Fable Auckland MGallery
58/60 Queen Street
Auckland Central Business District
Auckland 1010
New Zealand
https://www.fablehotelsandresorts.com/hotels/fable-auckland
Not Quite 5-Star Experience
(Ratings: On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 = Worst and 10 = Best)
Overall: 5
Visited: Nov-2022
Ambience & Setting: 7
Food & Beverage: 8
Service: 8
Value for Money: 6
Budget about NZD $1,740 / SGD $1,400 per person.
- $1,300 Accommodation 4D3N
- $100 Room Service F&B
Nearby Attractions: Sky Tower, Museum Of Transport And Technology, War Memorial Museum, Albert Park, Mount Eden, Auckland Zoo, Kelly Tarlton's Sea Life Aquarium, Auckland Art Gallery, Rainbow's End, Auckland Harbour Bridge, Auckland Botanic Gardens, One Tree Hill, Mount Wellington, Auckland Civic Theatre, Aotea Square & Aotea Centre, Voyager New Zealand Maritime Museum, Kitekite Falls, Karekare, Rangitoto Island, Waiheke Island
Hotel Facilities: Free Wi-Fi, Gymnasium, Laundry Service, Dry-Cleaning Service, 1 Restaurant (Cooke’s Restaurant & Bar), Jacuzzi, Sauna, Cable TV With Bose Sound Bar, Lift Lobby Lounges, Restaurant Lounge, Secret Garden, Stocked Mini-Bar Refrigerator, Fine Tea Set, Currency Exchange Service
Hotel Activities: Work Out, Internet Surfing, Dining, Jacuzzi Soaking, Sauna Session
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Introduction
Located about 40 minutes drive away from the Auckland international airport in Auckland, New Zealand, the Fable Auckland MGallery is a 5-star art-deco boutique hotel, a glamourous outfit housed in a restored colonial building. Despite its luxury status however, my experience with Fable Auckland MGallery was less thoughtful than expected.
Ambience
Ambience at Fable Auckland MGallery exudes a classic old-world sophisticated elegance. Paying homage to the art-deco style of the early 1900s, the former Windsor House has been beautifully transformed into a luxurious abode, winning the most inspired design in the Boutique Hotels Award in 2018. The marble-lined lobby with high ceiling and gleaming chandeliers beckon, while the quaint lift landings are comfortably furnished. Design aesthetics pay homage to precious gemstones; emerald, aquamarine, amethyst, and tourmaline.
Room
Rooms at Fable Auckland MGallery are spacious and comfortable, but poorly sound-proofed. I stayed at the Junior Suite, located on the highest floor, but as the lift doesn't go up all the way, guests have to navigate a flight of stairs. The smart TV in-room has a decent selection of channels, and I love the comfortable and clean bed and rain shower. The sofa is comfortable too, but oddly positioned in a corner that looks into a wall. Sleep was disturbed by street noise, even though I was on the highest floor. As it was Halloween weekend, I could hear loud music and cheering for sports teams, till the wee hours of early morning.
Food
Food at Fable Auckland MGallery is served at the peerless Cooke’s Restaurant & Bar, decked out in the same opulent splendour. The place also doubles as the hotel's lounge, with ample plush sofas flanking the entrance. Quality of dishes is excellent, featuring fresh local produce and beautifully presented. Dining here seems to be a highlight from the guests I'd conversed with, but I didn't feel it lived up to its fine-dining prices, as the service was rather lacklustre.
Service
Service at Fable Auckland MGallery is decent, but doesn't seem to live up to the 5-star reputation I'd expect. Staff are polite and efficient in fulfilling requests, meticulous in record checking, and acceding to guests on trust. I initially had an incorrect charge for a mini-bar item, which staff flagged to me, and subsequently removed. Housekeeping is hard-working and thorough in making up rooms. That said, there's little interaction beyond transactional conversations.
Facilities & Activities
The facilities and activities at Fable Auckland MGallery aren't worth shouting about, being rather lacklustre. The small gymnasium is poorly equipped, and it seems they don't have meeting rooms or a business centre. The lift doesn't go up to the highest floor where I was staying, and while the concierge can help with luggage, the stairs will hinder the mobility-challenged or elderly. There was no provision of glasses or holders for toiletries, making it inconvenient. Sound-proofing is poor (as it's an old building), noise filters in from the street. Worse of all, the wifi connectivity was terribly unreliable, I ended up using my mobile data hot-spot most of the time. I cannot recommend Fable Auckland MGallery to anyone.
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CONVERSATION