anyone stayed at this hotel?
looks cheap and cheerful - is it?
Advice appreciated.
Thanks

It is newish and meant to be very nice, but it is not in the central city. It is located on Auckland's North Shore and is a 20 minute cab ride (over the Harbour Bridge) to downtown.

thanks mignonette - hadn't realised that.
do you have any other suggestions at a similar price or any B&Bs?
Cheers

What are your priorities in terms of accommodation and what's your maximum price? If you let me know I can give you a better idea of what you might like.

By the way, I don't mean to put you off the Spencer on Byron. I just think it would be most suitable for people whose visit was focused on the North Shore or who have a rental car.

we fly out from Auckland on 31st Dec so need to be in/near the city but not sure how much time to devote to it. Would one day be enough to see the sights?
We are spending most time in the South Island (3wks) and 1 week in the North as we are more mountain people.
Somewhere close to vegetarian restaurant or interesting shops. Price range approx 120-200 NZD.
Cheers

Perhaps the Heritage Hotel would suit you best. It is centrally located and within your price range. It is near the "Viaduct" which is an area down by the harbour with lots of restaurants and a maritime museum.

Most of the B&Bs are located in inner-city suburbs Parnell and Ponsonby. Both of these areas are worth visiting in the evening - they both have a large number of restaurants.

A day is probably enough although there are lots of good day trips that can be done from Auckland if you've got more time.

The most interesting shopping in the central city is in High St/Vulcan Lane/Chancery area - lots of cafes, bars and restaurants too.

The Auckland Museum in the Domain is worth a visit. Great views of the city from here.

Devonport is a very nice seaside suburb 10 minutes away by ferry.

In terms of day trips, Waiheke Island (40 mins by ferry) is nice - beaches and vineyards. You can also do a wine-tasting tour in West Auckland or visit the West Coast beaches (about 40 minutes drive away) - this is where the Piano was filmed.

I'm happy to help with more advice if needed.

see, that's funny about your shopping suggestion..i think it is subjective- coming from an american city- i found the chancery/queen street scene/vulcan lane area a little too familiar and enjoyed the off beat and intimate nature of the shops in ponsonby, parnell and even remeura neighborhoods. as an american, i don't often get to stroll a "high street' full of shops with varying merchandise, but all too often see crabtree and evelyn at the mall.
i'm not sure where the poster is from, but i am sure he/she might find the downtown shopping stylish and expensive, but not necessarily uniquely new zealand or orginal. just 2 cents.
also i would give auckland two full days and an overnight if you're pressed for time and if you absolutely hate cities, then just skip it. but i think it's great.

Interesting to read your comments hotandsweaty. I guess it's all about perspective - as you say, it's subjective - and what you are looking to buy. I live in Parnell and never shop here other than for food. But I guess Parnell and the other suburbs you mention arguably have more one-off shops than the downtown area does. Depends what you're after.

Having said that, Crabtree & Evelyn aside, you would be hard pressed to find any other shops that you find in a mall in the US in the High St/Chancery area. There is admittedly a focus on clothes and particularly on local designers (Karen Walker, Carlson, Kate Sylvester, Workshop). There are also a couple of great book shops (Unity Books, Rare Books) plus some good galleries and cafes.

Again, I expect it depends what you're after and I'm not looking at it through a visitor's eyes. It's always interesting to read an outside view of your home town. Pleased you enjoyed your stay here hotandsweaty.

if money is no object, where would you stay and which would be the best locationto be in ?

I would probably choose either the Hilton or a suite at the Ascott Metropolis or the Sebel Suites, and my decision would turn on how long I was staying.

My first choice for luxury would definitely be the Hilton. It also has a great restaurant (White) and there is a very good spa (Spa de Serville) adjacent to it.

The other two are suite hotels with kitchens etc, but both are very modern and well designed. If were staying longer than a couple of nights, I would probably go for one of these.

The Hilton and the Sebel are located near the Harbour and lots of restaurants, whereas the Metropolis backs on to the shopping area of High St (described in an earlier post of mine). The higher levels of Metropolis have fantastic views over the city.