Hotel Review: Holiday Inn Express Auckland City Centre

A room at the Holiday Inn Express in Auckland City Centre. Photo / Supplied

Sarah Pollok stays at the Holiday Inn Express Auckland

Some hotels are an experience in themselves, with lavish rooms, state-of-the-art facilities and an expensive price tag to match.

Others, however, exist to simply facilitate an experience, offering a simple, safe and central place to rest your head during an overnight business trip or a busy day of exploring the city.

If the latter is what you need, the new Holiday Inn Express is a great option.

Location: One of the hotel's main advantages is, without a doubt, its inner-city location. Step outside the building, on the corner of Albert and Wyndham streets and you're already in the heart of downtown, easy walking distance from key art, culture and shopping attractions as well as the Britomart train station and dozens of bus routes.

Price: Rooms begin at $190 per night.

Perfect For: A fuss-free stay for budget travellers, business people or families.

First impressions: A large, illuminated sign makes the hotel easy to spot from the street but getting to the front desk is a slightly more confusing story. After entering the building, we had to take an escalator up a storey, follow signs to the elevators then go up another level. Thankfully, check-in takes mere seconds and we're in our room minutes later, living up to the "Express" side of things.

Room: Done up in a neutral, modern style, the rooms are small but have the essentials including a comfortable Queen, King or Super King bed, work desk and lamp, heating/AC, iron and ironing board and a 50" smart TV. Alongside the mini fridge and mini bar is complimentary supplies for tea and coffee while connecting rooms and cribs are available for families.

Despite the size, tall windows with city or harbour views give it a deceptively spacious feeling, which can be made cosy and quiet with the (very effective) blackout shades.

Bathroom: The open walk-in shower was strong and hot with large pump bottles of shower gel, shampoo and conditioner, which didn't just smell amazing and were far easier to use than tiny bottles but are part of the hotel's sustainability efforts. Another measure is keeping additional amenities like razors, soaps, cotton buds or combs at reception and only available upon request.

Facilities: Alongside strong, unlimited Wi-Fi, guests get access to gym, self-service laundry and three flexible meeting rooms that can hold up to 40 people. Plus, a 24-hour reception, which is a godsend for those who want to stay out late or are arriving at an unusual hour from a flight.

Food and drink: A stone's throw from dozens of restaurants, cafes, bars and metro supermarkets, there is little need to make use of the room service menu. However, if you're keen to stay on-site, just note that your food has to be collected from reception. Breakfast the next morning is a free but simple affair, in typical hotel-breakfast style. Expect cornflakes, yoghurt, and bread alongside industrial dishes of scrambled eggs, bacon and pancakes.

Sustainability: The hotel is easy on the wallet and the planet thanks to several sustainability initiatives.

Some you'll notice (bulk shower amenities, disposable bathroom items on request, no single-use plastic items) and others you won't (energy-efficient equipment and systems) but it all adds. Plus, if you're staying two or more nights, you can opt out of housekeeping services to reduce energy, water and waste.

Accessibility: The hotel has 13 accessible rooms with wheelchair-friendly bathrooms and two wheelchair-accessible car parks. All floors, including reception, are also accessible via elevator.

Contact: Email res.aklcc@proinvesthotels.com, phone 09 883 2900,
or visit holidayinnexpress.com/auckland for more information.