Bucolic bliss in Waikato
Sakura is all about helping you focus on yourself in verdant, peaceful surroundings - and, of course, the luxurious bed linen goes a long way too, finds Yvonne van Dongen.
Sakura, a luxury health and wellbeing retreat, 18km south-east of Cambridge. Located in the rolling hills of the Waikato, Sakura is surrounded by verdant dairy and horsey land with well-maintained fences and big leafy exotic trees. Sakura was also dairy country until Gwen and Lloyd Bryce fell in love with it while on holiday from Hong Kong in 2011 and set about transforming the farm into a luxury retreat. You can’t see the 5ha property from the road but as soon as you turn into the sweeping apple- and plum-tree lined drive, the large, white triple peaks of the lodge and its lily ponds come into view. The observant will notice the cute wooden hot pool cabana on the right and those lucky enough to arrive in spring will find 100 cherry blossom trees waving a frothy pink welcome. Sakura is the name of the Japanese cherry blossom tree.
The owners designed the buildings themselves according to Vastu principles.
Vastu is an ancient Indian science of architecture combining physical, psychological, spiritual and even cosmic concerns. Inside high ceilings and a pale grey and white palette create a spacious calm effect without being in the least cool or minimal. Huge flower arrangements, piles of books plus Asian artefacts add an exotic yet homely touch.
Closer inspection of the property reveals a large yoga/ meditation space complete with new mats, blocks, straps. Blankets and comfy leather pouffes for prolonged meditative periods plus a wood burner for the winter months. Sakura operates as a homestay on occasion but its core business is yoga, functional fitness and meditation retreats.
In the middle of the U-shaped lodge is a large pond and waterfall complete with fish (when the herons haven’t gobbled them up) and floating pale yellow lilies. Listening to the water flow over the rocks while being taken through a gentle yoga class was one of the highlights of my stay. Sakura has six lavish rooms with king-sized beds and ensuites. The beds combine a firm mattress wth a soft topping and the result is insanely comfortable. I was so taken by the Bianca Lorenne bed linen I considered upgrading my own bedding until I got home, Googled the website and saw how much I’d have to fork out for such luxury. Best enjoyed as a treat.
Again the colours are muted but the use of different wallpapers, Italian tiles and distinctive bathroom fittings give each space a discreet boho feel.
And because the place operates on a Biolytix system (which is, essentially, a huge worm bin) we’re asked not to use strong personal hygiene products. Why would we when Sakura has provided a range of Ecostore items instead? We fended for ourselves, which means we ate breakfast here (homemade muesli, seasonal fruits, yoghurt, artisan bread, cheese and preserves) and sampled Cambridge’s best for most everything else. When the NINA BEILBY NINA BEILBY retreats are running, Neena Truscott and Belinda MacDonald – winners of My Kitchen Rules 2014 – will cook for guests. Although I was not here as an official guest I got a sense of what Sakura offers during one of its regular retreats. The focus is on revitalising weary souls or resetting their lives through nutrition, movement and mindfulness. Daily yoga, a private mindfulness consultation, journaling, mindfulness practice, life coaching, nutrition workshops, functional fitness classes and outdoor adventures are just some of the activities that might be included in a three- to five-day retreat. Sakura employs specialists such as rowing legendturned-coachEmO’Brien and Sandro Thiara Mota, a professional World Fitness Federation athlete. Sakura is a short drive from Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari, New Zealand’s largest ecological mainland ‘’island’’ and is even closer to rowing HQ, Lake Karapiro. We explored both on the two days we were here and soon discovered why it’s so green in these parts by finding ourselves in the middle of NINA BEILBY a deluge. It hardly mattered in the bush. The scent of rain and damp earth, the sound of bird song,and the snap, crackle of twigs underfoot reminded me how lucky we are to have mainland islands like Mangatautari and why I should visit such places more often.
The local farmers’ market in Cambridge operates every Saturday morning after which it appears that the entire population heads to a cafe for lunch. The Paddock and The Good Union are recommended.
Listening to the water flow over the rocks while being taken through a gentle yoga class was one of the highlights of my stay.
Sakura is all about quality – great food, teachers, experiences and yes, bed linen. Naturally, quality doesn’t come cheap but that doesn’t mean it’s not value for money. The ability to focus on yourself in such sumptuous surroundings is intense and valuable. Gwen is a stimulating host and if those guest instructors are half as good as they look, a retreat should be a mind-blowing experience. It’s a two-and-a-half hour drive from Auckland; add an extra hour if you leave Friday afternoon as we did. Sakura costs from $180 for a homestay. Pricing for the retreats can be found on sakura.nz. NINA BEILBY