Maggie Wicks Travel Writer

New Zealand’s largest city, Auckland, offers visitors an easy blend of urban sophistication, natural beauty, cultural diversity and world-class international food, making it one of the country’s most appealing bases for travellers. From the beauty of Waitemata Harbour in downtown Auckland to the nightlife of Karangahape Road at the other end of the central city, the local hotel scene reflects Auckland’s diversity: luxury stays line the harbour, good‑value options are clustered around the Central Business District, and character‑rich boutique hotels are found in restored heritage buildings in the city’s fringe neighbourhoods.

The city’s hotel scene has matured immensely, with a slew of new openings in the past five years, and a push to protect the city’s architectural heritage seeing independent and boutique hotels refreshed. Plus, long-gone are the filmy hotel buffets of yesteryear – these days Auckland’s hotel restaurants are destinations in their own rights, boasting some of the city’s top chefs and most iconic dishes, as popular with locals as with visitors.

Expert pick

Sustainability has been built into this standout hotel, in a hip but historic corner of downtown Auckland, quite literally from the ground up. The bricks are handmade, the chopping boards manufactured from discarded fishing nets and the slippers fashioned from shredded coconut husks. Thoughtful interiors designed to calm and a must-visit restaurant make it a winner.

Best for luxury

Enjoy a superb five-star hotel experience – including ultra-efficient staff, an open-air infinity lap pool and several stunning food and drink options (breakfast may be the city’s finest) – while staying right in the heart of one of the Auckland CBD’s most vibrant and interesting neighbourhoods.

InterContinental Auckland

Auckland

9/10

A polished urban retreat on Auckland’s waterfront, with easy access to trains, ferries and Commercial Bay’s dining and shopping. Rooms are spacious and serene, with harbour views and luxurious touches. Highlights include the Club lounge, discreet tech and chef Gareth Stewart’s restaurant Advieh, serving fine Middle Eastern fare.

SO/ Auckland

Auckland

9/10

This striking hotel, designed in collaboration with renowned New Zealand fashion label, WORLD, is extravagantly bold. Expect dark, circus-like interiors, unbeatable views across Auckland’s Waitemata Harbour, and seriously good food.

Best for budget

Finally, a good accommodation option within spitting distance of Auckland’s hip Karangahape Road. The new Abstract Hotel brings cool facilities, slick dark interiors and affordable prices. All this is set in a block just a minute’s walk from the city’s edgiest nightlife and some great dining options – although the on-site Italian restaurant is not to be missed either.

QT Auckland

Auckland

8/10

A personality-packed stay in Auckland’s vibrant waterside Wynyard Quarter. With casual fine dining on the ground floor, one of the city’s best rooftop bars and rooms that are designed to be enjoyed, there’s little reason to leave. Though if you do, the city is just a five-minute walk away.

Hotel DeBrett

Auckland

8/10

This luxurious boutique hotel located in the heart of Auckland’s shopping district blends art deco features with bold, modern design. The city’s famed harbour and best dining spots are a 10-minute walk away, while the hotel has a popular restaurant of its own.

Grand Mercure, Auckland

Auckland

8/10

The Grand Mercure, just a block from downtown Auckland’s lively waterfront, has modern rooms, a fresh Pacific-influenced menu and a top-floor bar with one of the best views over the city.

Cordis, Auckland

Auckland

8/10

The Cordis is the largest hotel in New Zealand. Its 642 rooms are popular with business travellers, tourists and families, and the hotel’s upscale buffet restaurant Eight and popular heated swimming pool are rarely quiet. But staff are well-trained in managing the busy-ness, and service is always personable and fast.

The Convent

Auckland

8/10

Best for boutique

Enjoy a slice of history at this boutique bolthole in Auckland’s Grey Lynn suburb. Once home to an order of nuns, expect individually styled rooms with a dash of religious iconography, a charming in-house bar, and Ada – one of Auckland’s most celebrated restaurants – all just minutes from Karangahape Road’s nightlife.

JW Marriott Auckland

Auckland

8/10

A multi-million-dollar makeover has refreshed the JW Marriott on Auckland’s Albert Street from top to bottom, with a major do up of every room. The hotel was built in 1984 as Auckland’s first five-star hotel, and houses a stunning pool and gym, and a unique Pacific-inspired restaurant offering buzzy interactive dining experiences.

Hotel Fitzroy

Auckland

8/10

A historic villa that’s been transformed into a 10-room boutique hotel, giving visitors the chance to stay in one of Auckland’s most fashionable suburbs. Rooms are named after renowned New Zealanders and its complimentary drinks and hors d’oeuvres add to the hotel’s charm.

Four Points by Sheraton Auckland

Auckland

8/10

In an underrated part of the city, Four Points by Sheraton is a smart inner-city hotel that delivers on style, service and views. At the foot of the building is Auckland’s unofficial art precinct, with numerous theatres, restaurants and bars, and at the top is a handsome rooftop speakeasy-style watering hole with a vast gin menu to peruse while you gaze over the skyline.

M Social Auckland

Auckland

8/10

This 190-room hotel offers a fun, high-tech stay and a great location right on Auckland’s waterfront. With each room on the north-facing side of the building, there are no duds here, with great harbour views that should cost much more than they do.

The Grand by SkyCity

Auckland

8/10

This hotel sits in the heart of SkyCity, Auckland’s mid-city entertainment complex, and offers tidy modern rooms, excellent service and proximity to a theatre, bars and a casino. When you’re ready to eat, don’t stray too far – the hotel offers several restaurants, some of which are among Auckland’s best.

Voco Auckland City Centre

Auckland

8/10

Voco Auckland, with its handy midtown location, rooms that are modern with just the right amount of cool and Auckland’s highest rooftop bar (providing one of the city’s best sunsets), makes for a great choice for travellers looking for simplicity and convenience with great views and a few flourishes.

Fable Auckland

Auckland

8/10

Fable Auckland, an art deco hotel on the main drag of downtown Auckland, toes the line between sophisticated modernity and historic charm with aplomb. Find fun jewel-toned interiors, an intimate restaurant and keen service, all housed in a heritage building hidden in plain sight in central Auckland.

Horizon Hotel

Auckland

8/10

This Mid City Auckland hotel offers five-star service, great food and art that speaks to the building’s thoughtful architecture. Opportunities to leap off the 328m Sky Tower, visit the interactive All Blacks experience and popular local dining are just an airbridge away.

The Great Ponsonby Arthotel

Auckland

8/10

A fun boutique hotel in an historic Auckland villa, the Great Ponsonby Art Hotel is the very antithesis of a chain hotel experience. Located in the fashionable foodie-friendly suburb of Ponsonby, a 10-minute bus ride from the city.

Naumi Auckland Airport Hotel

Mangere

8/10

Stylish and bright, with an eye on design and sustainability, Naumi Auckland has redefined what an airport hotel should be. From the moment you arrive at the 24-carat gold-plated reception desk, expect bold hues, soaring ceilings, tasty food and enough quirk to wake you up from any long-haul flight.

Sofitel Auckland Viaduct Harbour

Auckland

7/10

This stylistic marriage of Parisian salon and Pacific meeting house is just out of earshot from the bars and restaurants of the Viaduct Harbour’s busy end. It is a quirky affair that elevates the hotel above more homogeneous corporate offerings.

Additional reviews by Anna Pointer and Bryn Reade.