Where to stay

A peek inside QT, one of Auckland’s newest hotels

November 3, 2020 by megan Leave a Comment

QT Hotels is known for quirky luxury and Auckland is waiting with anticipation for the 10^th hotel to open its doors in November 2020.

Creating a world less conventional in the heart of Auckland, the new waterfront playground will bring a transformative escape, unlike anything the Auckland hotel market has seen before.

QT Auckland bedroom looking from bathroom suite — The cutie! QT Auckland’s modern chic bedroom

QT has pioneered the philosophy of ‘expect the unexpected’, with every property delivering an experience and design that combine local influences and lashings of quirk, ensuring each hotel is a character in its own right. QT Auckland is no exception, celebrating its city surrounds and reflecting the harbourside location.

The award-winning QT Hotel Group is one of New Zealand and Australia’s most loved and dynamic hotel brands, blending the perfect mix of design, luxury, people and critically-acclaimed food and beverage outlets to deliver its widely recognised signature service.

Complementing the much-loved QT Queenstown and QT Wellington, QT Auckland is the third QT property in New Zealand and has been designed with the natural, wild beauty of the city’s surrounding landscape in mind.

Public spaces burst with local artwork and a private function space is steps from the water. A signature dining concept in collaboration with celebrated chef Sean Connolly and a rooftop bar that offers sweeping views of Viaduct Harbour will make this the place to be over summer.

QT Auckland bedroom — Earthy tones with a modern pop at QT Auckland

What is the design inspiration?

The design idea was sparked by a dozen oysters – the salty sweet is a metaphor for the design, where the hotel has elevated the bold use of colour and created a cocooning interior that uses interesting local materials and suppliers, adding to its harbour-based neighbourhood narrative.

Long-time QT collaborator and designer Nic Graham, in conjunction with the Event Hospitality and Entertainment design team, have curated the design of the 150 rooms and suites, public spaces and meeting rooms, restaurant and rooftop bar.

The oyster’s influence can be seen throughout the design – the rough, raw and natural textures of the outside of the shell juxtaposed with the smooth, clean and luxurious nature of the inside.

New Zealand’s natural hues lend themselves to the colour scheme, mingling with bold block colours for contrast. Each room’s furniture and décor also celebrate this rare beauty, mixing warmth and texture. Exposed concrete and brass accents feature alongside plush sofas, luxurious rugs and sassy furniture.

Guests can expect mixed custom furniture with found objects and iconic originals. Bold environmental graphics are inspired by the New Zealand coast and the hotel proudly supports local and international artists throughout.

Expect the unexpected

Whilst design is an important ingredient to the QT philosophy, each QT hotel across New Zealand and Australia blends personalised guest experiences, unforgettable dining and a signature touch of quirk.

The experience philosophy behind each QT is to ‘expect the unexpected’. QT Auckland will deliver unpredictable twists across art and design throughout the dining outlets, and the staff will focus on delivering a highly-personalised signature service to each guest.

QT Auckland will be an immersive experience, channelling the local neighbourhood while adding QT’s luxuriously quirky design. With stunning waterfront views and QT’s signature dining concepts, the team at QT Auckland can’t wait for guests to experience what will undoubtedly be one of Auckland’s finest hotels.

Visit QT Auckland Hotel

A perfect weekend on Waiheke Island

November 19, 2015 by megan Leave a Comment

And so it was that myself and six family members found ourselves on the car ferry gently chugging from Auckland’s Half Moon Bay to Waiheke’s Kennedy Point for a weekend of frivolity and hilarity. Sans children.

Nicknamed Waibiza for our quick cousinly vacay, we drove ten minutes to our bach. Now I must stop right here. When I say bach, I do not mean like the one my grandparents had at Te Awanga on quite possibly the roughest beach in Hawkes Bay. When I was a kid the sand was long and wide. Today the bach is hanging there by the skin of its piles having been smashed by waves several times over the ensuing decades. There is no longer any sand and it’s only a matter of time before the current owners (who bought it for $1000) will abandon it.

