Room Check: Rendezvous Hotel, Auckland

A top-floor view of the lobby at Auckland's Rendezvous Hotel.

Eli Orzessek has a night out at the Rendezvous Hotel to make the most of the Auckland Arts Festival.

Getting there: It's right in town and would be easy enough to get to by Airbus.

Check-in experience: Quick and pleasant. The lobby has an air of grandness, with many different types of marble. I only had a small bag so made it up to my room by myself.

Room: I stayed in the guest room king, which was a decent size and included a desk, minibar and small couch.

What's so good about this place? It's central. I found the slightly 70s vibe to the place to be quite charming. Walking down the corridors, it almost felt like being in a Wes Anderson film.

And the bad? It's rough around the edges in parts, a few patches on the walls and the bathroom tiles were a bit mouldy.

What's in the neighbourhood? The Auckland Central Police Station is right across the road, so you'll feel pretty safe. It's a quick walk to Queen St, but far enough away from the main drag that it's quite quiet.

Toiletries: French Connection shampoo, conditioner, body lotion and shower gel.

Why we were there: For the Sufjan Stevens concert at The Civic theatre. The Rendezvous is a sponsor of the Auckland Arts Festival, which hosted the concert.

Food and drink: I had dinner at Katsura, the in-house Japanese restaurant. The teppanyaki dinner was a show in itself, with lots of fire and egg-throwing. The Straits Cafe offers breakfast, lunch and dinner and there's a sizeable room service menu. The bar on the second floor is also a nice way to waste time in the evening.

The bed: Very comfortable king bed with plush pillows and nice firm mattress.

A room with a view? My window looked out over the Aotea Centre - which could use a waterblast - and the city council's Civic building. The Sky Tower looms to the left. It's nice to view your home city through a tourist's eyes.

Bathroom: It included a decent-sized bath, but the shower's water pressure could be a bit stronger.

Price: From $169.

Contact: tfehotels.com

Free WiFi? Yes, and it was really fast. I had no issues.

Noise: It was quiet, despite its central location.

Exercise facilities: I didn't have time to try them out, but there's a small gym and heated swimming pool, as well as an outdoor sunbathing area to tan that perfect body.