A Michelin Star restaurant chef is set to launch a multimillion-dollar luxury retreat in the Tasman region, introducing a new high-end “slow stay” model designed to capture a share of the growing global wellness tourism market.
According to latest tourism industry research, the global wellness tourism market size is growing at 12% annually and is projected to reach US$2.1 trillion by 2030.
Toby Stuart, an internationally renowned executive chef who has worked in more than a dozen Michelin-starred restaurants across five countries, including France, the UK, Spain, the United States and Uruguay, during a career spanning over two decades, will open Domu Retreat on 1 October.
His new six-suite property sits on an elevated coastal ridge with panoramic views over the Abel Tasman National Park and Tasman Bay.
Catering to a maximum of 12 guests, the adults-only retreat is positioned to target an estimated 70% international and 30% domestic visitor base, with key markets identified in the United States, UK, Australia, Germany and Switzerland.
The “slow stay” concept is built around the principle of deliberate disconnection. There are no televisions in rooms, and guests are encouraged to switch off devices in favour of a curated library of books, magazines, and board games, as well as shared conversation at communal dinners.
The retreat’s “dinner and discourse” format aims to create social interaction between guests, supported by conversation prompts and hosted service from Stuart and his partner, Sabina Bronicka-Stuart.
Stuart will personally prepare all meals, showcasing premium New Zealand produce from boutique suppliers. The menu will include spearfished butterfish from D’Urville Island, wild South Island game such as Himalayan tahr, organic beef and lamb from Golden Bay farms, and a compact, quality-focused wine list favouring organic labels, including vintages from Cloudy Bay Vineyards.
The development of Domu Retreat has involved significant investment in both infrastructure and guest experience. The property itself is valued in the multimillion-dollar range, with a further capital injection of around NZ$500,000 for fit-out, including high-end beds used in New Zealand’s top lodges and natural material furnishings, all aimed at increasing guests’ relaxation and comfort.
While Domu Retreat’s pricing is set below some of New Zealand’s ultra-luxury lodges which can exceed NZ$3,500 per night, the model aims to compete on exclusivity, chef-led dining and personalised hosting.
Stuart says this approach offers “the service and quality of an international luxury lodge, but in a setting where guests feel like they are staying in a friend’s home.”
“A slow stay is allowing guests to stop rushing to trade urgency for presence. We’ve designed spaces that encourage conversation from the dinner table to the library to encourage greater connection.
“We’ve removed TVs from the rooms because we want guests to engage with each other, with books, with the view not the news cycle.
“Domu is the opposite of the all-you-can-do resort model. Here, the luxury is in having nothing on the agenda except what you choose. We live in a world of constant alerts and pings Domu is about switching them all off so you can breathe.”
“A slow stay is about how you feel when you leave rested, inspired, and more connected than when you arrived. You come here for the silence as much as for the food. That quiet is a luxury people don’t realise they need until they have it.
Stuart says the approach to the menu reflects the relaxed surroundings.
“We’re not trying to reinvent fine dining or do anything too complicated but rather bring to life the experience on a plate.
“Our menu reflects the Tasman region and beyond and we want guests to taste the landscape they’ve been exploring,” says Stuart.
The retreat will operate year-round, with seasonal adjustments to the menu and activity offerings.
Rates start from NZ$2,000 per night for two guests, inclusive of daily breakfast, a pre-dinner cocktail with canapés, and a multi-course chef-hosted evening meal. Guests also receive access to the property’s spa facilities, heated plunge pool, wood-fired sauna and morning yoga sessions. Lunch and wine selections are available at additional cost.