No indeed. We had booked Waiheke White House, which sounds either like an official residence or one that has poles in the lounge. Neither are correct.

The deck handily doubles as the coffee and paper spot in the morning and wine and cheese at 5pm

This place is plush and huge. It’s a two-story home with decks all around to capture the sun any time of day. It has two living rooms, two bathrooms, a dining area off the new kitchen and sleeps eight. Three double bedrooms open out onto the aforementioned decks where various members of our party were gathered for functions like newspaper reading or coffee drinking.

Upstairs the living room has a daybed that is actually a king-single bed in disguise with a trundler bed underneath for making into a king for an eighth person.

Two bottles of wine from a local vineyard were waiting for us, plus a pot of Waiheke honey and a little bag of coffee. I was in my happy place.

What’s nearby?

Turn right out of the gate and in two minutes you’re wandering down the path to Little Oneroa Beach. This tiny bay has a children’s playground, a dairy and the owner makes a fine flat white. Next to them is a fish and chip shop – which does a mean wonton! Then on the beach front each night a mobile pizza oven pulls up to make delicious kebabs and pizzas to eat right there or take back home.

Within ten minutes walk is the main township of Oneroa that bulges with cafes, restaurants and shops along the main street. Plenty of brunch options abound.

Which wineries to visit on Waiheke?

We visited five wineries over the weekend and these three I would recommend taking some time to stop in at for a while:

The cottage at Man O War Vineyard

Man O War
Located at the far end of the island and reached by about 30 minutes on a dirt road – or you could just bring your boat – this is a hike to get to, but worth it. I had heard great things about their platters, so we ordered about five for the table, some cheese and some with meat. Both outstanding.

I love Man O War’s sauvignon blanc, so happily quaffed that while shooting the breeze, although not literally as we were sitting in a marquee with roll down blinds to protect us from that effect. Tables were dotted on the lawn with fellow imbibers under umbrellas and kids played cricket at one side of the lawn as the low tide sat about twenty metres away. Perfect.

The famous and scrumptious platters!

Cable Bay Vineyards
Even since last summer a lot has changed at this winery that is the closest to Oneroa – in fact about two kilometres away, so an easy stroll from the shops.

They still have their fine dining restaurant, but there’s a new tasting room which has allowed for the former tasting room to become a more casual dining option. Then out from that they have built the Verandah – a sunken outdoor dining area under huge white canopies. Bean bags are dotted on the lawn that stretches into the view of Auckland city and a new pizza oven accompanied by groovy lounge music means it’s easy to while away an afternoon here.

It’s very easy to stay until after the sun goes down here!

Mudbrick Vineyard
Set above a formal garden that will have any green fingers in your party twirling in circles, this has a lovely Italian feel. A styly dining room with white cloths is sought after for the multitude of nuptials held here, but walk along the gravel path to the tasting room and choose a flight from $10.

We decided not to queue up behind the tasting tour bus that had pulled in ahead of us, so pulled up enough outdoor chairs and ordered by the glass to enjoy drinking in the view with our splash.

How about a wine tasting tour by helicopter? This left Mudbrick and landed on the other side of the trees at Cable Bay!

How to get around on Waiheke

If you don’t take your car (at $160 without passengers) there are a few options on Waiheke for getting around:

Rent scooters or a car, book a wine tasting tour bus to hop you around several wineries without the need for one of your party to remain sober, or taxi.

Go west!

November 19, 2015 by megan Leave a Comment

It had been a year since my cousin an bestie, Kate, visited me in Auckland, so to celebrate the auspicious occasion we decided to go somewhere we hadn’t been before. Out west.

The view from our balcony at Ara Station over the sand dunes

Auckland’s wild west coast is a bit of an undiscovered gem. Well to me at least. It’s spacious and rugged. The sand is volcanic black and the Tasman sea washes the dog prints and horse hooves away as surfers armed with their boards make their silent way out to the breaks.

Ready for a surf lesson on the beach?

It’s September, barely spring and the rain was falling intermittently as we set off towards the view from our window for a walk along the beach as the tuis sang of their love for the kowhai trees.

