guesthouse is nestled in native bush. The tranquil home is an architectural take on a cabin in the woods. It’s your space to press pause. To rest, rejuvenate and recover. Thoughtfully designed, and styled throughout to help you relax and connect with views of nature. The home is a cosy 45sqm, can sleep up to 5 guests and comes with an infra-red barrel sauna to help you unwind. It’s conveniently located near the city centre, on the leafy hills that overlook Wellington city.
The space
The guesthouse is designed for seamless indoor/outdoor flow, ensuring you can enjoy the surrounding greenery. The landscaped native garden includes rambling kawakawa and majestic pungas, spikey nikau palms and iconic harakeke. The bush attracts all manner of native birds from tui and fantails, to kererū, morepork and kaka.
The bedroom is a small double. It includes everything you need to ensure a blissful night's sleep. A comfortable queen bed, both memory foam and plush pillows to suit, hotel quality linen, extra blankets, full-length mirror, wardrobe and bedside lamps.
The lounge has a high chapel ceiling and views of the garden that can be enjoyed from the sliding bay window. By unfolding the double sofa bed and closing the sliding doors, you can transform the space into a private room for extra guests. For entertainment, there’s high-speed wifi, a Samsung Smart HD TV, a Sonos stereo, various board games (suitable for 2-6 players) and a library of great reads.
The modern kitchen has everything you need to prepare a meal. It includes an oven, induction cooktop, an under-bench fridge/freezer, toaster, kettle, Chemex and pod coffee, and a dish draw. The dining area has a table that can comfortably fit 4 or 6 at a stretch.
The full bathroom includes a high-pressure rainfall shower, fresh white towels, waffle cotton bathrobes and an under-bench washer/dryer. You'll enjoy lathering up and rinsing off with Glow Lab body wash, shampoo and conditioner.
The patio has a dining area, making it a great space for you to enjoy breakfast or lunch. From here you can also access the 3-4 person infra-red barrel sauna. Inside, you'll be able to unwind while enjoying private leafy views of the garden.
Guest access
You'll have full access to the guesthouse via a private entrance. The sauna and patio area is available for your personal use.
Getting around
The house is located on the hills overlooking the city. It's a 2-minute walk to stunning views of the city and the harbour beyond. It’s a 15-minute walk to the Brooklyn village. It's a 20-minute walk downhill to Newtown and the Hospital. It’s 30 mins walk downhill, through either the Prince of Wales Park or Central Park, to Cuba Street and the heart of the city. It's a 10-minute walk uphill to the No.7 bus stop which will take you to town.
If you prefer to drive or Uber, the top of Cuba Street can be reached in 5 minutes. While other destinations like Parliament Buildings, the Botanic Gardens, Te Papa, Oriental Parade, Zelandia or the train station can be reached within 10-12 minutes. To get to the airport we recommend allowing at least 30 minutes.
A few things to be mindful of
• Access to the house is down a flight of 35 steps and is not suitable for wheelchairs
• Cellphone reception inside the house can be weak, if your carrier allows, please consider activating wifi calling
• There is no on-site car park, but nearby street parking is free and readily available.
• The house is north-facing, providing morning and afternoon sun during the summer. Over the winter months, it is shady from mid-day.
• We have a porta cot, change table, highchair and baby bath available on request for families with infants.
• The fridge/freezer fits discreetly under the bench, this means it has capacity of 85L – around 1/4 the size of a standard unit.
• We have two children under ten. While we encourage them to play quietly together they sometimes forget to rein it in.
• Driving to the guesthouse requires navigating winding roads common across Wellington.