The contrast between indoors and outdoors is stark. Step inside and you feel the warmth of the wood fire making your cheeks rosy, a stillness, and protection from the elements, it’s quiet in there. Step outside and you feel the chill of the air, experience the scale of the landscape, and feel the alpine energy. It’s warmth against the wild!

Skylark Cabin sits pretty in the world-acclaimed Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve, meaning you get to see thousands of stars. On the drive in, we passed a street sign that said “Enjoy the Stars,” which felt like a very cute (and very accurate) addition to the region.

Staying in their newly renovated riverside chalets felt like the perfect synergy between the solitude of an off grid cabin, and the luxury of not having to lift a finger, that comes with a hotel stay. While being in one of the most remote places in New Zealand.

After experiencing three winter stays, Sherwood has proven itself to be the perfect place to return to after a long day on the slopes. It is particularly satisfying to peel off ski gear, step into a room that’s properly warm, and stand under a shower that is hot hot hot until you thaw out.

Getting Unyoked is quietly becoming a quarterly ritual. A circuit breaker. A chance to drop inward, slow the nervous system, and have the big conversations without distractions that so easily pull us out of focus. You know, questions like “would you still love me if I was a worm?” or debating the difference between ‘mostly sunny’ and ‘partly cloudy’.

Unyoked sent me out bush as a field correspondent, and here’s what happened.

Picture this, you turn down a street filled with windows framed in stone and heavy wooden doors with fancy knockers, there she is - Numeroventi - behind a tall double door that doesn't care to announce itself. A different kind of offering, an artist’s way. A slower, stripped back boutique hotel.

From the carpark, you set off on foot, climb over a fence (using a stile), and follow a walking track to the cabin. The distance from the car, and the complete absence of people and traffic allows for your own secluded haven.

Salaam alekom strays!

There is an ancient Egyptian proverb which states “a beautiful thing is never perfect”.

It’s a strange saying for a place that, architecturally, is pretty perfect.

You are naive if you think you can navigate Wadi Rum on your own! Aside from missing a plethora of local wisdom, you would find yourself lost in a matter of hours!

Off grid cabins that offer a ‘prescription to nature’ for you to reset, relax, and recentre.

Little Crabtree is the kind of accommodation that you walk into and immediately regret not booking a longer stay. I stayed two nights, but I could have stayed two years. The tranquility of the space makes you feel like there is nowhere else you need to be.

Slow Beam has been featured in Vogue, Qantas Magazine, The Design Files, and now - BEAR! You’re going to love it.