There are more tuis out here than in a brewery!

The river that we can see from Ara Station winds its way down here

Take a left and wander down to this cave – before the tide comes in!

Mist, boulders, waves and sand. You’ll blow the cobwebs away out here!

Where to stay at Bethells Beach

Ara Station stands halfway up the bush-covered hill facing the sea at the end of the silver slither of river that runs past the road below.

I must admit we cheated and took the car as far as we could, but if we’d felt so inclined, or the weather was more reliable, we could have walked across the Lake Wainamu sand dunes draped towards the east and running down to the beach.

The timber is all ecologically sourced. Lovely to flop on a couch and listen to vinyl on the old-fashioned turntable.

It has a rustic farmhouse feel, Ara Station. Named for its position on the Hillary Trail, this is a great spot for walkers and hikers – or those like us who just fancy hunkering down in front of a roaring fire out in the wops. Ara means a traditional Maori pathway and the ‘station’ denotes the style this timber house is built to replicate: an old railway station.

Pick a spot and curl up with a book

If you have the run of the place, there is one huge master bedroom upstairs with a bathroom and large living/dining room with a balcony edged in party lights to signify a good night. Or when the owner is in residence (she was in Spain when we stayed, as you do!) you can take the ground floor and she’ll provide breakfast.

I love this tiled shower floor!

Downstairs there are 3 double rooms and another bathroom. About $400-$450 a night gets you the whole place.

Tip: You can’t buy wine from supermarkets out west, so a separate stop at a bottle store is required. Or do what we did and stock up with happy hour nibbles, dinner ingredients and wine before you hit the motorway.

I reckon this would be a great place for a group of friends who want a week far from the madding crowd, and in summer the burger caravan is open at the bottom of the road which sounds like such fun!

Stay in a piece of Heritage

November 19, 2015 by megan Leave a Comment

I drove in from my home in East Auckland, picked up my husband from his work in the city and in we checked at the Heritage Hotel for me to attend the Travcom Travel Writer Awards dinner (alas, not this year) and him to get room service and watch telly. What could be more fun?

The Heritage Auckland is part of the 20 Heritage hotels dotted around New Zealand, but the perfect name is more than ironic here.

The grand old Farmer’s Trading Co in Auckland

Some Kiwis with long memories (us included!) will remember this as the Farmers Trading Co building with its tearooms on the top floor, Hector the talking parrot (who lived to 131 years) and a playground with a carousel and pedal cars for kids. I think I only visited once, but talking to the people at white cloth-covered in this very room who used to come for Friday afternoon outinsg here regularly, it hasn’t lost its mystery and charm. The big arch windows, the high ceilings, it’s worth finding an excuse and coming up.

Today the tearoom is an event room: think ballroom, formal dinners – and this Mother’s Day you can bring your mum for high tea (as luck would have it!)

Anyone remember this?

Built by entrepreneur Robert Laidlaw in 1914, the Heritage Hotel now covers the block from Hobson through to Nelson Streets, it has two entrances, so if you drive your car to the wrong one the lads in suits will put you right.

Our room on the 10th floor had sweeping views over the tennis court below and across the harbour beyond, with a balcony to sit out and stare at the world from such a lofty height. It also had a kitchen, which should I have been staying longer or have invited friends to pop in, would have been great. Suffice to say, it stayed unused on my visit!

My room this week looking towards the Auckland Harbour Bridge

The gym and pool

There are two gyms. One is under refurbishment but when it opens will have fancy new facilities with a lap pool, spa and sauna. The other really impressed me. It was a bit of a maze to find it (remember this is an old department store) but with good signage you’ll get there. It’s actually part of the outdoor pool complex and looks like it would be quite at home in LA.

With doors thrust open to capture the fresh morning air behind them, keen gym bunnies were on bikes and treadmills facing the Harbour Bridge. What a spot! The pool complex is open to hotel guests (and residents. Yes you can live here) with lounge furniture under umbrellas gazing out over that view.

LA or Auckland?!

