All Auckland Attractions We Visited 2022

Snapshots of the iconic tourist attractions we visited in Auckland, North Island, New Zealand.

Auckland Food Trail 2022

Auckland Street Food - Part 2


More Auckland Street Food that I've tried during other visits to Auckland, New Zealand, continuing from Part 1.

Shellfish (Oysters) In Classic Shallot Mignonette

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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All Wellington Attractions We Visited 2022

Snapshots of the iconic tourist attractions we visited in Wellington, North Island, New Zealand.

Wellington Food Trail 2022

Wellington Street Food - Part 2


More Wellington Street Food that I've tried during other visits to Wellington, New Zealand, continuing from Part 1.

Hāngī

Sofitel Wellington
11 Bolton Street
Wellington Central
Wellington 6011
New Zealand

https://www.sofitel-wellington.com/


Modern French Luxury Hotel

(Ratings: On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 = Worst and 10 = Best)
Overall: 8
Visited: Oct-2022
Ambience & Setting: 8
Food & Beverage: 8
Service: 8
Value for Money: 9
Budget about NZD $795 / SGD $640 per person.
- $540 Accommodation 4D3N
- $100 Room Service F&B


Nearby Attractions: Museum Of New Zealand / Te Papa Tongarewa, Courtenay Place, Cuba Street Mall, Mount Kaukau, Mount Victoria Lookout, Wellington Botanic Garden, Matiu / Somes Island, Wellington Zoo, Space Place At Carter Observatory, Massey Memorial, Plimmer's Ark, The Beehive Parliament Building, Zealandia, Wellington Cable Car, Frank Kitts Park, Queen's Wharf, Brooklyn Wind Turbine, Wrights Hill Fortress, Red Rocks Reserve, Princess Bay, Museum Of Wellington City & Sea, City Gallery, Katherine Mansfield House, Colonial Cottage Museum


Hotel Facilities: Business Centre, Free Wi-Fi, Conference Rooms, Gymnasium, Laundry Service, Dry-Cleaning Service, 1 Restaurant (Jardin Grill), 1 Bar (La Serre), Cable TV With Bose Sound System, Lobby Lounge, Library & Game Rental, Currency Exchange Service


Hotel Activities: Work Out, Internet Surfing, Meetings, Dining, Reading, Board Games


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Introduction
Located about 20 minutes drive away from the Wellington international airport in Wellington, New Zealand, the Sofitel Wellington is a French-styled 'art de viver' 5-star business hotel, conveniently located near business, entertainment, arts, and nature areas. In fact, I managed to get around to most places just by walking!


Ambience
Ambience at Sofitel Wellington exudes an elegant sophistication befitting of modern luxury. The combination of natural light, marble floor tiles, black panelled walls, and plush lounge chairs in cream, brown, and green, appear attractive and comfortable. The open reception appears welcoming and accessible, though the corridors are dark and narrow.


Room
Rooms at Sofitel Wellington are clean, comfortable, and cozy. I stayed at the Superior Room, which features the signature Sofitel 'MyBed', designed to elevate sleep to luxurious heights with its exceptional comfort. The modern bathroom with rain shower, resplendent with white marble and gold lamp finishes, is stocked with French amenities. The in-room wifi is fast and stable, but the smart cable television only has a small amount of channels, though the Bose sound system has good clarity.


Food
Food at Sofitel Wellington is served at the French restaurant Jardin Grill. The kitchen takes pride in serving well-executed, exquisite dishes, everything I had here was excellent. Ingredients are fresh, and dishes made to order with just a short wait. The limited seating means the restaurant tends to be fully booked, and advance reservations are recommended.


Service
Service at Sofitel Wellington is professional and efficient, attentive and welcoming. Guests are promptly accorded attention, with tasks carried out quickly. Housekeeping is hardworking and keeps the place clean. Kudos to Yu Ting and Christian for being so accommodating with requests, and for making each interaction pleasant!


Facilities & Activities
The facilities and activities at Sofitel Wellington is generally pitched at business travellers, with good meeting room facilities and equipment, and plenty of foyer space for networking. Their location in the city centre helps as well, as does the business-esque French dining at the restaurant. Noticed plenty of meetings going on here. Also love how their location is within 30 minutes or less walking distance from the majority of attractions in Wellington.


