Staying at the Pullman Hotel, Auckland

The Pullman Hotel in Auckland.

Courtney Whitaker checks into the Pullman Hotel, Auckland.

Location: On the corner of Princes St and Waterloo Quadrant, the Pullman Hotel is handy to the city and perfectly placed to enjoy Albert Park and the nearby Chancery and High St areas.

Check-in experience: From the moment we pulled up outside the hotel we felt at home. From the friendly valet guys to the efficient check-in with Kenneth, our first point of contact — which always sets the tone for your stay — was excellent. We were shown to our room by the affable Andy, who lugged my (always overpacked) overnight bag up to the room himself.

Price: Rooms start from $229.

Room: At 44sq m, the Executive King Suite is almost as big as our apartment; there is a dining area with a massive table and Nespresso coffee machine and tea-making facilities, a lounge with big television, an enormous bathroom, and a bedroom with a generous walk-in wardrobe, and yet another wall-mounted television. We couldn't have chosen a better space to luxuriate in for a weekend getaway.

Facilities: The hotel's facilities include Omni Bar, Tapestry Dining, the day spa (with six treatment rooms), and 25m heated indoor swimming pool, gym and sauna. There are also several function rooms — two weddings were held on the premises during our stay.

Breakfast: The sumptuous breakfast buffet is in Tapestry Dining's restaurant and there is fresh fruit, made-to-order omelettes, charcuterie, coffee and freshly squeezed orange juice. There is also plenty of choice for vegan and gluten-free eaters.

View: We had a gorgeous panorama out over leafy Albert Park and surrounding areas from our eighth-floor perch.

The bed: A glorious Deluxe King. We also ordered duck-down and aromatherapy pillows from the pillow menu because . . . why not?

Bathroom: Massive. The large, luxurious tub boasts its own television (this means the suite has a grand total of three), which could also be viewed from the huge walk-in shower, with its three wall jets, a rain showerhead and a detachable showerhead, for good measure.

Toiletries: Delicious lavender peppermint products from C.O. Bigelow Apothecaries.

Food and drink: The ground-floor Tapestry Dining was an excellent choice for a celebratory anniversary dinner. The menu has a distinctly French feel to it, with a focus on fresh produce and seafood. We started with a beef carpaccio and a delicious ceviche from the raw bar, which was almost my highlight of the evening . . . until I tried my main, a chargrilled tuna loin with warm nicoise, orange-scented gremolata and dehydrated Kalamata olives. My husband opted for the charred Angus eye fillet — paired with a lovely Marisco pinot noir — and we finished off with a special chocolate mousse dessert and the most perfectly executed apple tarte tatin. We were pleasantly surprised by the standard of the food and service here, and even better was that it was only an easy lift ride down from our suite. No walking, no taxis, no jackets required. Needless to say, a trip to the gym was necessary the next morning.

Exercise: Luckily for us, there is a very well-equipped gym here, open from 6am, right next to the swimming pool. There is a particular focus on wellness throughout the hotel, from the superfood buffet section at breakfast, to the inspired Pullman Fit Kit, available to travellers wanting to stay on track with their fitness, but unable to bring gym gear with them.

Noise: Very little. The rooms are well-soundproofed and we slept deeply.

Entertainment: Aside from the suite's televisions, which all have Sky channels, and the Pullman magazine, we found Omni bar to be a great place to take in the hotel's comings and goings (including a couple of celebrity sightings), and the terrace a sunny spot for a cocktail. The spa also offers sunrise yoga and, for the oenophile, weekly vino vinyasa yoga (with a glass of Peter Yealands rose). Sign me up.

Wi-Fi: Free and fast.

Contact: (09) 3531000; pullmanauckland.co.nz

Would I return? I could happily live in the Executive King Suite.