The food

But quite possibly the biggest buzz at the moment at The Heritage Hotel is their food. It’s raw – and not because of problems with the stove. Chef Jinu Abraham is a master of producing exquisite plant-based, locally produced food. You don’t have to be vegan or vegetarian to love it either! Of course, not every dish is raw, and not every dish is meat-free, but this is a welcome and exciting addition to Auckland’s foodscape.

Here is my muesli, coconut parfait and berry couli in a squeezable tube for breakfast.

These are yummy little brekkies!

I also chose a Vitamin C kick of freshly squeezed pineapple, lemon and orange juice. (Other choices are Detox, Energising and Liver Lover).

The chilled infused coffee (not to be confused with cold pressed) will impress connoisseurs too. The beans have been soaked for at least eight hours, then steeped through a paper filter. It drips slowly through this monstrous hour-glass contraption and that process takes the usual bitterness out. Add your naughty milk, cream or sugar as you wish!

The coolest coffee in Auckland? (Sorry, couldn’t resist!)

What’s nearby?

Located on Hobson Street, you’re a stone’s throw from SkyCity and all the hubbub that goes on there. You’re also only about three blocks from Queen Street heading straight out the door and turning left, the same distance from the Viaduct down at the waterfront.

Sleep at the Airport: Auckland Novotel Hotel

June 22, 2012 by megan Leave a Comment

If you have a red-eye flight out of Auckland, then staying at the new Novotel right outside the arrival gate is your perfect solution to a leisurely start at 5am!

Like most silly backpackers I too have slept at airports. In my young and wide-eyed OE days when saving the cost of a hostel for the night when arriving after midnight was worth it. These days? Not on your nelly. I’m far more sensible and nana-ish and like a good night’s sleep too much.

Cue the Auckland Airport Novotel. Also especially good for your out-of-town guests who need a lift to the airport to their 4.45am check in! (Dreaming.)

I was booked on a red-eye flight to Sydney (departing at 7am / checking in at 5am / alarm set for 4am) and I had been wanting to check out the new hotel literally only 100 metres from the International Arrivals hall. So I contacted them and they said YEP, come and stay and review us for your blog.

So here it is…

After scrambling out of the house, we arrived about 7.30pm as the evening sun was shining off the glass sides. The hotel is part owned by the Tainui tribe and I love the Maori motifs discretely carved into the beams. The lobby is light and open and plants grow out of the wall about 2 stories high behind the bar.

We took our own car rather than cabbed as my husband was flying to Wellington the next day and I was flying to Sydney. This is the hotel that can solve those conundrums. You can have the car valet parked for the night and the whole of next day for $35, but we parked in the general park out the front and the hotel validated our ticket for $22 for the overnight and all day use. (Cheaper than a taxi there and back!)

Our room was down the end of the hall with Air New Zealand planes on the runway in the distance. If you’re a plane spotter you’ll probably want room service delivered to you in the hallway.

Our room was really styly and chic with kiwiana art as the bed head board and the bathroom has frosted glass so you can choose whether to watch each other (or not!)

We arrived just in time to head to the restaurant for dinner. The meal was great, but it is a bit pricey. Mind you, restaurant meals are expensive in NZ don’t you think? Of course, we both had the most expensive items on the menu: steaks, cooked medium-rare. The husband’s was on a rosti and mine was a fillet mignon with gnocchi, both with a yummy rich jus and see the cute basket of chips on the side?

We were entertained by a camerman filming another table making a promo video of forced conversation and pleasant faces. I tried my own skills out at our table and reckon I could’ve given a rousing performance of enjoying my eye fillet cooked medium rare…

But the best part of the whole thing? I had to check in for my 7am flight at the ungodly hour of 5am so just staying across the concourse meant I showered and dressed, ran across with my luggage, got my boarding pass and came back to have breakfast with my husband before we went our separate ways.

Jump here to check out the Auckland Airport Novotel – and don’t forget their bar. Why not kill time at the airport over there instead of the meagre offerings in the terminal?

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What is the design inspiration?

Expect the unexpected

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