Mother’s Day is May 12. If you’re looking for something special to surprise mum with, you should look beyond physical gifts and treat her to the full QT experience, writes Megan Watts.
A flip of the calendar recently revealed that Mother’s Day is only a month away, thus sparking the annual conundrum of, “What to get mum?”
When picking a gift that expresses your appreciation for the woman who birthed you, raised you and made you who you are today, socks and soap don’t cut it. But then again, what gift really could?
However, in divine timing, I recently received an email from hotel chain, QT Hotels & Resorts, detailing their own take on a Mother’s Day treat, and I simply had to try it out at QT Auckland with my mum.
Offering an array of foodie experiences, relaxing services and stay-cay treats to celebrate May 12 accordingly, QT Hotels have an experience to suit every style of guest. Here is everything you and your mum can enjoy this Mother’s Day – an important reminder of how special one-on-one time can be.
Esther's high tea is a cut above the rest. Photo / QT
The High Tea highlight
Nothing like your nana’s scones, Esther takes High Tea to new levels, with an overflowing dessert cart that makes its rounds around the restaurant, offering a selection of beautiful teas and tipples, as well as an orange tiramisu that you’ll be reminiscing about for days to come.
Esther’s chef, Sean Connolly puts a Mediterranean twist on the retro tea-taking tradition, literally bringing to the plate giant prawns with a honey and chilli glaze and crisp spinach and ricotta pies, as well as spiced Portuguese tarts and delicate swan meringues that take centre stage on the trolley – a personal favourite of my own mum’s, I may add.
However, those with a busy afternoon ahead, be warned. Both mum and I were sent into a minor food coma which resulted in a tight waistband and a hankering for a snooze.
Perch yourself at the rooftop bar for a drink with mum. Photo / QT
A rooftop tipple
Watch the day turn into night over a drink just as mesmerising at the hotel’s Rooftop at QT.
Set against a backdrop of stunning city and harbour views, Mum and I shared a couple of drinks, a bucketload of laughs and way too many scarcely-spoken-about stories while taking in the bar’s bustling ambience.
While perusing the cocktail list, our personal favourite was the autumn-inspired Barrel-Aged Marinez, made with QT Chaos gin, stone fruit liqueur, pomegranate and passion fruit tea and Tempus Fugit Gran Classico vermouth. But any drink will do when surrounded by a 180-degree panorama of Auckland’s finest features.
Those hoping to peek at the breathtaking rooftop views should book a table in advance. Not only does the bar get busy very quickly but the bouncer nearly rugby tackled mum when she assumed we didn’t need one and walked straight in.
The recipe for a cosy night in? Fried chicken, bubbles and some much-needed mum time. Photo / QT
The cosiest night in
With award-winning Esther - which nabbed a spot on Viva’s Top 50 Auckland Restaurants For 2023 - just downstairs, it feels criminal to order room service when staying at the QT. However, the hotel’s latest foray into room-delivered comfort food is too good to turn down, if not only because we could rock our pyjamas while doing so.
QT’s Birds and Boujee Bubbles in-room dining experience offers a takeaway-style box of Southern fried chicken pieces, along with a generous scoop of shoestring fries, plenty of pickles, gourmet hot sauce and a bottle of G. H. Mumm champagne.
We feasted from the comfort of our beds, watched a movie picked out by mum (Scoop is a real edge-of-your-seat watch) and cosied in for some much-needed downtime.
A brekkie to brag about
You would think that after devouring a trolley’s worth of desserts and fried chicken galore one would be suitably stuffed for a couple of days., but when heading down for breakfast at QT’s Esther, miracles really do happen, especially when one must make space for the most important meal of the day.
Esther’s breakfast menu is just as inventive as their high tea offerings, with fresh, Mediterranean-inspired AM feeds that break the often-predictable breakfast menu tradition.
Sharing the granola with cardamom poached pair and yoghurt, and the khach-a-puri - which is a woodfired pide shaped into a dish with egg, feta and mozzarella baked in the middle of it - we could only gush about Esther’s departure from box-standard “eggs and bacon” in favour of a refreshing Mediterranean twist.
Relax and rest up - you're in safe hands with The Spa Nomad. Photo / QT
Peak relaxation with the Spa Nomad
Returning to our room to find The Spa Nomad set up with a bed, massage oils and skincare ready to go conjured feelings similar to that of a kid waking up on Christmas morning.
The travelling spa service - which can be ordered anytime, anywhere - has partnered with the hotel to offer guests facials, massages and treatments from the comfort of their own QT sanctuary.
Mum and I were treated to The Spa Nomad’s signature facial at the hands of lovely Julia, who, after two hours, sent us out into the world with our shoulders a few centimetres lower, our smiles a few teeth wider and an experience that will be treasured forever.
For more information and to book, visit qthotels.com
