Check in at the most stylish stays in Auckland

Central City

The InterContinental Auckland

Standing proud on the edge of the wonderful Waitematā Harbour, the InterContinental Auckland offers shared spaces and rooms that are generously laden with local art, including culturally rich woven and carved works by Māori artists.

The nature-inspired tones of the decor offset the bright blue harbour with its ships docked just stone’s throw from the hotel. The Club Lounge – set to open in mid-2024 – will be an exemplary fitness and relaxation haven. A rooftop bar will add another dimension to the hospitality, while their modern Middle Eastern restaurant Advieh is already gaining acclaim.

Park Hyatt Auckland

If its waterside perch looking back to the city skyline isn’t enough, the Park Hyatt Auckland lays claim to having the largest guest rooms in town, starting at 47 square metres. They do things big here – when you arrive, you’re greeted by a lofty atrium and the enormous illuminated painting by Peata Larkin (Ngāti Whakaue, Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Ngāti Tuhourangi).

Yet somehow things feel cosy at the same time, in part thanks to the building’s exterior design being founded on the idea of a korowai (a traditional Māori cloak) blanketing the structure offering protection.

Pampering and wellness are at your fingertips: there are plush robes, slippers and Le Labo products in every bathroom, a hydrotherapy room, sauna and steam room, and sunrise yoga sessions by the infinity pool where you can meditate with a magical harbour view.

Hotel DeBrett

The colourful, curving corner of Hotel DeBrett hints of the Art Deco heritage and quirky design that have seen this inner city boutique property continue to charm visitors for decades.

The interiors here are colourful and fun, with signature striped carpet throughout, rooms arranged to maximise the space – some with loft bedrooms – minibars stocked with locally made goodies, and comfy super king beds.

High tea at Hotel DeBrett is a 1920s-themed institution, and the resplendent Housebar has you feeling you’ve stumbled on a secret – one that does a very nice nightcap.

The Hotel Britomart

The Hotel Britomart is New Zealand’s first 5 Green Star hotel, its contemporary facade rising above the redecorated historic warehouses and plant-lined laneways that surround it.

Inside, the attention to detail is obvious with warm timber flooring and walls, artisan ceramics and a serene sense of sophistication. Owners Cooper and Company have driven the restoration of the Britomart precinct, and also own The Landing, a vineyard in the Bay of Islands.

The luxury Landing Suites in The Hotel Britomart are named after this stunning rural sanctuary, and sampling The Landing wines during your stay is another pleasure piece – do so over a scrumptious seafood meal at the hotel’s restaurant, kingi.

City Fringe

Hotel Fitzroy 

The charms of Ponsonby Road, Auckland’s most beloved dining strip, are mere minutes away from the equally charming Hotel Fitzroy. Marrying a handsome Victorian villa with a modern annex, the property features 10 rooms that wear their bespoke interiors elegantly.

The Convent Hotel

A little further along in Grey Lynn, The Convent Hotel is the result of a once-derelict building being given a makeover that embraces its quirky Spanish Mission architecture and history as a convent. It feels homely – if your home is dripping with eye-catching artworks – and the rates are notably affordable.

Waiheke Island

Rangihoua Villa 

Nestled amongst the trees of Allpress Olive Groves, Rangihoua Villa is a haven within a haven on Waiheke Island, which is a 40-minute ferry ride from downtown Auckland. Elevated, the property basks in sunshine and panoramic views stretching from Coromandel Peninsula across the Hauraki Gulf and back to the sparkling lights of the city skyline.

Expansive living and cooking spaces, oversized dining tables, large open fireplaces, and local and European furniture and art lay the tasteful scene for up to eight guests to relax in. A swimming pool surrounded by lush greenery and a cedar spa complete the picture. Allpress Olive Groves have several other stays on the island, all impeccably presented.

Omana

At sprawling hilltop property Omana, luxuriously appointed villas have been designed to blend seamlessly with the surroundings, and floor-to-ceiling windows frame endless ocean and distant islands. Italian furniture, plush fabrics and captivating artworks pepper the living spaces of this sustainably minded property.

Mawhiti

If architecture is a passion, Mawhiti, an award-winning Oneroa holiday house designed by Stephen Lawson, is sure to impress. Its connecting pavilions host four bedrooms and a living pavilion with Cathedral ceilings.

You’ll no doubt come away with dozens of photos of the stunning ‘Gateway Pavillion’ which was originally built for Waiheke’s Sculpture on the Gulf event in 2017.

Delamore Lodge

Delamore Lodge is moulded into the hillside and offers suites and apartments alongside an infinity pool overlooking Owhanake Bay. Built for romance, the spa treatments and gourmet experiences ensure you’ll never want to leave.

The Oyster Inn

On a smaller scale, the three Cape Cod-style rooms tucked in behind The Oyster Inn’s restaurant and bar are cute, fun options for those keen to be among the action of bustling village life in Oneroa.

Airport

Te Arikinui Pullman Auckland Airport

If you think “handy to the airport” is a byword for boring, think again. The newly built Te Arikinui Pullman Auckland Airport parks five-star luxury by the runway, mere steps from the international terminal.

Designed by celebrated local architectural firm Warren and Mahoney, the multi-faceted building appears to sprout from the ground via gilded roots. On the top floor, restaurant Te Kaahu’s offering is elevated in every sense and you’ll enjoy a vista over the runway and across the Manukau Harbour to Manukau Heads, its mercurial outline mirroring the hotel’s slate-hued glassy façade.