Falcon Brae Villa, Motueka Valley
If you don a pair of walking shoes and head up the hill from Falcon Brae Villa, you’ll soon arrive at a peaceful bird-watching nook. Take a seat on the bench overlooking a tangle of forest, which includes some of the 50,000 mānuka and kānuka trees planted here as part of an ongoing plan to regenerate the land’s native flora and fauna, and watch and listen as the local birdlife, including tūī, kereru and pīwakawaka, goes about its day.
This is just one magical moment among many you’ll encounter during a stay at this property set high on a hill in the Motueka Valley, which takes as much care of the land it sits upon as it does of its guests.
Located a 50-minute drive from Nelson,
Falcon Brae is an architecturally designed off-the-grid marvel that disappears into the hills beyond thanks to its curved roof and clever colour scheme.
But off-the-grid does not mean rustic here; instead you’ll find five-star luxury including four-course gourmet dinners, beautifully appointed suites, a heated outdoor pool and spa, a well-equipped games den and more.
Opened in late 2019, Falcon Brae is managed by John and Kate Kerr who own sister property Stonefly Lodge which sits out of sight by the Motueka River below.
The villa is available for exclusive use for a maximum of 10 guests – including up to four children who can be tucked away in their own bunk room – making it ideal for families or groups of friends. However, while our borders remain mostly closed the suites are available individually for a minimum two-night stay.
Falcon Brae’s floor-to-ceiling windows make the most of the ever-changing views, looking down on the river rushing by and across at the pine tree-clad mountains stretching skywards above it, with the often snow-capped Mt Arthur in the distance.
Located centrally between the Kahurangi, Abel Tasman and Nelson Lakes national parks, the on-site helipad ensures guests are able to explore more of the area by air via heli-fishing and scenic flights.
Or there is plenty to do on the property, including working your way around its 18km of tracks, having a go at archery, playing the three-hole chipping green, and visiting the resident animals.
Whatever you choose to do, you’ll want to work up an appetite. Executive chef Michael McMeeken has worked in leading restaurants overseas and his menus showcase the best of local produce.
Reducing their carbon footprint is important to John and Kate who have eradicated most of the solar-powered property’s gorse and broom and aim to plant another 25,000 native trees.
Their legacy means that this special part of the Motueka Valley will continue to provide more of those magical moments for its visitors in the generations to come. – Shandelle Battersby