Staying at Adina Apartment Hotel Britomart

Adina Apartment Hotel, Auckland Britomart.

Stephanie Holmes checks into Adina Apartment Hotel Britomart.

Location: About 100m from Spark Arena, and 10 minutes walk to Britomart train station.

Getting there: Get the train or drive — there's onsite parking, a rare commodity in Auckland.

Check-in experience: Easy. Reception is just through the lobby bar and close to the restaurant.

Room: Which one? We were staying in one of the 12 penthouse apartments, added to the hotel more than a year ago. Ours, a three-bedroom at 250sq m, is bigger than many Auckland homes. The split-level loft-style apartment is light, airy and so big you could easily lose your fellow guests. The first floor has two bedrooms with a shared bathroom; separate toilet and laundry; an open-plan full kitchen; six-seater dining table and a living area with comfortable stylish sofa and armchairs. Up a pine staircase, there's the master bedroom, which has a huge walk-in wardrobe, large master bathroom, and an enclosed patio space with gas fireplace and lounge chairs. I was looking forward to hanging by the fireplace but it had a note on it saying "Out of operation due to health and safety reasons". The only disappointment of our stay.

Design touches: The apartment had a Scandi-cool feel, with lots of light wood, stylish furnishings and contemporary artworks on the walls.

Bed: Which one? The master bed was firm and provided a good night's sleep. The beds in the other rooms felt quite soft.

Bathroom: The master bedroom was slightly sparse but functional — there was a small bathtub, a large shower cubicle with two shower attachments so couples don't need to miss each other's company even for a moment; toilet and bidet in a separate frosted glass cubicle, and twin sinks with a large vanity.

Facilities: The hotel has a gym, bar and restaurant.

View: There was a glimpse of the sea if you strained hard enough, otherwise Auckland's urban jungle. In the distance we could see up to Parnell Rise and the Auckland Museum.

Food and drink: Meals are available at the Yard Bar and Eatery on the ground floor, with room service available 24/7. We had a great breakfast; my partner enjoying a huge big breakfast, and me eggs benedict with salmon and beetroot. The Countdown supermarket on Beach Rd is about five minutes walk away if you want to self-cater — the apartment has microwave, oven and hobs, but isn't overloaded with utensils or cooking equipment.

And you're close to the entertainment and hospitality on offer at Britomart and beyond.

Wi-Fi: Penthouse guests get to use the VIP Wi-Fi, which is free, fast and unlimited.

Elsewhere in the hotel, guests get up to 500mb free for one device, with plans available to purchase beyond that.

Entertainment: Sky TV channels and a Bluetooth-enabled TV so you can connect your smart devices. The apartment is also totally big enough for a really great game of Hide and Seek.

Noise: Surprisingly, nothing at all. Unusual for somewhere so city central. Although there was nothing on at Spark Arena that night, so we potentially got off lightly.

Contact: adinahotels.com

Perfect for: An easy option after a concert at Spark Arena; three couples wanting to have a big night out in the big city — it would be perfect for dinner parties and inter-generational family groups travelling together.