Our take on a design-driven and sustainable luxury hotel stay on the waterfront in Auckland, New Zealand.
Why stay here?
Located in downtown Auckland, the hotel is positioned along the waterfront, bustling with energy and contrast. From boutiques to restaurants, it’s all at your doorstep. The Hotel Britomart’s deep sense of place is the result of being created by the same team that reinvented the locale that surrounds it. Comprising 99 guest rooms and five luxurious Landing suites, The Hotel Britomart offers guests the best of both worlds – rooms designed to make you feel like you have entered a peaceful retreat, right in the centre of Auckland’s dining precinct.
Design and sustainability notes
The 10-storey and 104-room The Hotel Britomart is New Zealand’s first 5 Green Star Hotel, certified by the Green Building Council. Sustainability has been considered in every aspect of the process – from design, build and procurement decisions. The energy use and quality of the indoor environment are managed through efficient air control systems, energy metering, insulation and LED lighting.
The building is designed by Auckland-based Cheshire Architects. Its striking exterior is clad in 150,000 hand-made bricks, creating a sense of warmth, craft, and connection to its 150-year-old neighbours. Aptly described by Nat Cheshire, “The rooms are designed by texture and with natural materials…. they’re intended to be rooms that you can run your fingertips over,” she said.
Walking into a room, the colours and texture had a serene-like effect. The latest room control technology was another level, with the blinds up and lights activated to welcome us by the time we reached our room after check-in.
Almost 80 per cent of the construction waste was reused and recycled. Further, the hotel has 50 per cent fewer gas emissions than a building that meets the minimum requirements of the New Zealand Building code.
Towels and linens are 100 per cent organic cotton, with duvets and pillows made from luxury microfibre derived from recycled plastic bottles. Handmade ceramics are featured in every room.
Organic, refillable skin and hair care products come in recyclable bottles. My personal favourite was the compostable slippers made from coconut husks.
Dining
Integrated seamlessly as you step into the lobby, ‘kingi’ (short for kingfish) restaurant offers fresh meals made from locally sourced produce. The restaurant team also service guests with selected items as part of the hotel’s room service 24/7. As you step out of the lobby, you’ll find other eateries that include Café Hanoi (serving Vietnamese with a twist); Ghost Street (Chinese); Amano (Italian); and Ebisu (Japanese) around the corner.
The Libraries were one of my favourite areas of The Hotel Britomart. Located in the Masonic and Buckland Buildings, The Libraries are one-of-a-kind spaces for guests that are surrounded by history, art and design melded together in the restoration of this historic building. From the Lounge where the brick walls reveal layers of history to the Wine Library, or better still, Chefs Library or Papuke Room, for private dining experiences, there is plenty of zones to suit all occasions. The Libraries are open to all guests residing at the hotel.
If you want to upgrade
The five luxurious Landing Suites, named after the bays at The Landing, promise an exquisite stay. Each suite is slightly different, encompassing its environment and the history around it.
The experience includes a Landing wine of choice, a complimentary antipasti platter or lunch for two at kingi, daily breakfast, welcome amenities bespoke to guests, complimentary transfers, a guest services assistant on call 24/7 and a tour of the Britomart neighbourhood.
Guest rooms at The Hotel Britomart start from NZD $400- $500 (about AUD$360-$451) per room, per night.
Landing Suites range between NZD$2000-$2800 (about AUD$1800-$2515) per room, per night.