REBECCA BISSET bookends a trip to New Zealand with a stay in an impressive boutique hotel right in the centre of Auckland.
Auckland’s CBD isn’t big; apart from offices and a few regular high-street shops, it’s made up of some cool boutiques, a very traditional department store (think 1970s) and a handful of trendy bars. It’s a refreshing change from sprawling metropolises and towering skycrapers.
Because it doesn’t take long to walk anywhere, I thought it would be nice to stay right in the heart of the CBD this time. Just along from the main commercial thoroughfare of Queen Street is Hotel DeBrett, a family-owned boutique property with 25 rooms and suites. It’s on High Street, which was presumably the main road in the past. The hotel has its own bar on the corner nearby and some hip “watering” options inside too; it definitely feels like part of the business and social mix of the area. The waterfront is a short walk away, with Viaduct Harbour and all its buzzy eateries, plus plenty of people-watching (and yacht-watching!) opportunities.
Retro vibe
We were delighted to find a bit of a retro mix going on in the hotel’s gorgeous Loft Suites; we stayed in two rooms, one at the start of our time in New Zealand and another before our flight back to Singapore. I think it’s nice to be fairly close to the airport when you leave – less stress! – so it makes sense to stay in Auckland rather than come straight from elsewhere on the island.
This story is from the December 2017 edition of EL Singapore.
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This story is from the December 2017 edition of EL Singapore.
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