Location: The Grand Mercure Wellington holds court over a panoramic view of the city, with Mt Victoria at centre-stage.
What was once the original (circa 1983) Terrace Regency Hotel, popular with visiting dignitaries and politicians, is now a striking, contemporary black Grand Mercure Wellington, which reopened at the
beginning of last year after a $12 million makeover.
Check-in experience: Attentive, informative about the hotel's facilities, and warmly welcoming. We were told we'd been upgraded to an executive suite on the eighth floor, where beautiful views were assured.
Room: Quiet and luxurious in rich and rather regal tones. There's a Bose sound-system, a large Smart TV, and a view to Mt Victoria and, just a short walk away, the artistic and food-loving end of the city — the Cuba St Quarter. The harbour is also part of your view.
Bathroom: Behind a frosted glass sliding door, it's not exactly sound-proof for middle-of-the-night nature calls, but it's rather luxurious and comes with all the little extras — from the Amiki manuka honey lotions and potions, exclusive to New Zealand's Grand Mercure hotels, to the white robes, slippers and plenty-powerful shower with a rain-shower option. The basin and bench are devoid of a soap dish, so I seriously challenged my OCD senses and popped the wet soap on the marble benchtop.
Food and drink: The front entrance opens into the foyer and reception, but we felt drawn to the left, where an elegant lounge with beautifully-upholstered chairs and a long, glass-fronted gas fire beckons. Here, we sat and chatted and read the complimentary newspapers — and ordered a glass of bubbles from the Forage Kitchen and Bar. At the other end of the building, this offers evening diners a magnificent, twinkling-lights view over the city and, by day, a realisation of just how lofty the hotel's perch is on The Terrace hill.
