Voco Auckland City Centre, an IHG Hotel

Overview

When entering the new voco Auckland City Centre, don't accidentally walk through the entrance of the new Holiday Inn Express next door — the pair are part of a new dual tower development offering accommodation for all budgets to travellers in the city centre.

What sets the voco apart in our opinion is its understated luxury — this is not a hotel in which you'll feel intimidated, but it does offer a richly coloured oasis in Auckland's inner city. It also marks the first voco offering in New Zealand - the hotel chain has over 50 hotels around the world.

With over 200 spacious rooms and suites, a fully equipped gym and several meeting rooms, this is bound to be an appealing option for both travellers and those heralding from wider Auckland looking for a city staycation. Each of the rooms features plush, sustainable bedding, hand-picked artworks and stylish marble bathrooms that feature rain showers and Antipodes amenities.

If you're scared of heights, be warned — during Concrete Playground's recent stay we were given a room on the 26th floor and it took a little while to get used to the giant drop outside the floor-to-ceiling windows. But after dark, city-facing rooms are granted a jaw-dropping cityscape and epic views of the Sky Tower.

On the ground floor of the hotel sits Mozarrella and Co, a cosy all-day Italian trattoria that offers a traditional and delicious a la carte menu for lunch and dinner. We'd recommend kicking things off with the absurdly fresh prosciutto crudo with melon, mint ricotta and honey — it gives the perfect amount of fresh crunch paired with salty cured goodness. Then gorge on the papperdalle ragu, gnocchi or lasagne — and finish things off with tiramisu, of course. This is also where you can enjoy a buffet breakfast the next morning — always a high point of any hotel stay.

But it's the rooftop offering that's sure to draw visitors through the hotel doors once it opens next month. Bar Albert, set to open in August 2022, promises sky-high good times thanks to its prime position as New Zealand's highest rooftop bar — one waiter told us he's been up there, and from the open deck you can "look down on the other rooftop bars like they're specks". With sumptuous art-deco-inspired interiors and we're guessing jaw-dropping views of the cityscape, this will be an absolute go-to for both locals and travellers alike. Watch this space — we'll keep you updated with its progress.

Voco Auckland City Centre can be found on the corner of Alert and Wyndham Streets in Auckland's CBD. It's open for bookings now.