Review: Auckland’s Hotel Britomart is an oasis of luxury

Introduction

Positioned metres from Waitemata Harbour, The Hotel Britomart’s lofty reputation precedes it – New Zealand’s first certified ‘5 Green Star’ hotel; a property frequently hailed not only among the best in Auckland but the entire country.

It’s also proof that brick can indeed be beautiful, with its wheat-coloured façade alone clad in around 150,000 hand-made bricks, while interiors dance the line between industrial and Japandi design. 

The Hotel Britomart's lobby features multiple places to sit and relax.

Having admired it from afar for years, it was with great excitement that I finally stayed during a recent trip. And, from the minimalist lobby to its ground-floor restaurant and small yet well-furnished rooms, it certainly lived up to expectations.

Location & Impressions

One of the beauties of Auckland is it has a very walkable CBD. Most sights are in easy distance from each other, whether it’s the waterfront dining hub of Viaduct Harbour, Auckland Art Gallery or the distinctive Sky Tower dominating the skyline. 

The brick-clad exterior of The Hotel Britomart.

The Hotel Britomart – overlooking Takutai Square, where a pop-up market purveying food, artworks and souvenirs takes place every Saturday – is an ideal base to discover it all.

Stepping into the sun-drenched lobby, the hustle and bustle of the city centre melts away. 

Natural lighting is used to dramatic effect.

Part of TFE Hotels, which also counts the excellent A by Adina Sydney within its stable, the hotel is a stark contrast to the glass skyscrapers and heritage-listed buildings surrounding it, yet also feels exactly where it needs to be.

Once you’ve made use of the $60 valet parking, you likely won’t need your car again until checkout, thanks to an impressive mix of retail and dining radiating from its doorstep (the nearby Miann dessert bar was a regular haunt of mine). 

Local artworks and ceramics are featured throughout.

The ferry terminal is also just minutes away too, making day trips to the ‘wine island’ of Waiheke not only possible but an essential part of your trip.

Room

At 22 sqm – the standard size of all 99 rooms at the Hotel Britomart – my Waitemata View King on level nine felt a little snug. That said, designers have done well to maximise the feeling of space. 

A Waitemata View Room at The Hotel Britomart.

For example, a heavy cavity-slider door and mirrored timber vanity area sit outside the tiled bathroom, making the shower room feel significantly more spacious in the process.

The shower and separate vanity area.

A sliding door seals off the bathroom.

A large picture window looking out to the harbour also floods the room with natural light, with the lounge perched directly below a comfortable spot to read one of the supplied books.

Electric blinds are controlled via a panel alongside the door.

Every surface is tactile and waiting to be touched – the grooves of the timber shelves and flooring, a soft rug under foot, cotton pillow cases, and textured stone-look tiles in the bathroom. Even the paint work is textured.

The minibar is hidden within the wardrobe.

New Zealand-made pottery and textiles are also signature elements found throughout the hotel, complementing natural finishes like timber, glass, stone and brick. 

You’ll spot delicate vases and ceramic cups, handmade soap dishes and comfy bathrobes, many of which can be purchased (pricing is listed by the minibar, alongside the usual suspects of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks).

A small desk, with powerpoints in easy reach.

Rounding out the features are a small desk with cushion-topped timber stool (not ideal for extended use) and a wardrobe housing a pod coffee machine and kettle, plus a handful of tasty snacks.

Eat

Aside from appealing to interior design buffs, The Hotel Britomart is also a gourmet mecca home to one of Auckland’s most popular seafood restaurants: Kingi. 

An open kitchen adds some theatre to the dining experience.

Open seven days from 7am till late, it’s on the ground floor of Masonic House, a heritage building linked to The Hotel Britomart. Interiors are rustic yet refined, with original paintwork and exposed brick adding to its historic feel.

An L-shaped bar – beneath a glass sculpture said to resemble the scales of a fish – is the restaurant’s focal point, alongside an open kitchen and courtyard dining area.

Gas heaters and an open fireplace keep the space warm and inviting.

Kingi doubles as the hotel’s chief breakfast venue – an á la carte menu details options like eggs on sourdough, hemp heart granola with kiwifruit and coconut yoghurt, and smoked kahawai topped with Nduja hollandaise and a slow poached egg. 

The latter piqued my interest on day one. While I found it delicious, it might not appeal to everyone, with the kahawai fish and hollandaise both having very distinctive flavours.

Nduja hollandaise, slow poached egg, rosti and smoked kahawai.

Banana pancakes and maple syrup, sprinkled with raspberries and crushed hazelnuts, on day two was a much safer option, and it went well with the supplied pastries and cut fruit.

Banana pancakes with raspberry, hazelnut and maple syrup.

Hemp heart granola was also a fine choice.

For dinner, there’s a seafood-rich á la carte menu, backed by a lengthy drinks list of mostly-local wines, beers and non-alcoholic choices, plus cocktails and mocktails. 

If you’re the kind who struggles with too many choices, I’d recommend the ‘Taste of Kingi’ set menu, which takes away all of the guesswork and pressure of making decisions.

The timber bar at Kingi.

For $108 a head, the four course menu is very generous, with my experience featuring three dishes for courses one and two, four for the main meal, followed by a light icecream dessert.

Course one: Trevally kokoda topped in finger lime, Kina (sea urchin) on toast with pancetta, Te Matuku oysters. 

Course two: Green lipped mussels in Nudja, fromage blanc with raspberry and black olive tapenade, and kumara sourdough with burnt coconut butter. 

Course three: Wapiti venison shin with parsnip and quince, roast crown pumpkin with feijoa glaze, yellow belly flounder (my dish of the night), and a mixed leaf salad. 

Service was friendly and attentive without being too imposing.

In-room dining is available for breakfast, lunch and dinner, with a brief all-night option too.

Relax

If you want to get active, there’s a small basement gymnasium fitted with Technogym equipment – kettlebells, weights, elliptical machines, exercise bikes and yoga balls.

A small but functional gym.

While there’s no spa, there is a guest-only lounge dubbed ‘The Libraries’. Home to an array of comfy lounges, it’s open Thursday to Saturday, midday until late. 

The Libraries is accessible via an elevator, after walking through Kingi.

A tended bar is available in the evenings.

Inside The Libraries guest-only lounge.

If not booked for a private event, it doubles as the hotel’s meeting spaces.

Verdict

With its convenient location, broad amenities and upmarket design (guaranteed to have you taking several photos), I’d rate The Hotel Britomart a must-stay in Auckland. It’s beautiful from top to bottom.

Though rooms are rather small compared to some of the city’s other five star hotels, they’re well-equipped. Plus, thanks to the addition of The Libraries, which is almost like an extension of your room, there’s plenty of space to stretch out if needed.

The writer stayed as a guest of The Hotel Britomart.