Auckland Hotel Viaduct Harbour becomes MGallery Hotel Lighter Quay

Auckland's waterfront Hotel Viaduct Harbour has been taken over by MGallery and will now be called the Hotel Lighter Quay. The new management takes over Monday, September 26.

The Lighter Quay location is particularly convenient for Auckland's compact central business district, which extends up from the harbour for several hundred metres.

After a day of meetings, the harbourside location is also ideal for a stroll around the City of Sails' vibrant waterside district of bars, restaurants and museums.

It's also close to the new Wynyard Quarter, opened for the Rugby World Cup this year, hosted in New Zealand.

MGallery is the boutique hotel brand from Accor, better known for its Novotel, Sofitel, Pullman and Mercure hotels, plus other brands at the budget end of the market.

According to the hotel group, "MGallery hotels are aimed at a demanding, pleasure-seeking clientele of experienced travellers for whom the hotel is central to their holiday."

There are 46 MGallery hotels worldwide, but the closest to home are the Grand Hotel Melbourne, Cradle Mountain Lodge and St Moritz Queenstown.

Since MGallery hotels are part of the Accor group, guests can accrue points in the A|Club program, which is in the process of being renamed Le Club Accorhotels.

John Walton

Aviation journalist and travel columnist John took his first long-haul flight when he was eight weeks old and hasn't looked back since. Well, except when facing rearwards in business class.