What's in the neighbourhood? It's a short walk to Queen St or the Viaduct and one of my Auckland favourites, the Albert St Food Alley, is just around the corner.
Toiletries: Manuka Spa shampoo, conditioner, body wash and lotion.
Food and drink: We enjoyed dinner and breakfast at Hector's, which recently became New Zealand's first vegan-accredited restaurant. Despite being a meat-eater, I decided to go for a completely plant-based dinner — wood-planked tofu, followed by soba noodles — and found myself full and satisfied afterwards. Later we ordered dessert to our room and it was definitely a highlight.
The breakfast buffet includes a raw breakfast bar, with many different types of seeds, nuts, fruit and granola — I had a big bowl of everything and found myself too full to eat lunch. There's also kombucha on offer and cold drip coffee.
The bed: King-sized and extremely comfortable — I slept like a log. There's a pillow menu, but we were unable to get the lavender-scented aromatherapy pillows as they'd all been handed out — so they must be pretty good.
A room with a view? Our room had a great view over the rooftop pool and out to Auckland Harbour. It was a bit of a grey day for our stay, but with the sun out it would look stunning.
Bathroom: A bath and a small shower which had very good water pressure — sometimes unusual in hotels.
Free Wi-Fi? It was included in the room and I had no problems with it.
Noise: None that I noticed.
Exercise facilities: There's a gym and a rooftop pool and spa.
Perfect for: Anyone wanting a central stay with an incredible view — and it helps if you like vegan food.