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Fidel's Cafe
234 Cuba Street
Te Aro
Wellington 6011
New Zealand

http://www.fidelscafe.com/

The Cubano (NZD $18 / SGD $18)

Spruce Goose
30 Cochrane Street
Rongotai
Wellington 6011
New Zealand

http://www.sprucegoose.net.nz/

Crumbed Fish And Chips (NZD $23 / SGD $23)

Top 5 Wellington Attractions

City: Wellington
State: North Island
Country: New Zealand

The capital of New Zealand, Wellington is also the cultural center of the country, a hub of the film and special effects industry. Known for being the city with the strongest wind speeds, Wellington is widely regarded as one of the world's most livable cities. The area is notable for its large Maori and Pacific Island communities, the indigenous population of New Zealand.

Here are the Top 5 Tourist Attractions to visit in Wellington, all of which hold important cultural or historical significance. All these are permanent locations which can be visited and viewed at any time throughout the year.


1. Museum Of New Zealand / Te Papa Tongarewa

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Museum Of New Zealand / Te Papa Tongarewa (Purchased Stock Image)

The Museum Of New Zealand / Te Papa Tongarewa in downtown Wellington is considered the country's national museum and art gallery. Broadly classified into 2 sections, focusing on the past, and the future respectively, the museum houses over 2 million artefacts, curated over 150 years. The exhibits span art and photography, history, Pacific cultures, natural environment (fauna and flora), and Maori culture. Highlights include the world's largest specimen of a rare colossal squid, Gallipoli The Scale Of Our War, and the treasured stone Pounamu.



2. Mount Victoria Lookout

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Mount Victoria Lookout (Purchased Stock Image)

Rising 196 metres above sea level, the Mount Victoria Lookout offers stunning panoramic views of Wellington, the city, harbour, airport, and beyond. A fantastic hiking trail, the area also features the New Zealand National War Memorial, and a memorial to Richard Byrd, the American aviator who made the first flight over the South Pole. Part of The Lord of the Rings film trilogy was filmed here, in particular, the 'Escape from the Nazgul' scene where the frightened hobbits hid from the Black Riders in dense forest undergrowth, while on the road to Bree.



3. Space Place At Carter Observatory

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Space Place At Carter Observatory (Purchased Stock Image)

Named after Charles Rooking Carter, the Space Place At Carter Observatory is the longest serving national observatory in New Zealand. Located at the top of the iconic Wellington Botanic Gardens, this space museum features a digital planetarium, and a exhibition centre showcasing the origin and scale of the universe, as well as the role of star clusters for the Maori and Polynesian cultures. Night viewings of the constellations via the Thomas Cooke telescope are held thrice weekly for the public.



4. Red Rocks Reserve

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Red Rocks Reserve (Purchased Stock Image)

The Red Rocks Reserve is an outdoor coastal walk along the coast of Wellington, well known for its unique geology. Steeped in Maori history, the area was formed by undersea volcanic eruptions, with iron oxide giving the rocks their vibrant amber red colour hue. The place is also a gathering point for a New Zealand fur seal colony, comprised of bachelor males who were unsuccessful in courting a female. There are historic gun emplacements and lookouts spread along the coastline, and the clear night sky offers fantastic views of the stars. I even spotted a shooting star during my visit here!



5. Zealandia

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Zealandia (Purchased Stock Image)

Formerly known as the Karori Wildlife Sanctuary, the area now called Zealandia is a protected natural area in Wellington, New Zealand. A large self-contained habitat, it showcases natural, native flora and fauna, which may be difficult to spot elsewhere. These include plants like the towering evergreen rimu / dacrydium cupressinum, the large vibrant tree fuchsia / fuchsia excorticata, or the mousehole tree / ngaio / myoporum laetum whose leaves repel mosquitoes and sandflies. Rare native birds such as the flightless and noisy takahe, the sturdy and curious weka / Maori hen, the shy little spotted kiwi bird, or the honey eating stitchbird / hihi may be seen here.





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